The Paris Haute Couture Shows Will Go Digital This July
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, different precautions have to be taken everyday. Some of the biggest weeks in fashion like Milan and and London fashion week have announced that they will be transitioning to online fashion shows. The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, French fashion’s governing body, has announced its plan for the menswear spring 2021 season. They will host videos from accredited couture maisons on a dedicated platform. The videos will be accompanied by additional content and roll out on a schedule, mimicking the flow of a physical Fashion Week.
The Chambre Syndicale has 16 French brand members that are legally allowed to participate in the couture week, including Chanel, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maison Margiela, Schiaparelli, and Givenchy. A separate designation, correspondent member, is given to seven international labels that produce garments on a couture scale: Armani Privé, Azzedine Alaïa, Elie Saab, Fendi Couture, Valentino, Versace, and Viktor & Rolf. Although many designers are preparing for these digital fashion weeks, some have already opted out. Giorgio Armani announced that his Armani Privé collection will be shown in January. Jean Paul Gaultier, who handed over the reins of his couture business to Sacai’s Chitose Abe for the first in a series of guest-designer collections, announced that his show would also be put on hold until January. Givenchy is currently without a creative director, meaning its couture production is likely on hold, and Balenciaga, which was set to debut a couture collection under Demna Gvasalia, has also postponed its collection.
The COVID-19 pandemic keeps all of us on our toes and always thinks of creative ways to improvise. Paris’ menswear Fashion week which is July 9th-13th and Milan’s menswear Fashion week July 14th-17th will officially be digital for the first time ever.
Report: Alycia Williams
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.