Physical Vs Virtual - An insight into the new era of Fashion Week

From fashion shows to shopping malls, new seasons to supply chains, the Coronavirus pandemic has changed the world of fashion as we know it. So… what happens now? Here is everything you need to know about the evolving Fashion Week and the changes that are occurring within it.

London Fashion Week: Men’s

This season, the British Fashion Council announced that its biannual London Fashion Week Men’s would become the first gender neutral, virtual event in its 40 year history. Published content including interviews, virtual show rooms and designer Q & A’s can all be found on londonfashionweek.co.uk. (I definitely know what my next few days of lockdown will consist of!) I'm really interested to see whether this digital equivalent that I can watch sat in my bed curled up with a hot water bottle and some snacks will ever be able to rival the Fashion Week that we know and love. It is increasingly likely that the Autumn/Winter shows, the last of which occurred in March, were the last of their kind on that scale. The elbow to elbow mass of people from countries from the far corners of the globe rightly have no place among the sensibilities of the new era we have entered defined by Covid-19.

Paris Fashion Week: July 6th to July 13th

The first three days of Paris’ Digital Fashion Week will focus solely on couture houses followed by the last five focusing solely on menswear. Due to the current circumstances, only a few couture houses are ready to show, with the majority of them postponing their shows until January. The show I am most looking forward to is Dior, as they have revealed they will have a surprise unveiling on July the 6th at 2.30 Paris time, how exciting! On the subject of Dior, they have announced that their cruise show which was originally meant to take place on the 27th of May will now take place on the 22nd of July and I can't contain my excitement! Although there won't be an actual audience, there will be real life walking models wearing real clothes on a real cat walk! The chief executive of Dior, Pietro Beccari said his reasoning behind this was that, ‘Nothing conveys emotion like a real fashion show’, which fills me with a glimmer of hope that live events in the fashion world will not be completely eradicated.

Milan Digital Fashion Week: July 14th to July 17th

As the name suggests, Milan Digital Fashion week will revolve around a packed schedule of online events: a global showcase for the menswear spring/summer 2021 collections and the men’s and womenswear s/s 2021 pre-collections. The Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana will present a digital platform which will screen backstage fashion show footage with a slot dedicated to each brand. Although the idea of an online fashion week does not appeal to me and my need for social interactivity, the online audience will have access to a vast amount of content never open to the public before such as live streams with leading figures in the fashion world and live performances by creatives.

September

All of the fashion governing bodies are remaining hopeful that all the shows will be going ahead as planned, although the form they will take is yet to be revealed. Burberry was first to disclose their vision for their show in September (although it was somewhat vague), which is said to take place somewhere in the British countryside without an audience - although it will be digitally available to the masses. Fendi have also published details about their live event on September the 22nd which will involve a real audience, yes you read that right A REAL AUDIENCE! Some brands though it seems have decided to make their own schedule and go against the formulaic Fashion Week spectacle. Saint Laurent plans to ‘take control of its own schedule’ but your guess is as good as mine as to what that will actually entail.

Until there is a COVID-19 vaccine, it is likely that the digital platform will be an integral part of the Fashion Week experience. The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) has confirmed that all shows will be ‘completed’ by an online platform, meaning that fashion editors who are not willing, or not allowed to travel will still have access to everything they need. Wherever Fashion Week goes next we will keep you updated and, if you’re anything like me, we will continue to assist with your fashion withdrawal symptoms!