The Real Cost Of A Fashion Show

With the conclusion of the Spring/Summer 2025 season last month, we at Scarlet Destiny analysed the expenses associated with hosting a show in Paris, Milan, or London. We looked at the financial aspects of running a fashion show, and although runway shows represent a pivotal opportunity for emerging designer brands, financing represents a significant hurdle.

Given that fashion is a $2.5 trillion industry, it's understandable that some designers invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to showcase their collections during fashion week, aiming to establish themselves as market leaders and capture audience attention and spending. As designers seek to fund these brief, impactful brand presentations through investors and beauty sponsors, it’s no surprise that some have resorted to even selling tickets to consumers for a front-row experience. 

The rising production costs, coupled with economic and political instability and a general decline in purchasing power across key markets, have prompted serious reflections on the value of hosting a fashion show in 2024. As emerging labels evolve, they feel compelled to elevate their presentations, even in a challenging wholesale climate. The expenses quickly accumulate — in recent years, young designers have faced soaring venue costs (averaging a 20% increase post-Covid-19), tightly packed schedules, high casting fees, and numerous layers of expensive production and set design, all while striving to maximise their allotted time and effectively convey their collection's message to their target audience.

Naturally, most brands are reluctant to disclose the costs associated with their shows. However, some have revealed their expenses over the years, often estimating a minimum of $300,000 with final invoices sometimes reaching $400,000. For many young brands, a runway show is a crucial demonstration of their strength but one of the biggest expenses they’ll ever face at the same time.

Take Christian Siriano, a designer who has showcased his collections over 18 seasons at NYFW and frequently chooses custom venues, provided a financial breakdown of the costs involved in producing a NYFW show during an interview with Vogue Business. Here’s his cost breakdown:

• $40,000-$60,000 — Models (add $20,000 for well-known models)
• $20,000-$50,000 — Venue rental
• $10,000-$40,000 — Lighting (cost varies with venue setup)
• $5,000-$10,000 — Audio
• $20,000-$30,000 — Production (usually a single fee to a production company)
• $5,000-$10,000 — Seating (basic chairs and benches are cheaper, with risers costing at least double)
• $20,000-$100,000 — Set design
• $2,000-$5,000 — Catering for backstage and team meals
• $5,000-$7,000 — Transportation services for team errands and VIP arrivals
• $0 — Hair, makeup, and nails are typically sponsored.

That’s a huge and possibly unbearable cost for a small designer brand. According to every designer who spoke up about this issue, partnerships—those freebies on the seats—are practically the only way to make the math on independent fashion shows work.

In fact, fashion brands have traditionally collaborated with related lifestyle, alcohol, and beauty companies to help offset expenses. However, this season, independent designers have also explored more unconventional partnerships to navigate rising costs and sustain their operations. New York Fashion Week showcased a surge of collaborations, with subscriber-based platforms like OnlyFans sponsoring New York designer Elena Velez and Tinder backing Area. Meanwhile, in London, Jaguar lent its support to emerging talent Aaron Esh. At Luar, this season featured a unique collaboration with American Express, where the designer unveiled his signature Ana bag in three exclusive colour options, complete with Amex-embellished charms to complement their cardholders' credit cards. 

In the face of rising costs, designers remain committed to ensuring their fashion shows are successful, presenting a lively fusion of world-building and culture. This has led to more innovative collaborations and partnerships. By integrating their show's partnerships into their collections, emerging designers are establishing stronger, more enduring relationships with these specific companies. While this is undoubtedly a savvy strategy, it doesn't eliminate the challenges of effectively showcasing a brand's identity during a fashion show. The expenses involved can be prohibitive, making it an option that isn't accessible to everyone. Or at least, not all talented designers.

[All imagery sourced on canva.com - Info sourced on fashionleague.io, voguebusiness.com and gq.com]