WILL THE FASHION INDUSTRY CHANGE AFTER THIS PANDEMIC?

We are living through a worldwide pandemic, this is one of the strangest times in history. Everyone has got their own opinions and their own views on how they’re coping currently and how to go forward. This time has a big impact on everything, but what is the impact on the fashion industry? Will it change forever? Will it change our view on fashion?

The impact of the worldwide pandemic is huge. It started in China, which had directly negative effects on the fashion industry because the country is responsible for most of the production and sales.

To stop the virus from spreading they stopped production houses and consumers aren’t going out to go shopping. Some fashion houses had to close their doors because of this. However, the number of online purchases has increased.

As a precaution, many future fashion shows and fashion weeks are cancelled or postponed. Some fashion houses presented their collections through live streams or without an audience. Now that the international fashion weeks in September are getting closer, the question arises whether the planned shows can be continued in a traditional way or not. The organization of London Fashion Week moved their entire program to June. Other fashion weeks are cancelled.

Fashion house Yves Saint Laurent announced that there will be no show during Paris fashion week and that they decided to withdraw from the fashion week roster and look for another way to present their new collection at their own pace.

Some brands are getting very creative in this situation, Zara is making models do photoshoots at home for their website by sending them the clothes.

There is a big change coming. Our mentality and personal priorities have changed. We all went in ‘survival mode’, ensuring we had food, shelter, warmth and everything for survival only. Clothing purchases were pushed aside for the essentials. People lost their jobs and income, so there is less money to spend on the stuff we would have before.

I think there will always be a market for the beauty and fashion industry. The virus also presents a chance to reset and completely reshape the fashion industry, seeing as we were already beginning a journey into more sustainable clothing to help the planet anyway, will it change?

We will have to work together, brands and companies will have to work together to get through this time.

The question is: how will fashion represent itself in the ‘’new normal’’? Time will tell.