I’m not suggesting that luxury runway shows will cease entirely. Fashion shows are still critical for brands to showcase their fashion storytelling live to customers and media. The digital world will never replace live performances, may it be fashion, theatre or sports.

Nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic effectively cancelled the haute fashion calendar this spring. Production halted, fashion shows were aborted and boutiques were closed. This pause reportedly resulted in a letter, instigated by Dries Van Noten, calling on the industry to tear up the traditional fashion week calendar to promote a more sustainable schedule in order to protect creativity and ensure profitability.

Above photo: Evaro Italia at Vancouver Fashion Week Spring Summer 2020. | Photo: Simon Lau

Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele recently announced that the storied house will cut its number of annual fashion shows from five – cruise, spring – summer, capsule, pre-fall, fall-winter – to two. Michele’s goal is to reduce waste by offering seasonless clothing as he believes the garments he produces for Gucci should have a longer life than just a few months.

The designers calling for a more sustainable fashion paradigm are at the forefront of a movement. You can expect future fashion shows to combine men’s and women’s collections and to include items for both warm and cold climates with layer pieces for seasons in between. In short, fewer shows and less product.

Recently, designer capsule collections have all been “show now, buy now” and that too will be part of the new formula going forward.

The tradition of showcasing designer collections six months before each corresponding season has allowed fast fashion to steal profits – and designs – from designers which resulted in mass discounting, devaluing their brands. With “show now, buy now”, fast fashion retailers, such as Zara, can still replicate designer clothes in three weeks but the six-month sales advantage that they had in the past will be eliminated. 

While it seems European luxury fashion brands are committed to change, it remains to be seen if consumers will choose to pay higher designer prices rather than the cheaper fast fashion options. However, as I have detailed in the past, consumers too are looking to more sustainable options for their wardrobes.

COVID-19 has allowed European luxury designers to rethink fashion week shows making a change for sustainability. But, if we want to make a real difference over the long term, consumers will need to embrace quality over quantity. 

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Fashion history tells us that social disruptions such as political and economic events like the great depression and World War II have had far greater influence on fashion than seasonal trends.

During World War II, everything from food to steel to fabrics was rationed for the war effort so our parents recycled old clothes and even curtains to make new things for their children.

Christian Dior’s New Look

The post-war years gave birth to Christian Dior’s extravagant New Look which was defined by long skirts with corset waists. This type of extreme European elegance would not have been politically acceptable during the war.

Above Photo: Duomo of Milan | Daniil Vnoutchkov on Unsplash

Luxury retail therapy is real

Today, Athleisure may encourage more people to adopt the same look in public regardless of what activity they’re engaged in, day in and day out. But for the wealthy, luxury retail therapy is very real. WWD reports that upon reopening, the Hermes boutique in Guangzhou, China brought in sales of US $2.7M in one day. While many of you continue to lounge in your leggings, the luxury sector is more resilient than most people realize.

We are all eager to return to normality – to get outside, connect with family and friends, travel beyond the borders Covid-19 has imposed upon us. Doubtless, a revival of personal style will be part of this journey. 

Australians take out the bin

Consider some of the ways that Covid-19 has already influenced fashion. In Australia, for example, women are dressing up in their wedding gowns to take out the garbage. The pictures they’re posting on Instagram – hauling trash cans to the curb in swathes of white silk, satin and chiffon – are a cheeky reminder that, these days, your bin goes out more than you do. We all have to create our own opportunities to dress up.

New York street photography evolves

Meanwhile in New York, street fashion photography has been replaced by demure images of Kate Middleton-style looks taken at home and posted each Sunday on Instagram. Though the content may have shifted to a more reserved aesthetic, even in the middle of a pandemic, many still crave those ‘likes’. 

So, fashion is still part of our lives, a way to express our moods and identities even during the most challenging of times. We will survive Covid-19 and it will change the face of fashion. 

Together, we will celebrate life and personal style once this has passed. I, for one, can’t wait to see what the next stage of fashion history will look like.

Be kind, stay home and stay safe!

The post Will Covid-19 change the face of fashion? appeared first on styledrama.