Saint Laurent's Absence From Fashion Week

The economic fallout of the coronavirus has taken its toll on apparel businesses across the globe, and now it has reached its zenith in the very fashion capital itself, Paris. Major fashion labels are withdrawing from Paris Fashion Week—most notably the haute couture juggernaut Saint Laurent. Saint Laurent, the quintessential French brand known for incorporating the Eiffel Tower and other iconography of their home country into their shows, has made the decision to cancel the premiere of their latest collection at Paris Fashion Week.

Being such a prestigious name, Saint Laurent’s yearly releases are typically the most anticipated shows of each Paris Fashion Week. As such, their removal from such a paramount fashion event epitomizes the pandemic’s devastating blow to the industry. Saint Laurent’s artistic director Anthony Vaccarello realizes the long-term effects of the current halt in sales of their products, pointing out that the closing of their worldwide stores and production sites has forced the company to rethink their creation and showcasing of future collections. While the COVID-19 outbreak has upended Saint Laurent’s 2020 schedule, they are determined to remain connected with their audience. Not only did their Instagram post announce their withdrawal from Paris Fashion Week, but it also indicated that the company will present their new releases in an alternative, more inventive way. The post concluded with the following statement: “Saint Laurent will take ownership of its calendar and launch its collections following a plan with an up-to-date perspective, driven by creativity.”

Report: Nia Hunt