It appears we now have something to look forward – IRL. The fashion world has been missing out on several different fashion weeks and runway shows and had to resort to virtual adaptations amidst the coronavirus pandemic, but as things appear to be heading in a healthier direction on that front, fashion can move forward in a slightly more normal way. Due to this, Paris has decided to host their regularly scheduled fashion week in September (AKA the REALLY big fashion week – the one EVERYONE knows).
The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode confirmed on June 24 that from September 28 through October 6 they would host Women’s Spring 2021 ready-to-wear fashion shows. Not much was said about the details of the event, but they did say that they ” will comply for its implementation to the recommendations of public authorities.” Meaning that the event will follow social distancing guidelines and other rules that the French government has put into place.
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This could mean a completely different set up for the notable fashion week. Designers will have to look for venues that will be large enough to follow social distancing or even have their runways outside. The number of people invited may have to be reduced, meaning the guest list will be even more exclusive than before. There is also the question of how many designers will even have a collection to show as many factories have not resumed production and a lot of people are not working due to COVID-19. This could all prove to be very pricey for fashion houses and it would not be surprising if designers opted out of Paris Fashion Week this year.
This also will bring into play how digital fashion shows will remain in the industry. Each year several of the shows are live-streamed at all fashion weeks anyway, but now more than ever this is necessary. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future as well, as the digital age of fashion may have a huge spike and remain a necessary part of fashion weeks. France is even considering a travel ban on Americans traveling from the United States – increasing the need for digital coverage of fashion week even more.
All of this is just speculation, and we will have to see how it plays out in September. But it is important to recognize the effect that COVID-19 has had on the fashion industry. Things may never return to normal completely, and fashion is no exception. All I know for sure is that I am excited for Paris Fashion Week.