It seems that most things we enjoy in life are being cancelled, to the extent where it almost seems that 2020 may as well be cancelled itself. AIt’s not surprising as all industries across the globe are being affected by the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, from fast-food chains to music festivals.
So, to no real surprise, the fashion industry has also been hit, with both Paris and London’s Men’s Fashion Weeks being the latest events to be axed, as well as Paris Haute Couture Week.
The decision was made in efforts to maintain precautionary measures and keep everyone safe, the same reason that the highly anticipated 2020 Met Gala was cancelled. As for Milan, its Men’s Fashion Week has not yet been cancelled but postponed till September 2020 and will coincide with the Womenswear Fashion Week.
The Paris summer runway shows were intended to be held in late June and early July, however, the board of directors of the Fédération de la haute couture et de la Mode announced that Paris’ Spring/Summer 2021 menswear and couture events are not to be held at all, at least in the conventional format. The group has released a statement saying that as of the 27th of March: “The Federation is actively working with its members on possible alternatives.”
The three fashion giants of the world: Paris, London and Milan, are still exploring other options in order to deliver the runway shows but in a safe manner. Both the British Fashion Council and the Fédération de la haute couture et de la Mode are actively working on possible ways to best deliver the renowned shows; with the British Fashion Council stating it’s “looking at new ways to [digitize] their fashion showcase platforms.”
The most attractive alternative seems to be online/virtual versions of the shows, delivered through some form of livestream. This is exactly what happened with recent Rakuten Tokyo Fashion Week, and it seemed to be a very effective alternative that we may see more of in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be a real testing time for the world as a whole. The NHS and Italian healthcare systems are being stretched to their limits and it is becoming increasingly aware that we may not have enough medical supplies/equipment in order to tackle the outbreak.
Many, celebrities, sporting stars, entrepreneurs have been donating masses of money and medical equipment to countries in need; fashion labels such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga have begun manufacturing medical masks, with Gucci saying it will make more than 1 million masks while Zara state they have donated 10,000 masks already.
