Fashion Stays in Trend for Broadcasters

While fashion itself varies by culture, the programming centered on this stylish subject transcends borders. Indeed, many distributors have been finding success with fashion-related programs, which can cross over seamlessly from lifestyle to reality genres.

"Fashion and the business of fashion is a multi-billion-dollar mainstream global business," says Sally Miles, the CEO of Passion Distribution. "There aren’t enough fashion shows with great characters and editorial to satisfy audiences, and therefore our shows have been extremely well received. They provide makeover and glamour, inspiration and accessibility."

At MIPTV in April, Passion launched a slate of fashion titles that Miles says have since done incredibly well. All on the Line features fashion powerhouse and creative director for Elle, Joe Zee; Unleashed by Garo centers on a couture fashion designer who helps clients express their true selves; and Dresscue Me @ Shareen Vintage is about a designer to the stars who gives new life to dowdy old duds.

Miles says lifestyle and female-skewing channels have been the biggest buyers for this programming. All on the Line has secured sales to TLC in Norway and Sweden, TF1 in France, Discovery in China and Cosmo in Canada, among others. Dresscue Me has deals in place with broadcasters from as broad as Finland and Israel to pan-Latin America and the Philippines.

Terranoa, meanwhile, has secured a number of pre-sales on its fashion-based The New Faces of Nouvelle Couture, an 8×1-hour series to be completed by the end of 2011. Isabelle Graziadey, the head of international sales and acquisitions at Terranoa, says, the series "tackles the creative process over six months while the designers conceive their new collection, and shows us the ins and outs as well as the economics behind haute couture today." She adds, "It is the first series ever made on such a confidential topic, with real unique access to the rising stars of this very selective circle. We will learn how these talented artists see themselves and the unique pieces they create and what place haute couture fashion has in our societies."

Graziadey believes that the unique access the show provides, in being able to reveal secrets from behind the catwalk, will be a key driver of the program’s international success.

Mediaset Distribution has recently ventured into the fashion arena as well. The Italian outfit has had a long history of success with its fiction series and scripted formats, though is now putting an emphasis on presenting its clients with lifestyle fare. "We will launch a new series this fall called Beyond Fashion," explains Clare McArdle, the international sales manager at Mediaset. "This series has been aired in Italy since 1983 and has become a viewpoint in the world of TV for understanding the trends, events and what’s new in fashion, cars, art and architecture."

McArdle adds, "The arguments dealt with, the dynamic editing of the reports, and the musical background, which is always up to date and original, are the secret of a classy product that manages to attract the interest of a young and refined audience."

The strength of the genre has certainly opened up the gates for new players interested in selling fashion-related programming, as is the case with Mediaset. Given the appetite out there for these shows, the trend is sure to continue as well.

"The high demand tells us there is greater opportunity for more fashion- and style-based content," affirms Passion’s Miles.