MBFW Sponsors Take Fashion To The Masses With Consumer Activations
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has announced this season’s official sponsors and while the usual suspects are back entertaining fashion's elite at Lincoln Center, many of this season's activations have a downright consumer feel to them. While not everyone can make it into the tents, a few brands are extending the experience beyond Manhattan's Upper West Side. Check out the sponsors that are ushering in a new era of fashion to the masses.
Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Force is going on patrol in the new 2012 CLS 63 AMG to spot “stylesetters” with the best fashion. Celebrity stylist Brad Goreski and a team of Fashion Enforcers will be on duty for five days during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week driving around Lincoln Center and awarding "stylesetter" with a ride to their next destination. Some will receive an invitation to the brand's Fashion Week culmination event in the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge.
American Express
In it's eighth season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, will once again provide an on-site concierge and one of the best vantage points of the runways at Lincoln Center with the exclusive American Express Skybox. This year, however, the brand is extending the SkyBox experience to fashion fans everywhere through the online skybox.
Maybelline New York
Maybelline, which joined MBFW as the official cosmetic in the Fall of 2009, will again provide make-up teams to their sponsored designers including BCBGMAXAZRIA, Betsey Johnson, DKNY, Cynthia Rowley, Catherine Malandrino, Vivienne Tam, Custo Barcelona, Carlos Miele, Max Azria and L.A.M.B. Maybelline's social media plan will let consumers in on the action by providing the behind-the-scenes looks at maybellinelovesfashion.com and www.twitter.com/MNYInsider.
Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Drink
Starbucks Frappuccino coffee drink will return as the official coffee sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. In addition to serving Fraps on-site at the Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Drink Café (there's even a Starbucks Frappuccino Style Correspondent apparently), Starbucks has teamed up with Foursquare to offer a MBFW Frappucino badge. Foursquare fans can check-in to MBFW locations throughout the city for the change to win show tickets and free frappucinos. The Foursquare promotion is supplemented by a street team in the Lincoln Square area, dubbed the Starbucks "Fashion Crew," that will be distributing rewards to badge holders, according to Racked NY.
W Hotels Worldwide
W Hotels Worldwide is back for another season of its up-and-coming designer showcase called Fashion Next. Not only will W Hotels allow these emerging designers to present at The Box venue during MBFW, but Fashion Next designers will have opportunities to travel to W Hotels globally for exclusive trunk shows, design limited-edition pieces for the next W Hotels Global Glam fashion and accessories collection, and collaborate with W on other fashion projects throughout the season.
W Hotels has created its own collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week as well. On February 10, W Hotels will formally present its Fall 2011 Global Glam collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center. The collection is said to be inspired by th hotel personalities at W Taipei, W London – Leicester Square and W Mexico City.
W Hotels’ Global Music Director, Michaelangelo L’Acqua, will create a soundtrack inspired by the collection, while Charlotte Voisey, the celebrated mixologist of W New York - Downtown, will create signature cocktails inspired by each destination.
Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi is introducing a whole new can for Fashion Week - the skinny can. While those inside the tents can drop by the Diet Pepsi Booth, outside the tents Diet Pepsi will launch a pop-up window and public art installation with fashion commentator, Simon Doonan, at 362 West Broadway.
ideeli
The members-only online shopping site which joined Fashion Week last Fallin the U.S, will provide an online “shop in shop” to its nearly 4 million members featuring curated daily sales from Fashion Week designers. More at www.ideeli.com/mbfw.
FIJI Water
Fiji Water will provide a "Fair and Honest Appraisal of Your Appearance" by performance artists, “The Bumbys” on Friday, February 11th. The bottled water brand will have a table in the lobby at Lincoln Center, where Jill and Gil Bumby will provide fashion critique.
