In some ways, the fashion world has been put on halt, with no one knowing when it is possible for it to fully resume. This has led a few designers to make the decision not to take part in the traditional Fashion Week calendar and show accordingly to their own timescale.
Last month, Saint Laurent announced their plans of not taking part in Paris Fashion Week for their Ready-To-Wear show for the upcoming Spring 2021 season and will not follow the fashion calendar for the rest of 2020. The main reason for this is because of the coronavirus outbreak, affecting many other designers also.
They released a statement on their Instagram stating:
“Conscious of the current circumstance and its waves of radical change, Saint Laurent has decided to take control of its pace and reshape its schedule. Now more than ever, the brand will lead its own rhythm, legitimating the value of time and connecting with people globally by getting closer to them in their own space and lives.”
Saint Laurent’s shows are full of French motifs, showing an element of glamour, however, in a time of such uncertainty, glamour and excess isn’t an image he wants to portray. Habits have had to completely change, and the brand want to highlight the importance of time, slowing down processes shows the vulnerabilities in the whole fashion process.
This announcement followed Marc Jacobs decision to skip New York Fashion Week, explaining how COVID-19 has dramatically affected his supply chain and production facilities, making it near enough impossible to complete a collection to the standard he wanted. This is something Jacobs explained in the Vogue Global Network conversations, where he said that the amount of current fashion shows is excessive, where the process has become a chore, a waste of time, money and materials, taking the fun away from it. By taking a step back and pulling out of the fashion calendar means time can be taken to produce a collection a designer truly loves, not because they have to match a deadline.
Gucci have also followed these footsteps and have announced they will now follow their own fashion calendar. In a statement posted on the luxury brands Instagram account, written by creative director Alessandro Michele, he announced that:
“I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call. We will meet just twice a year, to share the chapters of a new story.”
I think it is actually a good move made by these luxury brands to take a step back and see the flaws in the hectic fashion calendar. Despite the decision being made for them by coronavirus, it will decrease the levels of waste from the number of fashion shows there usually are because not as many shows will be going on. The forcible nature of having to slow down the production process due to the current events will hopefully lead to bigger and better collections, where the brands may not feel such an immense pressure on them to fit to a time criteria.
I think it’s a huge move for these labels, and it wouldn’t surprise me if many decided to follow.
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