The PRs Behind London Fashion Week

The fashion industry largely revolves around creating an identity that captures and retains the attention of the consumer through a multitude of outputs, spanning presentations and shows, campaigns, editorial content, endorsements, retail spaces, events, and, of course, the merit of the products themselves. Building a brand is often a complex process and here the role of a public relations representative is critical for growth. Renowned publicists like Pierre Rougier and Karla Otto have been credited for the massive success of a number of designers whose work may not have otherwise been brought to the eyes of key industry figures, including the all important buyers. In the run up to London Fashion Week AW17 (17–21 February), Something Curated takes a look at the leading publicists behind the London shows.

 

A.I PR || Adam Iezzi

Iezzi founded A.I in 2005 after moving to London from suburban Melbourne, Australia. Notably, it was a six-month stint as a scholarship student in Japan in the early 90s that proved a formative experience for him. It was then that he discovered a love of the more experimental end of fashion, cultivated through brushes with cult magazines like Men’s Non No. Today, the Shoreditch-based agency represents a breadth of fashion labels, including J.W.Anderson, Kiko Kostadinov, Loewe and Marques’Almeida.

 

Ella Dror PR || Ella Dror & Ashley Smith

London-based Ella Dror PR, launched by Ella and friend Ashley Smith in 2011, has made a name for itself giving practical fashion industry guidance to a select group of innovative designers, with a client list heavy on newcomers. The agency have found a niche, marketing a distinctive fusion between high-end fashion and emerging subculture labels. Positioning themselves as the go to agency for young designers, the duo have helped launch and nurture an array of creatives such as Piers Atkinson, Nasir Mazhar, Astrid Andersen and Bernard Willhelm.

 

KCD || Ed Filipowski & Julie Mannion

With offices in New York, London and Paris, KCD has set standards for more than 30 years with its strategic and creative approach. President Ed Filipowski is one of the most influential figures in the fashion industry. As the head of public relations for the firm, he works with a wide range of prestigious clients, from Alexander McQueen and Maison Margiela to Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler. Filipowski is revered for nurturing and holding onto talent. While public relations is known for its fast turnover, the publicist, an employee at KCD since the 1980s, an owner nearly as long, has been able to keep his team close for decades.

 

Purple || Caroline Lynch & Fergus Lawlor

Purple PR was founded in 1997 by an ambitious trio, comprising, Gillian McVey, head of Paul Smith press for ten years, Caroline Lynch, head of press and marketing for Club 21 UK, and Fergus Lawlor, a partner in Select Music & Video Distribution. The company rapidly built an impressive client list with an international ethos, working initially with designer Calvin Klein. The firm has extensive expertise at organising events, launches and parties. Its list of current clients includes Visionaire Magazine and designers Faustine Steinmetz, Phoebe English and SIKI IM.

 

Karla Otto || Karla Otto

Karla Otto represents over 70 high-profile clients worldwide, including Céline, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Simone Rocha, with expertise encompassing a broad gamut of industries. Otto has been working with many of her clients for more than a decade, and some ever since the agency was founded in 1982. Growing up in West Germany, her first exposure to the wider world was when the local cinema screened a series of Japanese films. So eye opening was the experience, she decided to take a sabbatical before university travelling throughout Asia.

 

DH-PR || Daisy Hoppen

DH-PR was launched in 2013 by Daisy Hoppen. Having previously worked with a number of London based luxury PR Agencies, Hoppen founded DH-PR to provide representation within the art world, fashion, luxury and design sectors. In an interview with i-D last year, Hoppen said: “I often think of myself as a tortoise: traveling around London with my laptop on my back. I think it’s important to be mobile; I like to see my clients face-to-face to chat about what is coming up and planning ahead.” Representing a range of emergent and rapidly establishing talents, DH-PR looks after London labels Shrimps and Molly Goddard, among others.

 

The Communications Store || Julietta Dexter, Daniel Marks & Tom Konig Oppenheimer

Julietta Dexter launched the Communications Store at the age of 25, with £660, from a windowless room on Savile Row. Things have developed a lot over the last two decades. Daniel Marks joined Dexter and Tom Konig Oppenheimer at the firm in 2002. Since its foundation, The Communications Store has established itself as a global leader in strategic brand development and communications. TCS takes a key role in all aspects of its clients’ brand communication, representing the likes of The Net-a-Porter Group, Versace, Acne Studios, Christopher Kane, Ermenegildo Zegna and Erdem, among others.

 

Village || Louise Page

Co-founded and headed by Louise Page, Village is a multi-disciplinary communications agency specialising in fashion, technology and culture. With eminent clients including Ashish, Ally Capellino, Browns Fashion, Carven, Palace, Comme des Garçons, Dover Street Market, Lou Dalton and more, the consultancy have been critical in shaping over 250 brands in more than 22 countries since launching in 2003. The firm’s manifesto outlines: “Our goal is to grow our client’s businesses by building strong relationships and millennial-focused communication strategies that influence opinion and behaviour.”

 

Starworks || James Grant & Alana Varel

James Grant and Alana Varel founded Starworks back in 2000, relatively quickly building an enviable client base. The agency established a reputation for connecting fashion and beauty brands with the entertainment industry and today comprises three business units: Starworks Fashion, Starworks Beauty and Starworks Talent. The group’s clients include the Lulu Kennedy headed initiative Fashion East, and London designers, Nicholas Kirkwood and Gareth Pugh, among others.

 

PR Consulting || Pierre Rougier & Sylvie Piquet Damesme

Pierre Rougier represents an elite list of luxury and lifestyle brands, with partner Sylvie Piquet Damesme. Headquartered in New York, the agency runs an office in Paris and in July 2013 opened a branch in Los Angeles headed by former Balenciaga publicist Laurence Goldberg. A former student of political science in Bordeaux, Rougier moved to Paris in the late 1970’s, deferring his studies to work in public relations for Hermès, Yohji Yamamoto and Martin Margiela. Noted as having a keen eye for talented young labels, Rougier is well-known for his support of budding designers and is credited as an instrumental figure in raising the profile of brands such as Proenza Schouler , L’Wren Scott and Hood By Air.

 

SPRING London || Phillip Bodenham

Prior to setting up SPRING London, founder Phillip Bodenham worked in various areas of PR and communications for global brands such as Versace, Saint Laurent, Mulberry and Hugo Boss. Having worked in-house with some of the largest agencies globally and observing how they operated, he saw a gap in the market. Amongst others, today SPRING London works with pioneering fashion designer Hussein Chalayan, and cult leather goods maker Bill Amberg.