This is an enlightening article about the current difficulties the fashion industry is facing. Covid-19 Pandemic arrived in the USA in March, hitting NYC hard which is the fashion industry capital. We faced an unprecedented lockdown, where businesses already struggling were forced to close or work remote. Many lay offs occurred, and projects shelved. But the bigger impact is that style has changed. I have wardrobes full of work clothes, from tailored suits to fashionable dresses - for zoom meetings, we don’t need to dress to impress - at least from the waist down. I have not pulled out a single item from my fashionista closet. I’ve been reaching for my Lululemon Om pants, or my Outdoor Voices leggings. Ripped jeans are replaced by bike shorts. Comfort is key.
This article focuses more on the demise of Fashion as we know it. Fashion Week may become a thing of the past. Perhaps it will be reinvented digitally. The days of fashionable crowds gathering outside the tents, and photogs crowding the end of the runway, hot sweaty indoor spaces with the buzz and excitement - they may never come back. Covid-19 is too new to really know how life as we know it will be impacted but the fashion industry already took a huge hit.
Many stores were closed for the Spring season which had just shipped. By the time they reopened, even as pick up only - Spring was over and they had so much excess stock. Consumers have no place to go, and no need for special occasion, evening clothes or even vacation items. We just needed loungewear. Ironically fashion was in a very casual cycle anyhow - before Covid-19 - with athletic wear and athleisure being much more fashion than they ever had been thanks to brands like Kardashian’s Good American, Supreme, Kith, Kanye West’s Yeezy, and more elevated lines and collaborations by Nike and Adidas.
Stores with excess stock now limiting orders, companies with designer and merchandising staff and design office rents to pay - it was a perfect storm of a disaster for this already struggling industry.
Still, I truly believe in time Covid-19 may be less of a daily trouble for us all. I remain hopeful on a vaccine or treatment or eventually herd immunity. In the meantime we must not stop creating, we must not stop being positive and we must remain optimistic that we can rebuild the Fashion industry or better yet recreate the Fashion industry
Click here to read the article;
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/06/magazine/fashion-sweatpants.html
Keep safe and healthy!
- Sara Louise Petty
