Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London

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Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Fashion’s Key People; Fashion Voices
FBS C19 Issue 5:
05.06.20
Fashion Voices in the Time of COVID19:
Although, as we go to press with Issue 5, events of major importance to the world are
happening, these reports are not the place to engage in political conversations or debate,
however, the fashion world has immediately responded to the murder of George Floyd !"#
$%&#'()#'*'*)#+"#$+"",%-!.+/)#$+"",/!0%# and the subsequent global outcry. Editor Anna
Wintour, PR Karla Otto, Christian Dior, and make artist Pat McGrath are just some of the
fashion voices to be heard. We support their words against racism in any form. Thank You.

How is coronavirus impacting the global fashion and clothing industry?
We summarise real time industry themes that are emerging across the planet in response to
the COVID19 pandemic and its effect on fashion retailers, brands, supply chains and the
wider fashion industry.

Crafting A New Sustainable Glamorous Path: Kevin Germanier; an individual voice as a
sustainable designer of glamour. The Paris-based designer is known for redefining
sustainable fashion by using only upcycled materials creating ‘high-octane,
unapologetically glamorous dresses and separates’all of which are made entirely from
materials that otherwise would have been contributed to landfill.

                                             !
!

Germanier’s pieces are worn by celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Björk and K-pop sensation
Sunmi, helping to promote his particular brand of sustainable luxe into the spotlight and
proving there’s far more to eco-friendly fashion than organic linen.
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Germanier's creations have been featured in Dazed and Confused, Vogue
Germany and Numero Russia, and was worn by Björk on the cover of the Guardian’s 'New
Review'. https://www.dn-mag.com/news/20190227-germanier-rtw-2019-fall-19-20/

Fashion has never been about one voice, one look, one story or one trend. Whilst Christian
Dior was fixated on The New Look with its’ fit’n flare silhouette Cristobal Balenciaga was
working on the waist less Sack Dress. Today many voices are speaking to us with ideas,
optimism and refreshing viewpoints. The question has always been “who do we listen too”?
As if there is only one answer, as if fashion is only about one voice. Listening and
discussing makes sense at any time, but right now and for the foreseeable future it’s going
to be a necessity. The interesting thing is that, whilst the usual fashion cycle is suspended,
people are both looking back whilst exploring future possibilities. This week we bring you,
amongst other things, a selection of influential voices from across the fashion industry. In
most cases it’s about what they’re actually doing, or in some cases having an inspiring a
viewpoint. As referenced in Issue 1 this is not the time for conjecture and possibilities or
“what if’s”!

These newsletters have been compiled to be informative and future facing providing a real
time perspective. Until we know more and are further distanced from the original outbreak
of COVID19, many factors are still emerging, and speculation at during these times is
frankly unhelpful. Professionals and survivors of the fashion and creative industries don’t sit
waiting for things to happen, they will capitalise on new opportunities and make things
happen. These players are not ‘passive’ they’re active and future facing and exist to offer a
diverse range of ideas and attitudes in response to the global fashion situation and beyond.

So, listen to these voices, hear what they say; then importantly make up your
own mind.

How is coronavirus impacting the global fashion and clothing industry?
We summarise real time industry themes that are emerging nationally and globally in
response to the COVID19 pandemic and its effect on global fashion brands, retailers,
supply chains and wider industry representation.

One thing is for sure; ‘thinking’ is never out of fashion.

Tony Glenville
Fashion Commentator!
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Fashion Influencers Paradox:
Think about the voice of social media Influencers.

Always Remember - There is an influencer list for every country, every culture, every market
sector and for everyone; football, yoga, cosmetics, food, music; the list is endless.

What are brands doing in place of influencer campaigns?

With pre COVID19 pandemic budgets slashed, brands are relying less heavily on
influencers, using what marketing dollars they have left in creative ways.
Fashion influencers are seeing a plunge in brand deals during the pandemic. They must
evolve their content and flex their creative skills or risk being left behind.

Influencers have a captive audience during the pandemic, but can they
capitalise on it?

