It used to be that designers showed clothes at Fashion Week to court the influential few, mainly the buyers and fashion editors who determined what styles would be hot in retail stores a season away. But now they are starting to sidestep the middleman. Web technology, and a desire to entice luxury shoppers who are suddenly spending again, are spurring designers to fling open the tent flaps to their runway shows and appeal directly to shoppers. In this fall’s women’s runway shows, shoppers at their keyboards will have a front-row seat, and in the most aggressive outreach, Burberry, the British design house, will not only stream its women’s runway show live from London, but also will allow anyone with a computer and a credit card to order the merchandise as models strut in it...READ MORE of this intriguing article on the NY Times.
