Editor's Note - Noah Love

Noah Love, Senior Editor

I initially wanted to introduce The Access Report with a full story on the evaluation of black owned businesses and the current state of the Fashion world in the midst of COVID-19. However, after a few conversations with colleagues and friends, all of which are dealing with the aftermath of our cities shutting down, it’s clear that analyzing business and strategizing next moves are stressors we did not anticipate at this capacity. 

Instead, I have decided to take this moment to level set with those of us facing the harsh reality of what’s actually happening. Our income has either stopped, paused, or remains in limbo and we have no answers on a clear way forward without easily obtainable capital. Although we want to be optimistic and find the silver lining amongst all of this—how exactly are we to do so with the constant uncertainty of being able to get back to our lives as providers, creators and so much more? 

What I can say is this: It is under pressure that many of us have found our most impactful solutions. I first discovered I wanted to be an entrepreneur when I realized I could be fired at any time (i.e., Termination Without Cause - a clause in most agreements for companies).  After being laid off from my first job due to staffing changes, it was clear to me that job security would be of my own creation. 

COVID-19 laid out a simple truth so many of us often disregard by choice or ignorance—there are no certainties in life. There are no fail-safe systems and we can’t depend on the government nor the economy we contribute to to save us. If I’m being totally straight forward, we can’t guarantee that we can save ourselves. 

What does this all mean?  What does it mean for our careers? Our families? Our communities? 

It means we wake up and we fight. We don’t allow ourselves to become complacent, comfortable or so successful that we forget to pivot with innovation and collaboration in mind.  It means that we begin working together more often and commit to more efforts within our communities. 

During this time it is my suggestion, which has already been taken by my team, to evaluate the table of ideas. Those implemented plans, strategies to scale, projects, partnerships, etc.; revisit these ideas and adjust them. Consider the impact of COVID-19 thus far and how it has isolated you and your business. How can you provide your consumer access and support during this time? Not just right now particularly, but also in the future.  How will you take measures to ensure your consumer is always capable of accessing and benefiting from your products and/or services without diluting the quality or limiting the experience?

These are some of the questions many fashion lovers are facing—specifically during New York’s most coveted time of year, New York Fashion Week. With the dreaded question of if it’ll even happen, designers and production companies (myself included) are struggling to come to terms with this.  That struggle will happen for the foreseeable future as our governor has announced that the stay-at-home order has been extended to the middle of May. Our only option at this very moment is to evaluate and take note of how people are coping—how the world is changing on the outside.  We are also given a moment to recognize that being forced to exercise social distancing has given us the very break some of us so desperately needed. 

It has given mother earth the break she needed. 

My prayer is that you find the good in this. Use this time to heal, find new purpose, learn a new trade, connect with old friends, and start new relationships. 

This doesn’t have to be a negative. It doesn’t have to result in loss nor does it have to be scary. 

Choose to come out of this better. Whatever better looks like for you, come out of this with more than you had when it all started.

Report: Noah Love

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