To offer the industry a moment of creative disruption and a unifying public event, Hardloop conceived Annecy Outdoor Week, the world's first "outdoor fashion week." This original format fuses the aesthetics of a fashion runway with the technical nature of collections, transforming equipment into a genuine adventure narrative. This strategic initiative, praised for its unique format and territorial ambition, is nominated in the Communication Campaign of the Year category at the Trail Running Awards.
The concept: When the soul of adventure meets the language of fashion
Annecy Outdoor Week is positioned at the crossroads of fashion, performance, and outdoor culture. The goal is to transcend simple product presentation to create an immersive, narrative spectacle.
Central figures: The event breaks with traditional codes by featuring athletes and adventurers on the runway (over forty personalities at the second edition), who embody the soul of the story.
Staging: The technical outfits of the autumn-winter collections (over fifty looks presented) become the heroines of a living narrative. The poetic staging portrays narrative tableaus such as trail running under the stars or ascending glaciers, celebrating the beauty of the Annecy region.
This format allows Hardloop to create a living media outlet, uniting the language of fashion with the soul of adventure.
The innovation: Creating a unifying B2C media platform
Annecy Outdoor Week is above all a 360-degree image campaign designed to serve the entire outdoor ecosystem.
A uniquely unifying format
The major innovation lies in the high-impact B2B, B2C (consumer-facing) format. The event brings together all the driving forces of the sector: brands, athletes, sports associations, local elected officials, and enthusiasts.
The ambition is clear: to make Annecy the global capital of the outdoors by offering a unique and powerful stage.
The global campaign
The physical show, reserved for an exclusive circle of guests, is merely the starting point for a broader campaign:
Digital Distribution: The video production of the fashion show is broadcast online, targeting an audience of hundreds of thousands of viewers over the season. This strategy extends the experience far beyond the Alps.
Organic Visibility: The format generates exceptional organic visibility, driven by content shared by partner brands, medal-winning athletes (such as Marie-Laure Brunet or Marie Bochet), and the public.
Impact and consolidation of industry demand
The second edition, "From Annecy with love," confirmed the appeal and desirability of the concept.
Market Adoption: The event generated such enthusiasm that Hardloop had to turn down numerous participation requests, both from brands wanting to showcase their collections and from spectators. This positive tension surrounding the event confirms its strong attraction.
Media Recognition: The format generated notable media coverage in regional and specialized press (L’Essor Savoyard, Fashion Network, Nordic Mag), attesting to the industry and media interest in this new communication language.
Qualitative Impact: The show created an overwhelming wave of enthusiasm, perceived as a collective and inspiring moment by both athletes and brands.
The Annecy Outdoor Week is thus gradually establishing itself as a must-attend event, demonstrating that performance can be celebrated through emotion and creativity. This initiative is recognized for its strategic impact in the Communication Campaign of the Year category.
