The world of fashionomics

At the latest spectacle for his eponymous label - staged on Monday night in New York - the makeshift forest Jacobs created cost a rumoured £70,000. At his last show for Louis Vuitton, featuring a custom-made carousel on the catwalk, the Parisian fashion house reportedly received little change from £1 million.

But it's not just fashion power players such as Jacobs who must flash the cash to get their clothes on the catwalk. At London Fashion Week, known for its discerning yet creatively dedicated designers, the average cost of a show is around £80,000. And that's without taking into account the money required to produce the collection.

Understandably, this eye-wateringly high price tag - which is an accumulation of everything from venue rental to the kitty required to feed the models - is a hard one for many designers to swallow. Not least because, in order to afford this nine-and-a-half minute extravagance, they will have to sell their soul for sponsorship.

Yet in order to successfully grow an emerging fashion label, a spot on the Fashion Week schedule is essential. To help develop the capital's most promising talent, The British Fashion Council offers a number of financial incentives and awards. Other respected Fashion Week backers include Lulu Kennedy's Fashion East organisation and high street giant Topshop.

This season, designers Holly Fulton and David Koma will count on support from Topshop's "New Gen" initiative in order to fund their shows while other designers will look to sponsorship deals with haircare brands and skincare lines to help them stay in the black.

Below is a breakdown of where the real cost of a typical fashion show goes, including everything from £300 required for fire extinguishers to the £20,000 needed to pay a casting director.

Lighting/photography - £13,000
Rigging and trussing, platform, hiring a house
photographer and videographer

Venue - £12,100
Hire, cleaning, insurance and power

Staff - £4,640
Production manager, dressers, health and safety officer, runners, security and couriers

Set design - £6,000
Artwork, vinyl catwalk, signage, ropes and posts

Sound - £4,500
PA system, radios, DJ and music permit

Back of house - £2,750
Backstage manager, rails, mirrors, monitor, catering and carpet

Extras - £750
Wooden benches, fire extinguishers, fabric covers
and seating plans

Invites/seating - £5,500

Design staff - £30,000
12 models, casting director and stylist

Total - £79,240