Fashion L'amour

The future of fashion shows & fashion week| 2020 |

Editor’s note.

Will we ever sit side by side and super close to each other at fashion shows again? Short answer is no. As it stands anything in June & July has been cancelled or postponed. August & September shows hang in the balance, with many of them already committing to have digital presentations of their collections when the time comes.

Let’s talk about something far more concerning for the fashion collections due this summer. In a recent talk about the future of creativity, Tom Ford said something really interesting. He mentions that for big production houses, around this time they already have several people flying all around the globe to outsource material for several pieces. His other ominous point was that even if the lockdown measures were lifted today, there would not be enough time to have a solid collection put out in time for the summer.

This means all major fashion houses are probably going to have the same problem. With everyone mostly quarantined at home, there is only so much that can be done from home. A fashion collection needs more work on the ground, and not possible to do most of the work via “zoom” video calls. I spoke to two small scale sized designers who did say they are using this time to be even more creative! So if you are a designer who already had a workspace from home, this might not be affecting your collection making that much, save for outsourcing of materials in person at markets etc. The major fashion houses however, have a whole team of people tasked with doing many things, who need to meet and touch base every other day. This is all extremely hindered during a lockdown.

Should any designers from New York, London, Milan, Paris or other fashion week cities decide to have a non digital collection lets talk about the logistical problems that may bring. For starters, we are fully expecting a relaxation of lockdown measures WITH some form of social distancing in place for a long time. Would that require sitting two metres apart? Would masks be compulsory for entry? Would those invited happily attend? I don’t expect we shall be sitting super close to each other at a fashion show anytime soon. Certainly not for the rest of 2020.

At fashion week, there is a LOT happening backstage as you may know. You have make up & hair, stylists, backstage photographers, stage managers etc. That means a lot of people at the same backstage space. In the aftermath of a pandemic, this may not be the wisest thing. At the end of the runway, you have the “pit” of photographers ready for the money shots. No social distancing possible in that most smallest of places. Moreover, models are sourced from all over the world by big fashion houses & designers. Some countries may still have travel restrictions for quite some time. This may force most fashion houses to “source local”. No one knows for certain what the airline restrictions for August & September will look like, so i’m mostly speculating. I can only hope for the best of course.

Does this mean for most of 2020, we shall be watching fashion shows on zoom or youtube? Or will fashion houses stream their new collections via their own websites? Will we apply for special keys to view them or will they be free for all? So many questions, about so many things. Not enough solid answers available as of yet. The fashion industry isn’t unique in this predicament. There is a global pandemic affecting many global issues. No one has a crystal ball of what the immediate post pandemic picture will look like. One can safely speculate that the fashion week format as we know it, will not be the same as it was, for obvious health reasons. Till it’s safe to do so. Some changes may turn out to be permanent. New collections will be produced though, one way or another, and they shall have to be presented to the industry, one way or another.

The financial ramifications are huge. The guardian reports that “The British fashion industry has called for more financial aid from the government amid fears that Covid-19 crisis could wipe out half of the sector”. Chilling stuff. The guardian further reports that “alongside the threat of closure, fashion designers have experienced massive financial losses from production changes, cancelled orders and rescheduled catwalk shows”. It shall be tough going for a while.

Many friends i talk to do talk of longing for the days when they’ll be able to venture out freely, and when they do, they hope to be looking ‘extra fly’. In essence, fashion will always be fashionable. Fashion week & fashion shows will return. Just that the format may be temporarily or permanently altered to reflect the times.

Till we meet again, fashionistas…. stay safe.

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