Dior and Vogue grant backstage pass for collection discovery

Bella Hadid for Dior #VogueFollows

French atelier Christian Dior is making a connection as it takes consumers behind-the-scenes of its autumn/winter 2016-17 fashion show.

Dior has partnered with Vogue Paris for a video depicting recently named Dior beauty ambassador Bella Hadid (see story) as she prepares for the show. The backstage focus and spotlight on Ms. Hadid present the brand as personable and relatable, allowing consumers to discover the collection in a more independent manner.

“Vogue Paris is the epitome of chic in fashion publications and Dior is it’s counterpart in haute couture,” said Rony Zeidan, president and creative director of RO NY, New York It’s a perfect association.

“Dior is expressing elegance, modern couture, and authentic expression of oneself,” he said.

Backstage pass
The video is part of the Vogue Follows series, in which the magazine documents a model, designer, stylist or other figure in the moments preceding a runway appearance. In addition to its placement on Vogue.fr, Dior also shared the video on its Facebook page.

Bella Hadid for Dior

The video begins with Ms. Hadid defining beauty as an inner state of confidence, elaborating on the idea to defend it against the age-old cliché as she is driven to the show.

When she arrives, the video shows Ms. Hadid as she interacts with the make-up artists and beauticians as her makeup is applied. In voiceover, she relates stories about her mother dressing up her and her sister in nice clothes when they were young, instilling an appreciation of beauty and fashion that has lasted a lifetime.

As she finishes preparing for the runway show, Ms. Hadid addresses a question about her thought process, giving viewers insights into the experience. While she says that her recurring and final thought is almost always “don’t trip,” this particular show had her in sandals, leaving her focused on the heat in the small, crowded room.

Dior autumn/winter 2016-17 couture

Before she walks out on stage, she explains her appreciation for the collection, from the detail in the embroidery, the white/black combo and the gowns and dresses in particular. Ms. Hadid also mentions that it is a thrill to meet the craftspeople responsible for making the clothing, as they are invisible to most consumers but essential to the operations.

As she describes the dresses, the camera zooms in on them, allowing the viewer a chance to appreciate them with Ms. Hadid without pushing product sales too heavily. This subtler, more refined approach likely makes consumers feel as if they are discovering the products on their own or with a friend rather than pressured to like them due to the brand.

Lastly, Ms. Hadid wonders aloud about the relative merits of various superpowers, providing another humanizing moment before she walks down the runway and waves goodbye to the camera.

Changing behavior
Today’s consumer is savvy to tricks of the marketing trade, and brands have responded with methods that reveal rather than conceal the work that goes into everything from runway shows and fashion weeks to production and marketing. New media has become the method of choice for brands hoping to take consumers backstage.

Beginning last year, fashion brands have embraced Snapchat to give their consumers secret insider content, providing more access to the inner workings of putting on a runway show.

Michael Kors and Valentino were among the brands that took advantage of the application’s ability to share fleeting glimpses of personal moments, inviting them into a form of community. Snapchat users tend to skew younger, opening up labels to a new generation of consumers (see story).

Dior is in sync with these changes in consumer behavior, as the Vogue Follows documentary of Ms. Hadid is the latest in a longer line of similar initiatives for Dior.

Earlier in the month, Dior took followers on a weeks-long Insta-documentary starring brand ambassador Marion Cotillard.

The effort, housed exclusively on Dior’s primary Instagram account, follows Ms. Cotillard as she experiences different facets of the brand. The documentary begins at the Cannes Film Festival and ends at Mr. Dior’s Granville estate, showing viewers various aspects of the brand through Ms. Cotillard’s interactions with Dior during her journey (see story).

“It’s all content,” Mr. Zeidan said. “The more authentic the content and provides honest and real insight on behind the scenes, the more likely you are to establish an emotional connection.

“Mind you, Bella Hadid is an important model in the social world and her appeal is probably better suited for a younger audience rather than the true couture clientele,” he said.

from Apparel and accessories – Luxury Daily https://www.luxurydaily.com/dior-and-vogue-grant-backstage-pass-for-collection-discovery/
via Your #1 Source to Finding Luxury & Designer Goods, Handbags & Clothes at or Below Wholesale: Click Here.