Time and again, the COVID-19 pandemic in the pivotal year of 2020 gave the industries of the world including fashion a chance to sit back and reflect on all its actions. Post several months of lockdown, many high-end designers and labels had the time to stop and reevaluate the fast-paced norms of the fashion industry. Appreciating the ecosystem, reducing the waste and carbon footprints was no more an option, but a priority now. The changes of breaking the rigid, treadmill-paced fashion calendar came from within and we witnessed a major shift as well as a drastic change in the fashion calendar, this year.
From ditching the traditional fashion week to opting for digital means and canceling fancy galas, this year saw fashion in a different light. Buckle up, as Peepinmoon.com takes you on a sartorial ride that witnessed fashion calendar in its revamped format.
DRIES VAN NOTEN’S CALL FOR A CHANGE, LONGE DUE!
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In May, Dries Van Noten, with the help of some other designers and CEOs of the industry, published an 'open letter' calling to reform the current calendar to the industry's immediate needs. Titled ‘Open Letter to the Fashion Industry’, it appealed to discuss ways in which the fashion business needs to transform. This open letter was published, calling designers and labels alike to join the cause of re-evaluating the delivery, discounting, and release cycles while shedding light on increasing sustainability and reducing waste. The result? Many of the high-end labels, foundations, and organizational bodies supported Noten’s cause and joined him in the virtual revolution.
GUCCI TAKES THE SEASON-LESS PATH
While some labels were filing for bankruptcy and complaining of plunging sales, Gucci took the matters into its own hands and reformed its fashion calendars in May, this year. In a series of snippets released on Instagram, Gucci's creative director Alessandro Michele announced that the label will go 'season-less' and will showcase only twice a year. The fashion maven, known to break stereotypes, left the herds and paved a path of his own in his unique ways. After Gucci’s stint, many other high-end labels followed the suit.
BRANDS THAT HAD FORSAKEN THE TRADITIONAL FASHION CALENDER
Following Gucci’s suit, many brands had forsaken the traditional September’s Fashion Week calendar and ditched the runway, earlier in June. Designer Michael Kors officially announced to opt-out of the fashion week and showcase his collection at later date, tentatively in 2020. Deciding to take control of its pace, Saint Laurent too, planned to forgo its show at the Paris Fashion Week and announced to not follow the fashion calendar for the rest of 2020. In a video conference, designer Marc Jacobs opened up on his decision to halt the production of its fall 2020 collection for September’s fashion week. After writing an open letter to the fashion industry for a sensible and sustainable fashion calendar, Belgian designer Dries Van Noten wasn’t a part of the fashion week in September as well.
ERROR 404: MAJOR EVENTS NOT FOUND!
The pandemic COVID-19 put all our fashion plans to a halt for the year as many red carpet events got canceled in the wake of a global pandemic. After months of speculation, the MET Museum officially announced in May that they will not be hosting the prestigious gala this year. The gala, hosted in association with Louis Vuitton and Conde Nast, was initially postponed indefinitely because of the pandemic outbreak, but will now take place in 2021.
With bleak chances of arranging a physical edition of the Cannes Film Festival, the organizers planned to unveil a selection of films in early June and collaborate with several festivals, including Venice, to present some films. Though we never got to witness the glamour quotient of the French Riviera that Cannes brought to us, every year.
VIEWING THE FASHION WORLD, THE DIGITAL WAY
When one fashion door closed, opened another, and preferably a digital one! Due credits to the global pandemic of COVID-19, many major fashion events and red-carpet galas stood postponed or canceled for the year. However, pandemic or not, the fashion show must go on! To tackle the issue of physical presence along with the continuation of the events, the organizers of Milan and Paris Fashion Week decided to use modern technology to their advantage and carry on their shows virtually! Scheduled between July 14 to July 17, 2020, the Milan Fashion Week took place virtually. PFW too, went virtual from July 9 to July 13, 2020.
Following the footsteps of International organizations, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) too opted for a digital route to carry on the planned events that were indefinitely postponed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. FDCI unveiled the digital format of India Couture Week 2020 all set to take place between September 18 to 23 and Lotus Makeup India Fashion Week 2020 scheduled between October 14- October 18, 2020.
Replacing the front rows with virtual settings, Lakme Fashion Week, too presented its season-less and phygital format from October 21 to 25, 2020.
Keeping up with the new normal, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) conducted its annual award ceremony virtually on websites and social media platforms on September 14, rather than handing out the trophy in a star-studded ceremony. Chairman of the CFDA board, Tom Ford announced its list of winners that won big this year.
Amid the ongoing situation of the Coronavirus pandemic, the prestigious Emmy Awards 2020 took place in the month of September, but virtually. The ceremony that honours the best television shows was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel from an empty Los Angeles theatre. Putting their best fashion foot forward, the celebrities decked up at home for the soiree and it was a delightful break from their comfy PJs and lazy dressing.
VOCAL FOR LOCAL PHENOMENON
With an aim to support the local karigars or artisans and efforts to sustain the failing economy many B-town celebrities started being ‘Vocal for Local’. From Priyanka Chopra Jonas to Vidy Balan and Dia Mirza, many actors extended support to the homegrown and sustainable labels that made a difference.
From traditional handloom weaves to handmade crafts, the tinsel town stood together for all things 100% Suddh Desi!
Wow, what an eventful rather non-eventful year it was! Which part of the fashion calendar blew your mind away?
(Source-Instagram)
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