It’s the question on every person’s lips at the minute in the fashion world, “But what will happen to the fashion shows?” I have thought about this many times myself, and after watching many webinars from top designers, it seems to be a question they’re being followed by, also. Truth is, no one really knows the answer. At a time like now, everything is up in the air. Something can be said one minute, then completely changed the next. Brands and designers are surely thinking about the possibilities of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) if a physical experience is not possible. This would mean fashion would have to soon become hand-in-hand with technology in order to successfully execute a digitally immersive show. This is new territory for many designers, where suddenly it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the industry for and how established you are, but whether you now have the right skills to go forward in the crazy world we’re living in. However, this is something the industry has been discussing for years and I think we had already been edging closer to, with many designers seeming to be excited to explore this new creative challenge. Technology had already began creeping into the fashion world with designers finding new innovative ways to shift the experience of a fashion show to digital platforms. Giorgio Armani livestreamed his AW20 show in Milan from an empty room, proving technology can provide an appealing alternative.
At Gucci’s recent AW20 show in Milan, guests received a WhatsApp voice note from creative director Alessandro Michele with clues as to his inspiration for the collection this caused a sensation amongst the fashion press because it was such a unique idea. Brands need to continue to think outside the box to connect with audiences in such an unprecedented time.
But what about fashion week? Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, fashion week was in discussion with many people expressing their concern about the sheer number of fashion shows on the rota. In the Vogue webinar with Marc Jacobs, he said he thinks there should only be 2 fashion weeks. In his eyes the amount of shows is excessive, where it has become a chore for a lot of designers, and a big waste of materials, money, and even time, taking the creativity and fun away. I agree with this, even though fashion week seems so great from an outside perspective, they seem pretty hectic to be part of. Show schedules have become very crowded, so digital presentations might offer an efficient alternative. However, I can’t help but think, nothing will match the atmosphere of a fashion show. I’m saying that like I’ve been to multiple, where in reality I’ve only been in my dreams. But that whole excitement surrounding a show, the big names and faces arriving, who will be on the front row, that will be near enough impossible to replicate digitally. Although, I do know with all that excitement does come an environmental cost, with each person potentially flying to a new city; models, guests, photographers, the list goes on. Not to mention the amount of waste produced from a fashion show, so maybe going digital is the perfect ethical alternative we need. Olivier Rousteing sees digital shows as more emotional, where models can be placed on the moon or in the sky, pushing boundaries and exploring new places we can’t reach in the real world. It gives more freedom to create and present ideas in a completely different way, whilst making shows potentially more accessible to the simple human like you and I (no offence). There is an opportunity for huge brands to personally connect with more and more of us through a screen, whereas before, you would have had to have been cordially invited. This is beautiful to me, and definitely worth getting excited about.
a quick little drawing by me of a livestream being watched by someone in their bed, getting that more personal view
So, it all seems a bit up in the air at the moment. But I think we can be reassured that many conversations are going on behind the scenes to ensure we will get the best fashion content in the future that we can. It is a time of uncertainty, but we need to play that in our favour, taking the time where changes need to put in place and explore new and stimulating fields, and let ourselves actually get excited for the future.
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