Fashion Week Kicks Off: Fashion in the Time of Covid
Fashion Week kicked off digitally in 2020 (or not at all).
With New York Fashion Week usually buzzing away around now, Midtown's Garment District expected the influx of celebrities and editors clamoring for front row seats at the fashion house galas. Where we could previously anticipate everyone from reality staples named Kardashian, to class act actors such as Jessica Chastain and Robin Wright to mingle with editors not just named Anna Wintour, we now settle for virtual shows or no shows at all.
It's pretty tough for emerging stars to get their designs and creations seen in such a tightly-packed venue that's full of established design houses as it is—especially when several everyday name brands have recently received a revamp or shifted reins to new blood in order to shake up and reinvent business. Nonetheless, expect surprises if only of a digital or virtual nature.
The Spring 2020 season of Fashion Week kicked off with postponements and digital venues, and this year, New York Fashion Week was delayed entirely. Eyes will be on 2022 to bring the models back to the runway, buyers to the scene, and fashionista patrons to the seats, but until then, here are the trends in store.
The three big moves to watch out for according to Bazaar:
Paris and Milan will go virtual
The two big cities exchanged show dates this July, and the statement from the official federation was enough to whet curiosity: "Events will be structured around a dedicated platform," the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode said, and "each house will be represented in the form of a creative film or video."
London's Gone Gender-Neutral
Expect the men's and women's shows to be presented in a single virtual platform this year, opening the door to "change, collaborate, and innovate."
Gucci Steps Back, Armani Steps Up, and Saint Laurent Marches to Its Own Beat
Gucci announced it would cut back from five shows to two this year and focus on quality instead of quantity, while Armani decided to have its men's show and also present a seasonless collection later in the year. Saint Laurent decided to forego the Paris Fashion Week schedule altogether and create its own calendar as it sees fit through the crisis and coming year.