With the COVID-19 pandemic taking over the globe, the Milan Fashion Week organizers postponed the event to mid-July. Moreover, the event will be digital, consisting of videos and photos to avoid contagion. The virtual Fashion Week is the first-of-a-kind and will bypass the traditional physical form of the runway.

The pandemic first hit China, which is the primary market for all the luxury goods. Soon there were lockdowns across the globe with the virus spreading to different parts of the world quickly. Life came to a standstill, and the fashion industry was among the hard-hit segments of the economy.

The Digital Approach

Given the pandemic condition and its ability to transmit through contact, canceling the event was the option. However, with massive monetary losses across different industry segments, the Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana (CNMI) announced that it would conduct the Milan Fashion Week covering the men’s summer and spring collections in digital format.

Virtual Fashion Week uses a virtual set minus the audience. It will help generate revenue for all those involved in the industry and get through the tough times. According to CNMI, the digital format will display the collection in photo and video format with slots dedicated to every participating label.

The Advantage of Virtual Fashion Week

The move of hosting virtual Fashion Week ensures that the companies and designers can show their new collection. Likewise, the digital format makes it helpful for them to reach a wider audience and promote brands without a physical connection. The step is a significant move towards avoiding the spread of the virus.

The move to host the fashion show in the virtual format will expand the reach and bring on-board new customers. Likewise, fashion groups get the chance to decide on joining presentations and shows scheduled for September, which will consist of non-digital events and catwalks.

The use of technology gives the freedom that a designer would like to have while displaying their collections. It helps in expressing with ease and connect with the audience. The time slot depends on the label and the presentation. However, the maximum allotted time is 15 minutes. Therefore, a designer gets the option to pick what he/she likes to display and in what format – photos or videos.

The Point

The use of technology as the platform shines a light on the Italian fashion industry. It further helps in conducting the first-ever virtual Fashion Week without spreading the virus. The step will help organizers to host the event once a year, twice a year, or even once every two years.

Conclusion

While the COVID-19 changed everything globally, the fashion industry, which took a significant loss, announced its return using technology. Called as Milan Fashion Digital Week, the virtual format helps audiences to attend to the show right from their comforts. The form consists of displaying collections in photos and video formats along with virtual showrooms and panels.

The digital format will see only a small collection due to less time in the preparations and absence of several workers. Nonetheless, companies and designers are confident that the display will have a significant impact. Likewise, they are expecting to see a conscious approach by their customers and encourage the brands to sustain effectively with the resources available in hand.

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