Louis Vuitton to broadcast fashion show

(AFP PHOTO/FRANCOIS GUILLOT)

(Relaxnews) -

After Burberry in London and Armani in Milan aired live broadcasts of their fashion shows and Alexander McQueen announced to do the same during Paris Fashion Week on October 6, the French fashion capital's ultimate luxe brand Louis Vuitton has decided to jump on the bandwagon.

According to Women's Wear Daily, Vuitton will stream the fashion show taking place October 7 at 2:30pm CET, on its Facebook profile exclusively where it will stay for 24 hours.

Paris-based designer Alexander McQueen had announced earlier this week that he would broadcast his show on October 6 at 8:30 pm CET online at alexandermcqueen.com. By teaming up with photographer Nick Knight, the founder of the London-based SHOWstudio which was also behind the much-discussed video for British enfant terrible Gareth Pugh (shown instead of a runway show last season), McQueen plans to set up robot cameras on- and off-stage to bring the feel of a fashion show to everyone that owns a computer.

He also told Women's Wear Daily that he is planning capsule collections with items straight off the runway that will be available immediately after the show to use the publicity right away instead of having shoppers wait until clothes go on sale at retailers six months later.

The designers' announcements come as part of a trend that sees brands increasingly involve the masses instead of focusing on just a select 'high-end' audience.

During the opening of her A Shaded View on Fashion Film festival on September 25 (which also showcased Pugh's video as part of the 40 films series), fashion writer Diane Pernet told Relaxnews: "Runway shows are so last century. The internet has changed the landscape of fashion, you can reach thousands of people in a day."

Talking about the fashion short films competing at the festival, the winner of which will be announced October 8, Pernet added: "It's just such a much more modern way of presenting a collection."

The movement of 'opening up' the fashion world also includes an increasing number of designers creating clothes for 'budget' retailers (Sonia Rykiel even plans to feature her range for H&M at her own stores) or launching pop-up stores around the world to reach a wider public.