Daily Fashion Juice
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Portland Fashion Week: the business of fashion 

by Gretchen Holzgang

When it comes to Portland Fashion Week, there is more than just the clothes you see on the runway.
Designers participating in Portland Fashion Week receive a bevy of business benefits, on top of showcasing their designs on the runway. This year those benefits include rack-space in the Portland Fashion Week Market, showroom service and consultancy from industry leaders.

In an effort to create closer ties between designers, retailers and shoppers, Portland Fashion Week, running Oct. 5 through Oct. 9, is launching its "Portland Fashion Week: Come Shop Buy" campaign. In addition to individual retailers around town, the Pearl District Business Association will collaborate with the campaign with a series of cross-marketing initiatives.

This year, the last day of fashion week is dedicated the Portland Fashion Week Market, at the Benson Hotel    in downtown Portland. The marketplace will have both retail and wholesale showrooms, helping to move designs off the runway and onto street.
Helping boost local designer's business isn't the only thing that happens behind the stage at fashion week. In 2007, Portland Fashion Week became the first sustainable production of a fashion week in the world.

Portland Fashion Week 2011, with help from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation    , will use certified carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates in order to put on the four days of runway shows, all while keeping the event's carbon footprint to a minimal.

Portland Fashion Week 2011 runs Oct. 5 through Oct. 9. Shows are held at the Vigor Industrial Shipyard, Swan Island, 5555 N. Channel Ave., Portland.

Portland Fashion Week Market is on Sunday, Oct. 9, at the Benson Hotel, 309 S.W. Boradway, Portland. The wholesale market runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public market runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.