London Fashion Week started on Thursday with a live-streamed show from Burberry but without the hordes of industry insiders, A-listers, and journalists who usually flock to it from around the world. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show starts with a “digital-first” approach complemented by a handful of live events. Around 80 designers are presenting their latest collections during the six days of showings, some in catwalk presentations but most via videos posted on the Fashion Week’s official website.
Among the designers holding public parades with specially crafted social distancing guidelines in place is London-based Turkish creator Bora Aksu, luxury knitwear pioneer Mark Fast, and the Chinese brand PRONOUNCE. Their shows will also be broadcast live online an essential tool for our brand to express our seasonal message on a global scale. Online streaming of a fashion show will reach tens of thousands on the day, and hundreds of thousands, if not more, throughout the season.
In normal times, fashion labels typically compete to stage their shows in the most extravagant settings, hoping to attract VIPs and influencers posting photos from the event. But amid ongoing restrictions due to the virus, which has claimed more than 41,600 lives in Britain where cases are climbing again, fashion has moved firmly to the internet. The fashion sector, which employs over 890,000 people in Britain, contributed £35 billion ($45 billion, 38 billion euros) to the country’s GDP last year. Meanwhile traditionally devoted to women’s fashion, this September Fashion Week is the first to switch to a new-normal “gender-neutral” format, showcasing men’s, women’s, and mixed collections.
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