Universe by Gucci
It is well known that we’re living uncertain and challenging times that make people reconsider their lifestyles, by realizing our fragility and the fleetingness of time. The COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent lock-down just pulled a trigger on the fashion sphere, on how it’s consuming an important amount of time and natural resources.
So, this must be what the Italian designer Alessandro Michele was thinking when posting a series of insights called “Notes From The Silence” on Instagram, where he explains how the quarantine period changed his views. Being the first top designer to change the forecast of a fashion brand.
But, how can this affect the fashion world as we know it? And most importantly, is this a strategic movement?
Most luxury buyers are guided by season trends. Now, being political and getting involved in climatic movements are in every brand’s agenda. As the first one to make that step, the other brands will be expectant to see how it impacts on the audience and the economy before joining it.
For that reason, it’s obvious that this is a marketing move. But, it’s not the only one that we have been able to see in this health emergency. During the state of isolation, most fashion brands used their factories to make face masks as selfless service, but it has recently been discovered that some of them reported multiple benefits by selling them.
However, does that mean it’s a bad thing? As long as they are doing good actions we shouldn’t discuss it. Over the past decade, the complete scale of fashion has been a spiral of negative aspects, so why is it wrong to use this situation to improve things? Quality over quantity should have always been the mantra of fashion brands. Nowadays they are more focused on selling, even if it means losing the art of “savior-fare”.
By doing only two shows a year this might mean giving more opportunities to creativity. Allowing established and new designers to investigate, express, and play. As well as searching for new chances to be sustainable while taking out the pressure and improving working conditions. So it should be fascinating to see how brands are changing the way they work.
We could say that this is the moment for today’s designers. This is their moment to accomplish something memorable, to be known for how they helped cross some borders, which doors they opened, or which changes they led to.
