The Definitive Home Of Luxury
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From virtual puppet shows, TV screens replacing the FROW and a whole lot of feel-good fashion — we look at the ever-changing luxury landscapes of the fashion capitals and the-real-versus-the-virtual shows for a Fashion Month we won’t forget.

SHOP FASHION WEEK
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After the dark dreariness of the FW20 shows, we were hoping for some light at the end of the fashion tunnel this month. This season was a Fashion Month we have never seen before, as we saw fashion merge with the imperfections of life and real-life events. Lavish shows were no more, and the streets were without the flashing bulbs of the paparazzi shooting the street style set, showcasing a calmer more subdued crowd and Fashion Week altogether. Hectic schedules were replaced with quiet virtual presentations or small shows in intimate settings, some houses went ahead with digitally streaming shows, some cancelled altogether, while others paved the way in demonstrating that the show must go on. After all, fashion is a form of escapism and what we need at a time like this, is a moment to be transported to someplace else. For Spring 2021, designers seemed to concern themselves with what it means to dress, and how we feel in those clothes, more than ever this season, whilst still illustrating an imaginative world through the fashion lens.

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New York

New York Fashion Week kicked off Fashion Month during a worldwide pandemic, not knowing what to expect with over 40 brands packed into a four-day-long schedule, we saw the first digital-forward Fashion Week experience. A few notable names such as Marc Jacobs were missing from the show schedule, but those that either presented via look book or regular runways took their inspiration from this idea of escapism. An ode to happier times, when one could travel, embracing uncertainty but knowing that women still desire that standout piece while needing comfort right now. Clashing prints and bright colour pops were at the forefront, a welcome change for New York’s usual monochromatic colour palette and a source of flight from the city itself. The season’s most important accessory: the face mask — matched with floral bikinis, warm-weather-ready maxi dresses and bold, bright suiting... just one side of the Fashion Weeks trends. And on the other, political messaging took centre stage, from voting slogans to climate change and support for the LGBTQI communities — reminding us of the current times. A hybrid embodiment of the good old days and down-to-Earth realism took place across many of the New York shows, as fashion revelled in comfort with ideas of times going back to normal but present was also ideas of protection, which leant nuance to notions of change and the economic crises of today.

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London

The show must go on, was the attitude around London Fashion Week as designers took a very British make-do approach to the shows. Ricardo Tisci at Burberry opened the first show with a live digital performance experience, using a leafy green wild wooden forest as his backdrop. The audience-free digital show saw models walking through the trees, in Mediterranean-blue versions of the typical beige Burberry trench and bright pops of orange reminiscent of seamen's all-weather gear. A celebration of the connection between the Earth and sea, and Tisci and Anne Imhof — an artist known for her installation work and digital performance who Tisci chose to collaborate with for his SS21 show — envision of back-to-nature. Thinking about regeneration and growth was the aptly inspired collection called In Bloom, a circular fashion of growing and evolving through life, at this strange time we stand in and a welcomed chance to reconnect with nature. A very different London Fashion Week that we are all used to, but a city moving with the times. Sustainability was at the forefront of designers’ minds as collections were pared back, fewer looks were created, material was recycled from previous seasons and trends were few and far between. All in a bid to simplify fashion, reduce waste and focus more on wearability. Trees and nature were a reoccurring theme throughout the London shows, paying homage to the British countryside and a source of comfort and freedom to the people. Perhaps a metaphor in which we must approach the dialogue surrounding fashion and the world today.

