So seems to be the thinking of several prominent U.S. fashion labels during New York Fashion Week, all of which are planning their own takes on the "Tweetwalk" Burberry debuted at its womenswear show in September 2011.
The London-based fashion house made headlines when it posted photos of every look from its Spring/Summer 2012 collection on Twitter seconds before they appeared on the catwalk. The initiative generated a huge amount of interest on Twitter — so much so that both “#Burberry” and “Christopher Bailey” trended worldwide on the platform.
At 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Tommy Hilfiger will stage its own "Twitter Model Walk" at its men's Fall 2012 show. The company is pushing its shoe line for autumn, and as such, will release images of the shoes on Twitter as they hit the runway. Followers can enter for a chance to win a pair by retweeting an image with the hashtag #TommyRunwayShoes, or by filling out a form on Facebook, where the U.S. fashion label will also be livestreaming video footage of its show.
Elsewhere, Rebecca Minkoff is planning to debut pieces from her collection on Twitter a full 30 minutes before they appear on the runway. Final looks will be shot outside the show's venue in Lincoln Center. Additional backstage footage will appear on the designer's Twitter and Instagram accounts, and the full show will stream live on YouTube at 3 p.m. ET on Friday.
Kate Sroczynski, senior director of digital at DVF, says that Viddy is a way for the brand to push the Tweetwalk concept to the next level. The short timeframes and direct-to-Facebook posting capabilities give DVF a way to deliver a "Twitter-esque" experience while reaching the brand's more engaged fan base on Facebook, she explains.