IS FASHION PR STILL FASHIONABLE?
WORKING IN AN AGENCY WITH 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN FASHION PR, I THINK IT’S TIME TO DO A LITTLE THINKING ABOUT WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST YEARS AND WHAT’S STILL THE SAME.
Having worked for many Italian clients, the rhythm was clear all through the year: 4 x a year Milano, 2 x a year Firenze, if watch clients were involved, Basel and Geneva were also on the agenda.
The era of full editorial delegations at international fashion weeks is over. Publishing houses now send a single representative across all markets – a structural change that has fundamentally altered how collections are covered, and how relationships between press and brands are built.
The same goes for PR’s. Fly in in the mornings, fly back in the evening. If possible, no overnight expenses.
Back in the office, it’s still about writing press releases, finding the perfect story angle, telling the story that has never been told before.
And it’s still about lists. There are so many tools, none of them working 100%. So it’s still about knowing the right names, having the numbers of the right people in your phone. This hasn’t changed, even if your phone changed.
Calls are fewer than they once were – though still far too many. And while digital has reshaped how teams communicate, personal meetings remain where the real work happens. Young professionals who came of age in digital classrooms still need something screens cannot provide: proximity, guidance, and the kind of experience that only comes from doing things together in person.
If there is one thing fashion PR has consistently reaffirmed over the years, it is this: people love to meet. To chat, to connect, to be part of something. Events have outlasted every prediction of their decline. The formats have evolved, the venues have changed, the guest lists have shifted – but the magic of bringing the right people together in the same space? That has never gone out of style.
Clients: The most meaningful client relationships in fashion PR are built on partnership, not just service delivery. It means sitting eye to eye, consulting honestly, and investing in a brand’s success as if it were your own. Clients need guidance and direction. The skill lies in providing that support without making it obvious: leading from alongside, and ensuring they always feel in control.
OUR CONVICTION:
Fashion PR is still fashionable. It just got faster, leaner, and more human at the same time. What’s your biggest shift you’ve seen in the industry?
