WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? FASHION WEEK POST COVID-19
Words: By EYES & EDGE team
“Fashion fades, style is eternal.” Yves Saint Laurent
In what seems a return to the foundational ethos by the brand’s founder, the famous French luxury label, Yves Saint Laurent, is making some major changes aimed to sustain longevity amidst COVID-19. The brand has officially dropped out of Paris Fashion Week due to the recent impact of the virus. They have also announced a hold in presentation of any further collections for the rest of the year. While YSL adjusts to the current climate, they have decided to work at their own pace to create future collections that focus on consumer demands.
Similar to Saint Laurent, many other designers have also made the decision to pivot amidst the effects of COVID-19. Several brands have shut down retail stores and put more focus into e-commerce, and future collections. It leads us to ask, what is next for fashion week post COVID-19? With large gatherings, traveling, parties, and much of what fashion week is all about unable to happen for the foreseeable future, we don’t see SS20 or any official season happening in person for awhile.
While some brands go to digital or live-stream fashion showings on Instagram, YouTube, and their personal channels—will that capture the audience and buyer’s attention? Let’s be real…a huge driving force in launching a new season is in the the palpable excitement of the in-person experience. Who’s there? What are they wearing? Is that Playboi Carti? Did Slick Woods just wink at me? Am I actually wasted next to Alexander Wang? With the extraction of human interaction and obvious clout flouting, (just keeping it 100 fam)—will anyone care?
With fashion week already having some major problems going into this pandemic, can the entire concept and businesses surrounding fashion show productions survive? God we hope so. As splashy and even trite as some of the moments of Fashion Week truly are, it’s also a mecha of cultural and creative expression—a major semi-annual moment celebrating the now. Nothing elevates you higher, than the rush of a fashion show. So what will we shoot up with instead?
Gigi Hadid, closing out Off-White’s PFW FW2020 in February. Gigi, Bella and their mother, former super model, Yolanda, all walked in Virgil’s show.
Louie Vuitton Fashion Show in Paris, February 2020.
Chanel Autumn-Winter 2018-2019 Collection
Saint Laurent Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear Collection
Jacquemus 10th Anniversary Show in South France, 2019.
MIU MIU FALL/WINTER 2020
Winnie Harlow closes the show with Laquan Smith Fall/Winter 2018.
