Paris Fashion Week returns to physical shows with The Row, Vtmnts

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Undeterred by Omicron’s rise, Paris Fashion Week will return as a full physical event in a sign that the changes to fashion week in response to Covid-19 were largely temporary.

Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Off-White, Stella McCartney, Miu Miu, Chloe, Givenchy, Valentino, Balmain, Vivienne Westwood and The Row are among the 45 houses that will host an in-person show during the event , which will take place from February 28 to March 8, the French Federation announced on Monday. One change that has stuck since Covid-19 is a broader adoption of live streaming – all of the above will also have live streaming components. This season, 95 houses are on the official calendar. In addition to the 45 physical shows, there will be 37 physical performances and 13 digital-only events. “The formats will depend on the evolution of the health situation and the measures taken by public authorities,” the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode said in a statement.

The season will see notable comebacks and debuts. It will be Off-White’s first show since the brand’s founder, Virgil Abloh, died last November. The Row, the label of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen founded in 2006, will be presented on March 2 at 11:30 am local time. The label was last shown in Paris in 2016 during the Spring/Summer season in a castle outside the city. Vtmnts, a Vetements spin-off brand launched in 2021, will be featured for the first time with Guram Gvasalia as creative director. Balenciaga will return to the more traditional fashion show format. Last season, his show consisted of two parts: a show turned red carpet and a short film in collaboration with The Simpsons.

The pandemic forced the industry to rethink the fashion show formula, with some brands dropping out and others staging digital shows, presentations and out-of-the-box formulas. This season suggests that despite some live streaming opportunities to reach more consumers, most have returned to real-life events within official calendars, although LVMH-owned Celine is a notable exception with the Hedi Slimane’s collection still off the Paris calendar. Men’s week in January was subdued, but haute couture week was full of physical shows, and with the health situation improving (daily new Covid-19 cases were around 155,439 on February 6, vs. to more than 500,000 at the end of January), the Federation is betting that the demand is back. Chinese shoppers and press will still be out, delayed by Covid travel restrictions, but Americans are traveling again. “It shows the power of physical shows: we’ve learned how digital enhances the physical. Only digital has less impact,” says public relations guru Lucien Pagès. “We expect a return to some normality, like during fashion week last September before the success of Omicron. In fact, we are also working on many possible projects for cocktails and perhaps parties, according to sanitary regulations”.

In New York, physical shows, performances and dates are back for those who choose to walk. Coach, Tory Burch, Gabriella Hearst and Khaite are putting on physical shows, while Michael Kors is putting on an in-person show and streaming it live as well. Tom Ford is out, as is Marc Jacobs. In London, brands are also largely returning to physical fashion shows, with brands like Simone Rocha and Ahluwalia offering a runway collection and simultaneous digital offering, while a handful sticking to digital like Emilia Wickstead and Say Petsa. Burberry and Victoria Beckham, however, will be absent. The Milan Fashion Week calendar includes shows from Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Prada.

Clarification: Update the fourth paragraph to include Celine as a notable exception to the Paris Fashion Week schedule. (February 8th)

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