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Milan

One of the worst-hit countries by COVID-19, and a city that went into lockdown during the previous Fashion Week in February, we weren’t sure what to expect from the fashion capital known for its over-the-top extravagance. Milan, the city that produces the most sought-after red-carpet gowns season after season, was in for a fashion remix as Italian designers had to pare down their designs to more wearable stay-at-home pieces. Not only did the clothes become more adaptable, resonating with the wearer but an organic urban stance was shown through the choice of fabrics and venues. With the most live-in-person shows so far, Milan felt more back-to-normal compared to the previous two Fashion Weeks. A romantic theme spread throughout the collections, as designers noted falling back in love with their country during lockdown, and the incredible strength and unity the country and Italian people have shown during these difficult times, as their inspiration. Aligned with this love for Italy, Valentino showcased their first show ever in Milan, streamlined, with fewer decorative pieces and a surprising but fitting collaboration with Levi jeans — which still brought the emotional romanticism into our hearts. A first and a last in Milan, as Silvia Fendi showcased her last solo show since the passing of Karl Lagerfeld and before Kim Jones' entry as new Artistic Director. Starting with sustainable linen fabrics and showcasing historic Fendi moments in fur, her final show was a poetic tribute to her family. From the real-life shows to the no shows, notable names such as Bottega Veneta and Gucci decided to skip the runways entirely, whereas Versace and Prada went digital. For Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons' debut collection, a pre-taped presentation saw models walk through rotating cameras and monitors as chandeliers where more than 10,000 viewers tuned in to the live Prada Instagram and aptly named technology as their theme. Versace transported us under the sea, for Donatella’s SS21 show, a battle cry for post-lockdown optimism, it was full of life and colour leading the re-birth of fashion and a high-octane future. Jeremey Scott at Moschino created the biggest buzz on social media during Milan Fashion Week as he decided to use miniature marionette dolls instead of models in a digital virtual puppet show, celebrating whimsical female fashion. Aligned with this romantic notion of nature and femininity, Milan Fashion Week saw the battle of the real versus the virtual shows but also uplifted our spirits, making us fall back in love with fashion once again.

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Paris

The final stop on the Fashion Month circuit and home to some of the biggest luxury fashion labels, saw the spirit of creativity shine through, uplifting everyone’s mood on the streets of Paris. In an industry where aspiration sells, staging an elaborate live event during a world pandemic surely is a smart marketing move if done right. Like Milan, there was the real-life versus the virtual shows, but it was the nod to traditionalism and heritage from our Parisian powerhouses which brought the collections of PFW together. Chloé’s live show gave us hope, literally, with its A Season in Hope runway collection presented outside the Palais de Tokyo where Natasha Ramsay-Levi showed off what Chloé does best. Models in beautiful everyday dresses and smart shorts tailored to perfection were filmed walking along the Seine, which was live streamed to the audience in the Palais, showcasing an emphasis on real-life everyday encounters. Olivier Rousteing at Balmain tapped into the heritage of the brand, stating that now DNA is more important than ever with this new sense of luxury. Updates of seventies originals shone down a foggy catwalk at the Jardin des Plantes, where on one side there were real-life people, and the other TV screens took the place of the elite FROW, positioning famous faces from JLO to Kris Jenner broadcasting in. Matthew William’s highly anticipated debut Givenchy campaign is among the digital stars at PFW alongside Lebanese designer Elie Saab. Elie Saab’s atelier and home were destroyed in the August blast in Beirut and were both reduced to rubble. Paying homage to his home, he decided to stage a film in the hills of Lebanon this season, instead of his usual ornate Parisian runway. A sense of liberty and new life shone through his signature embellished ethereal gowns, looking towards a brighter future. There was a big SAINT LAURENT-shaped hole missing from Paris’ schedule this season, as Anthony Vaccarello decided to not show on schedule for the foreseeable future and instead concentrate on more intimate customer-based showings. A thought we can’t help but think might be where the rest of the fashion world turns to as we say bon voyage to the big productions of Fashion Week.

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There is really no substitute for live action viewed by a real-life audience as Simon Porte Jacquemus pointed out at his whimsical SS21 show in July. Despite the worldwide pandemic, Simon wanted to make a point that it is important for all of us to continue with our life. So, he staged a show in a wheat field just outside of Paris, where 100 guests sat amongst the long grass looking out onto a makeshift wooden catwalk — two meters apart to abide by social distancing rules. A great marketing move, as it is still one of the most talked about shows of the season, even though Simon choses to show off the usual women’s Fashion Month schedule. However, this season we have seen how Prada, Moschino and Versace all managed to draw a big audience during their virtual live show and a whole lot of buzz post-show on social media. Bringing us to the point, did the virtual shows work and will this be something of a new step for Fashion Weeks to come? The power of fashion brings joy to one another transporting us to someplace else, a welcomed escape in the form of clothes and accessories. These numerous obstructions to, and subversions of, female fashion somehow amount to an even more elegant approach to dressing today than ever before.