With the COVID-19 pandemic reeling across the globe, it forced the fashion industry to try and think out-of-the-box the upcoming fashion week. The organizers of both Paris and Milan Fashion Week decided to try something new – go digital!

Fashion Weeks are always the awaited events of each year. Thousands of people wait to see renowned designers display their new designs and collections. But, with the current situation, it has become difficult, and the only way it is possible is by going online. Organizers surrendered to the deadly virus and opted for a digital fashion week.

Using Technology as the Platform

The COVID-19 changed everything around us and severely affected the global economy. It includes the fashion industry. Even though organizers canceled the event, the financial losses forced them to set digital and conduct the fashion week.

According to the Haute Couture Federation, the Paris Fashion Week is all set to take place from July 9th to 13th. However, unlike in the traditional way, the audience will attend the live video format. The Milan Fashion Week, which displays men’s spring/summer collection, will go live from July 14th and end on the 17th.

What is the Meaning of Digital Fashion Week?

The idea of Fashion Week on a runway is an impossible situation in the current circumstances. The choice to go digital ensured that organizers had the latest technology to capture everything, including minute details. The process includes a 360-degree digital transformation. Most of them are fast-tracking the process to ensure that there is no further delay in conducting Fashion Weeks.

Digital Fashion Week is an environment where there is no physical set. The audience will look at a digital set. The proposal allows for revenue generation for make-up artists, choreographers, videographers, and musicians. The London Fashion Week is planning to display its content through interviews, podcasts, webinars, designer diaries, and online platforms.

The Domination

Given the circumstances and massive losses, Milan Fashion Week decided to extend the runway to both men and women fashion designers. However, the Paris runway will see significant domination of male designers.

The Idea of Digital

The initial idea behind choosing to set digital for conducting Fashion Week is doing something different this year. Although the July format will be digital, organizers are confident that the September edition will see a physical form with limitations.

With digital Fashion Week in place, every designer can highlight their collection through photos and in video format. The organizers categorized slots for each label, making it easy for audiences to attend to their favorite designer and the collection. The step will further help companies and designers to promote their collection, capture the attention of buyers from different geographic locations. This will reach out to buyers without person-to-person contact.

Conclusion

With significant changes taking this year to the fashion calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, organizers in the fashion industry canceled the physical runway of major Fashion Weeks. However, it is interesting to note that they have come up with the idea to go digital and conduct the Paris and Milan Fashion Week in digital format. The digital format of the Fashion Week gives an excellent opportunity for organizers to capture a broad audience engagement, and present with a window that explores the elite form of fashion culture.

 

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