An extensive business program of the 31st MBFW Russia season includes lectures, workshops, press conferences and table-talks, which will take place daily on the main venue of the Fashion Week in the Central Exhibition Hall Manege.

      October 21st held several events, first of which was a training ‘How to sell a brand.

      

      Dialogue between buyers and brands’ with designer Oksana Fedorova, president of the Russian Buyers Union, Elena Bugranova, and an expert of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Svetlana Milovanova. ‘Active people win!’ - claimed Oksana Fedorova and emphasized, that she was convinced there is a greater chance for talented people during the current crisis time. Oksana shared her concerns due to a lack of quality fabric from Russian manufacturers and its supply. Bugranova Elena, who organized a union of Russian buyers last year, offers to consider the detailed brand business system before creative positioning. Concept-Creation-Promotion - this is the sequence of steps for the successful launch of collection. For those designers who want to cooperate with buyers, Elena Bugranova recommends using smooth to the touch fabric, distributing responsibilities in their team and organizing visual merchandising – in this case the transaction will take place and both sides will be in the black.

      

      Presentation and press conference of online project Fashion. Made in Russia, initiated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, has been devoted to the first collaboration of Russian designers with the largest online platform AliExpress. Among the participants of the press conference was the State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Viktor Evtukhov, Business development director of AliExpress in Russia and CIS Mark Zavadsky and President of MBFW Russia, Alexander Shumsky. Viktor Evtukhov emphasized that savings on logistics and absence of an intermediary between producer and consumer were inherent advantages of this cooperation. First, the production of Russian designers will be available for online sale on the territory of Russia and the Customs Union, and then in other countries.

      

      Cooperation program will gather different brands with an alternative pricing policy. Business development director of AliExpress in Russia and CIS Mark Zavadsky observed that ‘producing in Russia has become more profitable’ and AliExpress takes over the problem of product marketing, ensuring delivery within 2 weeks at any of the 28 constituent territories of Russia.

      

      Within the framework of the L'Oréal Professionnel business session, speakers from Yandex explained how search requests could be optimized to help beauty salons. The experts highlighted the importance of specifics in description of salon services for user’s convenience and his/her retention on the website. According to the creator of Sea of Salons website, Yuri Petrov, making an online appointment is much more efficient and reliable than a telephone one, as it cannot influence the user’s choice and allows planning a visit anywhere and at any time. Also, Yuri recommends salon owners to compose narrow requests, connected with beauty field, use negative keywords to exclude certain services search, and most importantly, be unique and offer unique services.

      

      The final event of the first day of business program was a round table ‘Fashion and anti-fashion formats illustrated by SNC magazine and SNCmedia.ru website’, which was attended by the SNC Editor in chief Natalia Arkhangelskaya and SNCmedia.ru Chief editor Alya Badanina. Taking the first word, Natalia said that she personally contradicts the concept ‘Harper's Bazaar is for poor’ and develops the DNA of a fashionable provocative magazine format. A supporter of basic garments which designers use to make up a neat outfit, Natalia writes sharply and frankly about the insipid "fashionista" and "instacapacious individuals" and believes in promoting truthful text. Continuing initiated topic, Alya Badanina stated: ‘We are trying to do crazy things and, in my opinion, we are appreciated for this.’ On Friday, October 23, the edition extends itself to the media level and increases material broadcasting traffic for audience both in Russia and abroad.