The pandemic has hit the fashion industry hard. Fashion week and fast fashion brands have long been called out for being the culprits in driving over consumption and unsustainable fashion production, but a shift and demand for ethical and sustainable production has already been seen. COVID:19 brought a surge of international cases which drove governments across the world to bring life as we knew into a halt. Lockdown saw most communities confined within 2km of their home, with a ban on meeting or socialising with anyone outside their home. The concept of well-known and emerging brands showcasing on the runway began to look like a thing of the past. The virus had entered our lives and life was possibly never going to be the same again.
This drove the industry into reflection mode, was four seasons of fashion necessary? Was a new purchase every month really needed to keep up with the latest trends? As the masses sat in their “loungewear” on Zoom calls, did they begin to question their fast-paced life and consumption habits pre COVID? The first time we heard the term “Seasonless Fashion Shows” was during the early days of the pandemic. Gucci was one of the first fashion houses to bid farewell to fashion week and go seasonless. Was their decision to foster less production and more sustainable practices a genuine environmental concern or was it because they recognised people weren't buying as much? Regardless, it’s a brave step in the right direction.
A plunge in sales has been seen for some brands which has started the narrative around overproduction in the industry. Now that people have fewer places to go to, is the future of runway a bi-annual affair? Will seasonless fashion shows, where brands and fashion houses showcase a capsule collection of their best pieces, be the new schedule? Seasonless fashion may be welcomed by brands who are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and foster slow fashion production, but the big question is: will an industry worth over €500 billion succumb to media & consumer pressure, with the loss of billions of revenue at stake?
PhotographyOur team in Paris decided to create Rag Revolution fashion week in Paris this week. We will be shooting some of our favourite pieces in some of the most iconic locations across the city. We really hope you enjoy it, as much as we enjoyed capturing it. Keep an eye out this week for more delicious content.