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Fashion week organizers are taking steps to salvage another season overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Omicron variant spreads globally, with stricter regulations and vaccination requirements enforcing in many places.
In Paris, men’s fashion week (January 18-23) and haute couture week (January 24-27) are still scheduled to continue, and the Milan events are also planned to continue. Fashion houses have started making their own calls as to whether they want to participate. On Tuesday, Giorgio Armani announced the cancellation of the Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani menswear shows in Milan and the Privé haute couture show in Paris “in the face of the worsening epidemiological situation.”
However, many of the biggest brands confirmed to Vogue Business that they will stick to their plans for physical shows, including Hermès, Dior, Loewe, Ami and Kenzo, which will mark artistic director Nigo’s first show. Newcomers banking on physical shows include Bianca Saunders, Egonlab and Rains. Paco Rabanne and Alaïa plan to stage women’s fashion shows on January 23. Also on the men’s calendar is the Louis Vuitton show, featuring the last collection designed by Virgil Abloh before his death, although details about the format were not immediately available. The final calendar with an indication of formats is expected in the coming days.
In France, daily new Covid-19 cases hit close to a record 300,000 on Tuesday. A day earlier, France’s Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode sent government health measures to participating houses, with further protocol expected next week. The restrictions include the use of face masks (also mandatory on the streets of Paris) and the possession of a vaccination pass. Spectators must be seated with a physical distance of at least one meter between two people, not allowing standing room. Models not wearing masks must maintain a distance of two meters. Cocktails will probably have to be avoided, as France has banned standing in bars and cafes from January 3 and for three weeks, that is, until the end of men’s week.
Publisher and buyer attendance will vary. Fully vaccinated travelers from European countries and the US need a negative PCR or antigen test to enter France, while travelers from the UK cannot take non-essential travel. Paris Fashion Week does not count as a reason for visitors to enter the country. For those who cannot attend, all the shows will be broadcast on the digital platforms of the events. The disruption could come as late as showtime, as event coordinators plan to prepare for positive Covid tests among attendees, models and other staff. That means the catwalks could look different than usual, if they can keep up.
Source: www.voguebusiness.com