It’s a mouthful, but fashionistocrats are already warming to “Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival” since yesterday’s announcement that the airline is now principal partner and naming rights sponsor of the popular consumer event scheduled March 17-23 in 2014. L’Oreal Paris, the name associated with the festival for so many years it is embedded in our collective fashion consciousness, will step sideways and down into the roles of major partner and exclusive beauty partner from 2014.
Industry sources were optimistic about VAMFF yesterday, quickly converting the anagram to an easy, phonetic “Vam-pf” and predicting the airline’s youthful image and global identity will have an immediate, positive impact. “This strategic alignment will enable the evolution of the festival on a global stage and showcase the vibrant destination of Melbourne,” agreed festival chairman, Laura Anderson.
She acknowledged L’Oreal Paris’s part in recent festival history which, last year, recorded 380,000 visitors to 149 events, and generated $63 million in media coverage: “Importantly, I would like to acknowledge the tremendous support and commitment from our dear friends at L’Oréal Paris who we treasure and look forward to continuing to build the Festival with them and our wonderful new friends at Virgin Australia.” Festival CEO Graeme Lewsey (pictured with model Ivana, dressed by David Jones. Photo: Lucas Dawson) echoed Ms. Anderson’s praise of L’Oreal: “As we welcome Virgin Australia to the Festival family I’m also thrilled to be able to continue our prosperous relationship with L’Oréal Paris.”
Virgin Australia chief commercial officer Judith Crompton said the festival; “Shares our values of innovation, style and our commitment to fostering emerging and established local Australian talent.” She added that Virgin will expand the festival’s audience even further: “As a full-service airline, we are uniquely placed to captivate new audiences in Australia and around the world, allowing us to further support tourism in Victoria and evolve the festival on the world stage.”
More news on the Virgin Australian partnership and rebranding will be announced at the VAMFF campaign launch next Wednesday, December 4.
Disclosure: Voxfrock editor, Janice Breen Burns is on the board of Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival.
