Slinging fashion tidbits to the obsessed trendsetters, the fashionably corrupt and the temperamental divas, The Fashion Slinger, Rhana Kennedy, is here for you with her unwaivering faith in fashion. 

There’s a bigger buzz than usual in New York City this week. Hotels are a little more full, the clanging of utensils against plates chime a little louder, the flashes from cameras glitter the streets around Bryant Park like a myriad of stars that have just fallen to earth.

The white tents up in Bryant Park signal to the world that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is underway.  Check out the photo below- it’s from Spring, but this is how Bryant Park looks right now- minus a little green, of course.

Before the tents in Bryant Park, designers scrambled to rent hotel lobbies, banquet halls, anywhere just to show their new designs. Instead of a centralized area, designers were spread across NYC. This was an event, initially, for the press and was known as “Press Week”.

This week, thousands will flock to Bryant Park to flutter their eyebrows, strike a pose and sit in the front row with dark sunglasses.

But the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is much more than the “ooohs” and “aaahs” over every hem, bias cut and ruffle. Designers only thrive if they have the money to support their talents. And to be noticed, to be taken seriously, you need significant finances to bank roll a show.

The curtains open, the music begins and models pound their stilettos on the catwalk. This is the culmination of an accountant’s nightmarish journey.  

Let the calculations begin . . .   Preparation for a fashion show begins months before the actual show.   Production of the clothing that will course through the runways is, of course, critical and expensive. Designers sketch mockups (like the one pictured below) of clothing and then evaluate with their team the feasibility of the design and the type of fabric they’ll use. Often, designers and their teams will take trips to Paris and other cities to find inspirations for color and fabric. Once fabric has been scrutinized and cuts and hemlines have been agreed upon, production of the collection begins at a cost of anywhere from $3,000 and skyrockets from there.

Casting agents are crucial to this business. Designers always have a look in mind for their models and it’s the casting agent’s job to deliver. Jennifer Starr (pictured below), founder of Jennifer Starr Casting, is one of the most sought-after casting agents in the country. Known for finding new and unforgettable faces, she has been the casting guru for industry titans such as Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, and photographers Bruce Weber and Richard Avedon. Although a call to Starr’s agency prompted the question “and who are you again?”, The Fashion Slinger was not able to obtain Miss Starr’s fashion show fee, but usually casting for models costs $3,000 and up.

According to Forbes.com article from October 2007,  clothing stylists, hair and make-up contribute to the rising costs of fashion shows. Most stylists earn between $5000 to $6000, but stylists to the stars like Rachel Zoe (clients include Mischa Barton and Lindsay Lohan) can command a cool $20,000 – not too shabby for a day’s work.

“Someone like [celebrity stylist] Rachel Zoe can ask for huge rates because her own celebrity and name makes the designer look good,” says a fashion publicist. “Last year when she styled the Marchesa show, it was said she got upward of $20,000. But the designers had to hire a whole new set of stylists to do the actual dirty work.” Double – ka-ching!

Rachel Zoe is pictured below.

Without a signature look throughout the collection, the design is not complete. Add to the fact that photos, video and the omnipresent Internet help spread the word (whether good or bad) about a certain look from a collection, memorable hair styles are a must for any designer. Frederic Fekkai (photo below), whose celebrity clients include Salma Hayek and Liv Tyler charges up to $10,000 a day for his services. 

Sally Hershberger (below), who normally charges $800 for a shag haircut, also bills herself out to fashion shows at the same $10,000 per day rate as Fekkai.  Hershberger’s client list includes Meg Ryan and Michelle Pfeiffer. 

In the same Forbes.com article mentioned before, John Demsey, global president of MAC cosmetics says:

 ”Right before fashion week, there are orders of at least 20,000 shadows – and that’s just for the eyes. Multiply [that figure] by 25 to 30 make-up artists per show, with at least 45 shows going on. To re-stock a make-up artist’s make-up box costs at the very least $2,000. The cost can really start to escalate.”

Designers love to hire top models for their shows and are willing to pay the price. Models like Giselle Bundchen (see photo below) demand $20,000 and more for one show, even if they only wear one outfit. The total cost of a show’s worth of top models? Between $100,00 and $300,000.

What would models do without shoes to pound the pavement with? Shoes for a show can run upwards to $20,000 and more. Donna Karan’s dangerously high platform’s from her last collection appear below.

To rent a venue at Bryant Park does not come cheap. Including the tent itself, designers must think about sound and lighting, seating, runway, climate control all of which can cost $50,000 and more.  Below is a shot of a fashion show tent in the process of being prepped for an upcoming show.

And don’t forget the invitations designers send out to special guests and press dignitaries. Cost: $3,000 to $7,000. Fancy invites aren’t cheap- check out the one below from a former season.

There is also the cost of photography ($3000 - $5000) and video ($10,000 to $15,000).

Last, but certainly not least, there is the formidable cost of paying celebrities to sit in the front row of a designers show. According to a Forbes.com article from February 2007, Lori Levine of Flying Television, a talent booking and brokering firm says:”The front row of a fashion show is the red carpet to the world . . . Twice a year, the entire world watches a designer showcase their clothes. And given that the front row is what everyone sees, you are going to want celebrities there representing your brand, wearing your clothes and getting their picture take.”

Top celebrity front row sitters who are in demand: Katie Holmes and BFF Posh Spice herself, Victoria Beckham (the tight-knit friends appear together blow). Since marrying Tom Cruise, Katie’s stock has gone way up, and she can ask for $50,000 to sit in the front row. I always see the most random mix of celebrities and press in the front row like Kanye West and Anna Wintour,  and now I know why.

The moral for today: it takes big bucks to make a big splash.