Influencers are getting more views than ever from self-isolating fans. But with the majority
of retail stores in a variety of lockdown conditions and fewer consumers in the mood to
buy, making money could be a struggle and affiliate revenue is next to disappear.
Brands like Macy’s and TJ Maxx are pausing their affiliate marketing programs to save
money in response to the COVID19 pandemic. Social media Influencers have seen brand
sponsorships disappear overnight whilst the available market share for product lines
fronted by social media influencers is becoming increasingly crowded. As retail stores
across the globe are beginning to reopen in the immediate wake of the COVID19 outbreak
luxury companies and mass-market brands are looking to get consumers back into the
physical store environment. Foot traffic to stores in the U.S. and Canada is starting to rise,
although slowly. ‘For the week ended May 15, foot traffic to shops was 92 percent below
the same period a year ago, compared with a 95% drop in the previous seven
days,’ Bloomberg 19.05.20

When comparing pre COVID19 spending to the current situation retail clearly faces
significant obstacles; rising unemployment, market instability and diminished consumer
confidence, retail is likely to be shaken significantly for the foreseeable future from both a
practical and psychological perspective; from social distancing mandates and Plexiglas
dividers to mandatory mask rules, heightened hygiene rules, our retail reality will inevitably
offer a strange new consumer experience with a marked absence of many experiential and
immersive elements.
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Shopping as a sensory and immersive experience will have changed for the
    foreseeable future:

    While the scent of a retail outlet may seem trivial, as consumers, our senses play a major
    role in how much we engage with retail experiences. Retailers have long employed the art
    of store atmospherics to encourage us to stay, spend and return. Atmospherics, such as
    scent, music, touch, temperature and consumer crowding, all help create an
    engaging sensory experience for the target audience. Research clearly demonstrates that
    customers stay longer, spend more and feel better, all leading to enhanced brand loyalty
    and increased foot fall and proportional spend.

    Could the COVID19 Diminish the Fashion Influencer Culture or Accelerate it?
    In the middle of a pandemic, how influential can social media influencers really be?

    Influencers are currently experiencing an uncertain future where they need to ‘influence and
    inspire followers’ but are running out of valuable and appropriate advice to share.

    There has been backlash, of course, against the too-perfect images influencers are
    accused of creating, but they’ve always bounced back by introducing ‘authenticity”
    and more raw imagery. Yet, the fact remains that they have to connect with their followers
    to be a part of the current zeitgeist. With Covid-19 dominating public life, that’s become
    harder to do. Travel, parties, dining and retail excursions have been cancelled. Marketing
    campaigns and influencer deals are frozen. Followers, facing mounting uncertainty, are less
    moved by images of new product, and anyone posting such things can easily look
    detached from the seriousness of the pandemic. As the COVID19 spread, how can
    influencers stay relevant when all areas. of our industry are being questioned?

    Question: How will fashion influencers bounce back this time? And ultimately, will
    anyone care if they don’t?

    At a time when societal anxiety is peaking, privilege screams louder. “We’re all in this
    together” is a flawed and loaded statement when some people have access to resources
    others don’t. For influencers striking the right tone can prove to be extremely difficult. To
    err on the side of carefulness, many brands that aim to capitalize on influencer power are
    now having to focus on ‘purposeful and authentic’ messaging to retain consumer
    engagement.

    Influencer Marketing Future Trends:

    The Future of Influencer Marketing: 5 Predictions You Need to Know (Updated May 2020)

•   Emergence of Influencer Networks.
•   Emphasis on Micro-Influencers.
•   Increase of In-House Influencer Programs.
•   Stricter Guidelines for Advertising.
•   The Rise of CGI Influencers.

    As COVID19 became a global pandemic there was a proportional increase in influencer
    marketing to consumers as more and more people were in lock down spending more time
    on their devices instead of socialising within the physical face to face world.
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Research shows that the average screen time is up to 5h40m per day, an 18%
increase from weeks prior.

Question: Will the continuation of social distancing as we slowly move back out
into the world diminish the Fashion Influencer Culture or Accelerate it?

https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-covid-19-influencers/
https://www.marketplace.org/2020/05/28/can-instagram-save-the-influencer-model-
during-covid19/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2020/05/04/influence-in-the-time-of-covid-19--
even-a-global-pandemic-cant-stop-social-media-influence/#fd6afa2778ab

Grace Coddington:
Charm, Cats and Honesty.

Grace Coddington has been a key player in the fashion industry for many decades. First as
a model and later, and today, as a stylist. Books of her work and tributes to her are many
and her personality was revealed at full strength in “September Issue”. The behind the
scenes look at the tremendous hard work which goes into the single most important issue
of American Vogue each year.

