London Fashion Week began yesterday in a virtual format due to a COVID-19 lockdown, with mainstays like Victoria Beckham shunning the event, but others like Burberry embracing the online avatar.
Despite the absence of global celebrities and fashionistas, designers such as Turkey’s Bora Aksu, Britain’s Molly Goddard and Ireland’s Simone Rocha are to stream their collections on the London Fashion Week Web site.
Most of the 94 designers participating in the show, which concludes on Tuesday next week, are to stream video highlights of their collections showcasing menswear, womenswear or mixed fashions in an event that is now gender-neutral.
Photo: AFP
On Monday next week, the British brand Burberry — known for its tailored trench coats — is to present its menswear autumn/winter collection for this year, designed by Italian creative director Riccardo Tisci.
In September last year, the brand presented its spring/summer collection for this year in a film set in the middle of a forest and livestreamed on Twitch.
The streaming platform has grown in popularity, broadcasting live video gameplay and offering the possibility of live commentary.
More than 40,000 people watched the innovative show, which could be viewed from different perspectives.
Former Spice Girl and designer Victoria Beckham is to present her creations a few days before London Fashion Week.
Her collection, which mixes the seasons, aims to be “optimistic, but realistic,” she said.
Beckham has been living under COVID-19 lockdown in Florida, where her husband, former England soccer player David Beckham, is one of the co-owners of the professional soccer club Inter Miami.
During the pandemic, the former pop star said that “people still want to dress up,” but with “a need for comfort.”
Her garments include military details that evoke a “sense of protection — a toughness,” she added.
Her collection also exhibits a lighter, more delicate side with dresses made from Jersey fabric or with prints of flowers and goldfish.
The more joyful designs are in stark contrast to the grim outlook for the fashion industry in Britain, seriously impacted by the pandemic.
The fashion sector, which employs more than 890,000 people and contributed ￡5 billion (US$7 billion) to the UK’s GDP in 2019, has also been hit by Brexit, and the end of free movement between the EU and the kingdom.
To increase the visibility of young talent in the pandemic, the British Fashion Council, which represents the industry, has partnered with the social media giant TikTok.
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