Fashion Week in a COVID Age: The Show Must Go On
Most of us are well aware of the global pandemic going on in society right now and the unfortunate tragedies it has brought. While things are starting to get better, many events have had to be cancelled or altered in some way, fashion week included. Fashion week looks a little different this spring, as it did last fall, and most designers and brands are handling things in their own ways. Read below to learn more about how the show will go on this season.
Spring Fashion Week takes place in the months of February through March in New York, Paris, Milan, and London. Each country has been affected by COVID differently in the past year, along with having different safety precautions, but yet the show must go on. Many designers are still interested and willing to have their unique collections shown this season, but are having to be flexible with how they can safely share these collections with the world. Some designers, such as Jason Wu, are implementing a socially distanced show, while designers like Christopher John Rogers and Harlem’s Fashion Row will be showcasing their designs with lookbooks and virtual runway shows (Bustle.com).
Many designers have utilized short films and music Videos in order to share their new collections. I can remember seeing Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid promoting collections last fall from home on Instagram. I thought that was an interesting take as it was more inclusive and convenient for the audience to access. Additionally, many brands like Fendi and Dolce and Gabbana will not be having journalists, guests, or photographers at their shows this spring; some locations are not having as many brands participate as usual. One positive to this is that fashion week is becoming much more accessible to those not typically able to watch or participate. Additionally, there are many opportunities for designers to start incorporating podcasts, e-commerce, and other extra content into their new collections. However, one downside to fashion week not carrying on as it has in the past is that those who use fashion week to network and volunteer are finding it more difficult to make this happen. Volunteering at fashion week is a fabulous way to experience the behind-the-scenes for yourself and add to your resume, but due to obvious circumstances many designers are having to be extra cautious with who they are allowing to participate in these shows.
All of this change has caused me to think about what fashion week will look like in the future. Could this be the end of fashion shows? Some could say fashion shows are dying as they have no relevance to how consumers and target audiences typically buy clothing. With fashion week transitioning into more digital content, I could see a big change in fashion week events in the near future. Will fashion shows in the spring and fall burn out and switch to more online and easily accessible delivery? Only time will tell, but what I do know is that the show must go on.
https://www.vogue.com/article/new-york-fashion-week-spring-2021-calendar
