Everything was very nice and, at the same time, very functional: yet, unfortunately, collections were not on the stage. “It wasn’t about the clothes”, pointed out the New York Times while commenting the latest London fashion week, which took place in a virtual setting. The British experience has evidenced that digital fashion week has a limit, that is, it cannot unveil the items of clothing and depict the identity of fashion products. “While browsing through the website, which shows a mix of tools and communication, visitors feel as if they were flicking through the pages of an interactive magazine or the contents of an Instagram page – reported the NYT –. Yet, in the digital variation, those feelings, such as immediacy and preview, which get stronger during a fashion show or a debut presentation, were missing”.
Digital fashion week has a limit
We need to focus our debate on the London experience, of course. Here, as we wrote a few days ago, we could see some stimulating prompts rather than collections. What was wrong with the British capital city? They somewhat made the first move: “Because of social distancing restrictions and delivery delays across the whole industrial and manufacturing industry – remarked the NYT – they could not reasonably present and show many new items”. Moreover, due to organizational haste, since the exhibition event announced its format only in April, “the most outstanding fashion guest stars of the London Fashion Week were missing in the line-up – continued the NYT –. Since Burberry and Victoria Beckham were not participating, one could immediately feel the absence of such stars and their appeal”.
The potential
However, Milan and Paris events may not experience the same difficulties and problems. The first London action, meanwhile, prompts and inspires a potential. Following Shanghai, likewise the British capital city enjoyed a remarkable success in terms of audience. Participants, of course, were rather different compared to “professionals, insiders and media”, who usually turn up at the exhibitions and take part in the fashion weeks. Quite interesting, though, with regard to marketing and sales purposes. “As stores are about to reopen in the whole of western countries – wrapped up the NYT – all brands need, now more than ever, audience and support”.
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