Now, on the amazing Vogue Italia interview series, Far Away So Close - Unfolding the future
of Fashion, is nearly an hour of wonderful Grace being interviewed by her former assistant
Francesca Ragazzi.
https://coveteur.com/2016/05/31/grace-coddington-interview-assistant-social-media/
You can find this on IGTV. Link below.

https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/grace-coddington

https://www.1843magazine.com/content/lifestyle/julie-kavanagh/grace-coddington-
creative-indeed

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi3u
PbnlNnpAhXBDGMBHeyHClEQtwIwEXoECAEQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.c
om%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DugFR-vovdjs&usg=AOvVaw1k44RCebmABiCtR4fz-8W2

https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/welcome-to-igtv

https://help.instagram.com/225190788256708
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Lessons in Lockdown from Grace Coddington:

https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/grace-coddington-advice

After 50 illustrious years in the fashion industry, Grace Coddington is the ultimate Vogue veteran.
She launched her career as a model after winning a competition in Vogue, before moving behind
the camera as a stylist and creative director, creating some of the most memorable images ever
to appear in the magazine. As she returns to British Vogue this year as a contributor, we chart
her extraordinary life and career in pictures.

Lockdown Lessons We Can Learn from Grace Coddington: Ellie Pithers 27.04.20
British Vogue’s contributing fashion editor dispenses bon mots _ “So much time is
spent actually not saying anything relevant” and advice, in conversation with editor-
in-chief Edward Enninful.

          Coddington in a shoot for British Vogue’s August 1966 Issue.
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Grace Coddington is spending lockdown gardening and cooking, whilst looking on this
period as a much-needed, industry-wide reset. Designers and magazines should refocus on
what makes them unique; The days of endless assistants are over and aspiring stylists
should look to film rather than photography. Want to Read More: Grace Coddington: A Life
In Vogue: https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/grace-coddington-life-in-pictures

British Vogue July 2020:
Cover models replaced by real women who are also key workers.
Edward Enninful talks about the ‘Everyday Heroes’ that inspired the July 2020 cover story.

A Day in The Life of 3 Key Workers | British Vogue: https://youtu.be/HgSDFgB4JHk

‘There has been a shift in who we look up to and admire, and these people need to be
celebrated’, says editor-in-chief Edward Enninfu
https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/edward-enninful-new-front-line-cover-story-
inspiration

Edward Kobina Enninful OBE (born February 1972) is editor-in-chief of British Vogue. He
was appointed fashion director of British fashion magazine i-D at the age of 18, a position he
held for over two decades.
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
How do you create a memorable British Vogue cover?

“It’s a combination of things: gut feeling, zeitgeist, considering who people are loving.
But the gut instinct is very strong.” Edward Enninful, editor-in-chief of British Vogue

Edward Enninful’s Top 10: British Vogue Covers of All Time

https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/gallery/edward-enninful-best-british-vogue-covers

Connolly:
A luxury voice on craft.

Isabel Ettedgui, owner of Connolly England, a discreet British brand with a reputation for
timeless design. It was founded in 1878 as a coach hood makers and saddler. Isabel
spotted Connolly’s potential to be a successful retail brand in the 1990s and has
transformed Connolly into a modern British fashion house, synonymous with luxurious and
versatile menswear. We sat down to unpack what makes Connolly unique today, how
Isabel has built and rebuilt the brand over the years, and why independent retailers need
supporting today now more than ever

The Need to Create by Hand; A letter from Isabel Ettedgui

‘On Wednesday afternoon I spoke with the restauranteur Jeremy King and Bill Prince of GQ
in a scarily live discussion for 5 Hertford Street, on community and the importance of bricks
and mortar in both our industries; hospitality and retail. Coincidentally, for the last three
weeks I have also been involved with developing a Business of Fashion manifesto
‘#rewiringfashion’ https://www.rewiringfashion.org with an international community of
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
designers, business visionaries and retailers. Two things keep coming up for the future of
survival… intimacy and desire. The desire for authenticity with a genuine back story and the
intimacy of things made in smaller quantities and made sustainably with craftsmanship and
retailed in a more intimate and personal environment… these are not new customer values
for either Jeremy or myself; we know our customers share our passions and their
knowledge of what we both provide is tantamount to why they come back and why we love
welcoming them back.

And so, I wanted to talk about our back story, our Connolly ‘hand’ and about those whom
we rely on for this beauty… the hands that create it. Whether it is our Connolly Leather
trimmers for the car industry or our leather workshops in Spain. And how, now, we need
very much to keep them in business or we will all become one big mass of commercially
perfect badged products or restaurants, branded and personalised but created and
engendered in an environment that is designed for expediency and global purchasing and a
certain homogenised perfection… with less soul or sense of craftsmanship and skill.

