With whimsical runways and celebrity cameos, Paris Fashion Week, which ran Feb. 28 until March 8, made a fabulous return to its full-fledged physical event.
Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Valentino were among the 45 houses that hosted an in-person runway show. To welcome their community of buyers, influencers and journalists, fashion brands sent out priceless promotional products as one-of-a-kind invitations.
In the fashion world, an invite to a show is an aspirational symbol. The classic paper invitation has been transformed into limited edition merch or an artistic item. These products help tell the brand’s story, and they’re perfect for social media. All creative invites are not only collectible, but also usable.
With promo products, fashion houses can communicate the brand’s prestige through the value of the object that is sent. This new creative invite trend also helps to eliminate paper waste, honoring fashion’s current commitment to
sustainability.
Here are “creative invites” from this season’s fashion week.
Balenciaga
The invitation to the Balenciaga show on March 6 was a non-working iPhone 6S with cracks on the screen. On the back, information about the show is engraved along with a note explaining how the smartphone is a “genuine artifact from the year 2022” whose “damage is, to the best of our knowledge, not artificially manufactured but made from years of use and later, neglect.”
Product Idea: Perfect for desks and offices, the Avalon is a mouse pad with a wireless charger. Made of soft-touch faux leatherette, this mouse pad has edge-to-edge digital printing capability.
Ariel Premium Supply, Inc. / PPAI 161650, S10 / www.arielpremium.com
Product Idea: The Seek Two-Way Tracker is a wireless tracker with Bluetooth technology. Simply attach the seek tracking device to keys, luggage or purse and download the seek app and pair to your handheld device. Using the two-way technology, find your phone by triggering an alert from the seek.
Hit Promotional Products / PPAI 113910, S13 / www.hitpromo.net
Louis Vuitton
The highly anticipated Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion Show was the last by its late artistic director Virgil Abloh, who died in November 2021. The invitation for the show on January 20 arrived in a champagne box. Only when opened it reveals itself to be a wooden woodpecker toy. This invite is a charming homage to one’s inner child as well as Abloh’s personal symbol of determination and perseverance. Louis Vuitton also shared an Abloh quote with the invite’s unveiling: Humor is an entry point for humanity.
Product Idea: This brain teaser toy is made of wood and shaped like a snake. It can provide hours of fun and relaxation as each recipient discovers all the different shapes that it can morph into. Whether they create a dog, flower or several other designs, your client’s brand will be right there once it’s customized with a unique imprint.
Jornik Manufacturing Corp. / PPAI 111065, S6 / www.jornik.com
Product Idea: This eco-friendly wood tower puzzle game will bring the fun to your client’s next promotional giveaway. Customize this 36-piece puzzle with your company’s logo or slogan. Due to the handmade nature of this natural wood product, made from pine, absolute uniformity of size and color cannot be guaranteed.
Alpi International, Ltd. / PPAI 111221, S6 / www.alpi.net
Prada
Guests got a cozy invite to the Prada Menswear Show in Milan on January 16. This season’s show invitation was a cotton white pajama set in a gift box. The pajama top is outlined in back and has information about the show on the left breast. These rare pajamas are an ode to the pandemic fashion of comfort and leisure.
Product Idea: Available in 16 colors and patterns, the Fashion Fuzzy Feet socks are super soft and warm. These versatile socks are perfect promo gifts for the health care industry, hospitality and travel industry, spas, and schools.
Suntex Industries / PPAI 113094, S5 / www.suntexindustries.com
