4 ways beauty brands can be involved in London Fashion Week without sponsorship

How can brands still gain leverage from London Fashion Week and create different opportunities for exposure without going down the official sponsorship route? Fashion and Beauty Monitor explore four alternative opportunities to be optimised during the biannual showcase.

Host an event

Back-to-back shows and presentations make hosting a press day during LFW a wasted opportunity for brands, but there are other ways to take advantage of global media and influencers being in town. Shows and presentations fill the diaries of fashion editors, but hosting an intimate dinner on behalf of your client is a great way to pin down the media. Be sure to get in quick as schedules will fill with like-minded PRs’ events.

The convenient location of this season’s showcase is a PR’s playground. Use our events listing service alongside Celebrity Intelligence to check who is in town, and create or avoid clashes. 

Seed influencers and editors

The media are out in full force, giving you the chance to get product into the right hands, or on the right face, and there are also opportunities to gift at shows. Crabtree & Evelyn provide product at shows such as Gyunel and Tata Naka as well as sending out a ‘Survival Kit’ to key press and bloggers.

While coverage may seem like the ultimate goal, using the opportunity to introduce the range to the right people is just as important. Jamie Rockers, PR/Social Media Manager EMEIA, Crabtree & Evelyn, explains: “We do see coverage come through – especially from bloggers who we love to work with. However, getting the product in the right hands is also important. A mix of the two is the target! We have a gorgeous nail lacquer range that works really well in regards to any fashion events and by being involved in LFW, it helps us to spread awareness on it!”

Organise an influencer takeover

Working with an influencer on a social media takeover will provide a brand’s customers with insight into one of the country’s most prestigious events. Social reach on interactive channels such as Twitter and Instagram combined with daily updates on brand-side editorial platforms give a 360° vision of LFW. This also allows the consumer to gain insider access to some of the most esteemed shows on-schedule, something previously reserved to industry-only, hence opening up the world of fashion to fans.

Key points to remember when working with an influencer: make sure the outcome of the partnership is clearly communicated in advance; ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial for yourself and the influencer; and that your audience is one that the influencer is interested in targeting.

Use catwalk trends as a platform

The British Fashion Council’s official video partner Rightster shows a video stream of on-schedule shows throughout the week, allowing you to plan around catwalk looks.

Beauty brands that are able to launch a steady flow of collections have the luxury or deciding whether seasonal looks can be incorporated, as long as it’s right for the brand. With this luxury draws the danger of veering off brand for the sake or commercial viability.

Sally-Anne Stevens, Founder & CEO of B Public Relations, agrees: “A brands’ offering and image is always the priority. It would be counter-productive to try and emulate a catwalk trend if it was off-brand for one of our clients.”

Even if your brand doesn’t intend to launch a trend-focussed collection, or does not regularly launch new products; staying in the loop of what is expected for next season is vital – there are always ways to incorporate your brand’s offering.

Get the look style campaigns and editorial content on e-commerce sites make for great SEO practice, showcase the brand as in-the-know and help to push product to fashion-conscious consumer. Post-show coverage also makes for an ideal PR opportunity for brands to promote their product offering and push brand experts for professional comment, which is especially useful for high street brands that are restricted by budget.