At the week of June 6, the presentation of the Resort 2021 collections of renowned brands would take place. However, last Friday, CFDA decided to cancel the event. What does this imply for designers, buyers and stores that would stock these collections? One thing is sure: creativity is much needed.
Cover photo: © Unsplash
Resort 2021
In a statement, CFDA declared: “The decision was based on the current global situation, the ongoing uncertainty regarding its impact on retailers and their open-to-buys, and designers’ challenges in producing collections at this moment. We strongly recommend and urge designers not to show their resort spring 2021 collections.”
The statement followed other announcements: the cancellation of Milan Fashion Week (Men’s) and Paris Haute Couture Week.
Despite this, most fashion houses still plan to produce their Resort collections and will deliver these to stores in November. However, we can only doubt what the world will look like at that time. Right now, the fashion industry has come to a standstill. Within the upcoming months, when the development of these collections typically would take place, fashion labels will rely on new ways of working – which might be the new standard for future collections.
New way of working
What will this new way of working entail? Will it be all about virtual presentations? If this will become the new normal, then fashion’s carbon footprint will shrink tremendously – something that was much needed. To Vogue,, Joseph Altazzura scetched another possibility, in which models receive the clothes by post and then shoot selfies in it, during isolation. He told the magazine that he doesn’t have a choice; he just has to be creative.
On top of that, Gabriela Hearst is fighting hard not to let anyone of her staff go. Therefore, she will also ‘present’ a Resort 2021 collection. The good thing in this crisis is, that Hearst doesn’t heavily rely on fabric mills, since she works with dead stock and leftover materials.
When designers are ready to deliver their collections, the next problem arises: many stores and online shops are closed. The question is, when they will open again. And when they open again, how quickly will customer confidence return? It’s hard to say, since the COVID-19 virus devours the world in a rapid pace.
Does the virus lead to a – much welcome – shift in the fashion industry? One thing is clear: things should have changed anyway, rather today than tomorrow. Whatever the outcome will be, creativity is much needed – more than ever.
Also read: Men’s Fashion Week and Paris Couture Week canceled, more will follow
