THE 24X7 NEWS
The idea of staging runway shows during global COVID-19-related lockdowns might seem impossible, but instead of giving up hope, the fashion industry is envisioning new ways to communicate in a time of crisis. This morning, the British Fashion Council announced a new version of London Fashion Week that will occur during the previously scheduled dates for London Fashion Week: Men’s of June 12 to June 14, 2020. Instead of physical shows, London Fashion Week will be entirely digital, with content rolling out on londonfashionweek.co.uk.
Caroline Rush, the chief executive of the British Fashion Council, said in a release, “by creating a cultural fashion week platform, we are adapting digital innovation to best fit our needs today and something to build on as a global showcase for the future. Designers will be able to share their stories, and for those that have them, their collections, with a wider global community; we hope that as well as personal perspectives on this difficult time, there will be inspiration in bucket-loads. It is what British fashion is known for.”
The types of content that might appear on LFW’s site could range from a digital lookbook to a brand video to a written-out designer Q&A or even a podcast. The diversity of the offering will be related to what designers are able to produce during self-isolation, and will also reflect a new strain of branding, marketing, and communication that has taken hold during the pandemic. Instagram Lives, social media posts, Zoom conferences, and direct-to-consumer e-tail have only become more integral to fashion brands during this lockdown period, showing that direct engagement with customers and fans is more essential than ever—especially if the stories shared come with a letting down of one’s guard. If fashion was once considered an exclusive industry, the quickness with which it has adapted to low-key, digital communication, like kitchen table livestreams and fan-submitted Q&As, has proven it to be highly adaptive and inclusive.
The LFW digital platform will also contain virtual showrooms, as per a release, that will help connect brands with retailers, adding a business component to the week. Rush also said, “It is essential to look at the future and the opportunity to change, collaborate and innovate. Many of our businesses have always embraced London Fashion Week as a platform for not just fashion but for its influence on society, identity, and culture. The current pandemic is leading us all to reflect more poignantly on the society we live in and how we want to live our lives and build businesses when we get through this. The other side of this crisis, we hope will be about sustainability, creativity, and product that you value, respect, cherish.”