With remote working practises, artificial intelligence, autonomous cars and 3D printing
increasingly dominating our cultural landscape, it may feel as if the need for craftsmanship
in commercial production is reducing. However, over the past decade, and now more
urgently, there has been a profound global shift away from mass-produced throwaway
goods and a rise in valuing the art of process coupled with a desire to mentally and
emotionally invest in the finished product. In times of social, environmental and economic
uncertainty, it seems people are not only seeking products that are built to last but which
also allow an element of customisation of individuality. With this in mind, I feel that
craftsmanship is more relevant than ever and in our bespoke leather automotive business
with the latest Ferrari or a classic Jaguar restoration, it’s a personal choice; balancing
traditional techniques with modern design and advancements paired with a passion for
history and the hard earned skills to execute a creative vision. It is the ability to create
something of long-lasting value through the pursuit of mastery of the craft itself, rather than
status.’

The Connolly Workbench Stool; And that is why I wanted to tell the story of the Connolly
workbench stool. On a visit to our leather workshops in Ubrique, I noticed that by each
workbench, there were a couple of wooden stools – all designed the same, some very old
and some much newer… always with a thumb sized hole in the top to lift up and move it
easily. This perfect, simple shape was hand made from local oak… they have been making
them for over 60 years… it was both elegant and practical. I asked if we could make a
limited edition for Connolly, the seat covered in our beautiful veg tanned leather, moulded
and stretched by hand when wet, to make sure it has a very smooth finish. We all now use
them by our desks at Connolly… to sit with a colleague or put a pile of work on, just as
they do in Ubrique. I have never put them in the shop to sell because I love them too
much… I don’t know how you imbue value or soul into such a simple thing… but they did.
The feel of the hand is there and the knowledge and the tradition but also the future of
luxury retail is there… I suspect it is what in the next decade we will buy and treasure those
things that speak to us and we want to keep forever.

https://www.connollyengland.com/ http://connollybros.co.uk/heritage.html
Fashion's Key People; Fashion Voices FBS C19 Issue 5: 05.06.20 - University of the Arts London
Balenciaga:
It’s always possible to research.

If any designer had a unique voice it was Balenciaga. The heritage of Cristóbal Balenciaga
is unique in the history of fashion as standing apart from all other designers.
Aloof from the fashion system during his working years, reclusive in his relationship with the
press and even many of his clients, his pieces are amongst the most sought-after prizes in
vintage fashion clothing. The access and expertise offered by Spain and the loans to other
exhibitions are phenomenal. It’s oddly enough not a question of liking or admiring his work,
it’s simply exploring and understanding his work as a unique fashion language.

https://www.cristobalbalenciagamuseoa.com/en/

https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muse
o_Balenciaga&prev=search

https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/education/cristobal-balenciaga-1895-1972

@cristobalbalenciagamuseoa
https://www.instagram.com/cristobalbalenciagamuseoa/?hl=en
Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum: The Legacy of a Genius

Fashion and Heritage, a quasi-impossible dialogue pitting the ephemeral against
permanence, whose relevance stems from the current moment, as opposed to receiving
value from the past. This conversation flows, however, when the topic at hand is Cristóbal
Balenciaga.

Since beginning the curatorial series Fashion and Heritage in 2018, along with the European
Cultural Heritage Year, the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum decided to reflect on how
Balenciaga's work went from being a fashion of the time to a museum piece.
The series was designed in cumulative fashion, integrating and assimilating previous and
current research work, forming a shared chronological discourse and providing a different
spotlight in each exhibition, with museography that is edited and revised in each edition. In
previous proposals, we conversed with the visual references in Balenciaga's work and
contextualised his work process, evolution and legacy.

125 years after Cristóbal Balenciaga's birth, "Fashion and Heritage. Cristóbal," the third and
last edition of the curatorial series, seeks to evoke the man "behind the curtain," the name
behind the brand, the family member, friend or boss behind the Master of Haute Couture.
Playing with the echoes of past exhibitions, we will find, interspersed throughout the
chronological journey in this new selection of works, different personal items belonging to
Cristóbal Balenciaga. Garments, work instruments, letters, books, decorative items that
invite us to ignore the myth and simply imagine Cristóbal.

V & A:

It’s a timeless traditional garment from a specific culture, yet it speaks to the world.
V&A Kimono | Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition: Postponed Until Further Notice

This exhibition presents the kimono as a dynamic and constantly evolving icon of fashion,
revealing the sartorial, aesthetic and social significance of the garment from the 1660s to
the present day, both in Japan and the rest of the world.
https://www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/12536/v-and-a-victoria-albert-museum-
kimono-exhibition-kyoto-to-catwalk-online

V&A Coronavirus Update
Unfortunately, we have had to postpone or cancel some of our forthcoming exhibition
programme. To find out more information about cancelled or postponed events visit our
blog. https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/ We look forward to seeing you again soon!

