Fashion companies scale back shows

Scarlett Johansson is flanked by Stefano Gabbana (left) and Domenico Dolce in Milan. (Giuseppe cacace/afp/getty images)

Fancy canapes and champagne have become rarer, guest lists smaller, and celebrities tougher to find in the front rows of some fashion shows these days.

From New York to London, Paris, and Milan, fashion houses, particularly smaller ones, have cut back on catwalk expenses while others have pulled shows altogether as the luxury sector feels growing pain from the downturn.

At Milan womenswear fashion week, which ended yesterday, the number of shows slipped to 79 from 99 last year.

In January, there were 20 percent fewer shows at menswear fashion week, according to Mario Boselli, chairman of Italy's National Chamber of Fashion. Italy's textile and clothing sector is already seeking government help as the crisis sweeps into the demand for clothes and accessories.

Buyers attending fashion shows - from small trendy boutiques in Paris or Milan or department stores such as Saks and Bloomingdale's in New York - said they planned to reduce their purchases this year, some by up to 30 percent.

At New York's fashion week last month, regulars said shows were smaller, several had empty seats, the usual gift bags were minimal or missing, and several familiar faces in the fashion industry were absent from audiences. Marc Jacobs, who has his own brand and also designs for Louis Vuitton, halved invitations to 1,000 for his New York show.

Italy's top names like Giorgio Armani and Versace held two runs to present their designs as they always do. Roberto Cavalli pulled his Just Cavalli show because of financial problems at its distributor, which went into special administration last month.

The main Roberto Cavalli show went ahead, with model Milla Jovovich, and model/actress Elizabeth Hurley in the front row.

Designers Dolce & Gabbana had actresses Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Naomi Watts, and Kate Hudson as well as models Claudia Schiffer and Eva Herzigova at their show.

In Paris, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes said they would hold shows as planned and intended to spend as much as would be needed to get their artistic and commercial messages across.

But some organizers admitted that the industry has entered an era of restraint. "Before, there was a race for the most flamboyant shows at the most prestigious venues," says Etienne Russo, head of Villa Eugenie, a fashion show production company that works for Hermes, Lanvin, Chanel, Sonya Rykiel, Miu Miu, and others.

"Now people are asking themselves whether certain expenses are necessary. . . . This is the opening of a new chapter."

In London, fashion week was cut to 4 1/2 days from six days and the number of shows to 52 from 57 last year but organizers said the cut had more to do with schedule conflicts with New York's fashion week than the financial downturn.