BSME:

If you’re not directing your team in a conference room, then a virtual discussion is brilliant.
The voices of magazine editors deserve to be heard during these extraordinary times for
print journalism. Not just fashion journalism but food, sport, interiors; indeed, everything is
sharing how they’re working.
BSME Lockdown Lunch Series; Thank you to everyone who tuned into our fourth BSME
Lockdown Lunch, and a special thank you to our panel for sharing how they are fuelling the
current kitchen renaissance.

Find out how Karen Barnes, Editor of delicious, Christine Hayes, Group Editor-in-Chief of
BCC Good Food and olive, and Gaby Huddart, BSME Vice Chair, Editor-in-Chief of Good
Housekeeping and Group Editorial Director of Hearst Lifestyle & Homes, are feeding the
passions of their readers. The event was moderated by Laura Rowe, BSME Vice-Chair &
Editor of olive.

BSME Lockdown Lunch Series:

Journalists and editors have had to adapt at lightning pace during the pandemic lockdown,
as offices shut nationwide, advertising budgets evaporated and normal life as we know it
shuddered to a halt.

Last Wednesday the BSME assembled a panel of leading editors from its organising
committee to discuss the impact on running magazines and digital platforms for our
inaugural Lockdown Lunch, the first in a series of webinars to help editors survive the
Covid-19 crisis. If you were unable to join us, you can view the recording of Maria Pieri
(editorial director of National Geographic Traveller UK), Jaimie Kaffash (editor of Pulse), Alex
Mead (editor-in-chief Rugby Journal) and Tim Pollard (Bauer Media's digital editorial
director) to hear first-hand advice and tips from editors at the coalface.
https://www.bsme.com/coming-up

BSME Lockdown Lunch 6:
Where travel is headed to next? Date: Wednesday 17 June 2020 at 12 Noon
Online: Zoom Webinar [Free to watch]

Our next webinar will discuss how to create travel content and continue to offer inspiration
responsibly as the world tries to return to the new-normal. The panel will be led by Maria
Pieri, Editorial Director of National Geographic Traveller (UK), along with Ed Grenby, Editor
of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine; Lyn Hughes, Founder and Editor in Chief of
Wanderlust; and Sophie Griffiths, TTG editor.

Tune in to find out how travel bans, easing restrictions, refunds, air bridges and social
distancing are impacting how all editors are having to create travel content today and also,
where you are most likely to be travelling to next.

This is a FREE Webinar; however, places are limited. REGISTER NOW

Tune in and watch the previous 5 x BSME Lockdown Lunches here:

BSME Lockdown Lunch 5:
How Sport Editors Are Changing the Game:
Tune in to find out how the absence of popular sporting events has impacted their titles and
what the future may hold. 04.06.20
https://www.bsme.com/past-events/past-events-blog/2020/6/4/bsme-lockdown-lunch-5-
how-sport-editors-are-changing-the-game
BSME Lockdown Lunch 4:
How Food Editors Are Fuelling A Kitchen Renaissance:
The fourth BSME Lockdown Lunch was broadcast on Wednesday 20 May, where we spoke
to three editors of the country’s top food media brands about how they are feeding the
passions of their readers during this unprecedented time. 22.05.20
https://www.bsme.com/past-events/past-events-blog/2020/5/21/bsme-lockdown-lunch-4-
how-food-editors-are-fuelling-a-kitchen-renaissance

BSME Lockdown Lunch Episode 3:
How Health Editors Are Tackling the Biggest Story in a Century:
At our third Lockdown Lunch, we speak to three editors in the thick of the biggest health
story in 100 years. 11.05.20
https://www.bsme.com/past-events/past-events-blog/2020/5/11/bsme-lockdown-lunch-3-
how-health-editors-are-tackling-the-biggest-story-in-a-century

BSME Lockdown Lunch Episode 2:
Creating Content in The Covid-19 Market - What's Working?
The global pandemic has ripped up media norms and editors of magazines and
websites are facing myriad challenges with every passing week. Join the editors as they
answer the following question: Creating content in the Covid-19 market – what's
working? 22.04.20
https://www.bsme.com/past-events/past-events-blog/2020/4/22/lockdown-lunch-episode-
2-creating-content-in-the-covid-19-market-whats-working

BSME Lockdown Lunch Episode 1:
How We’re Surviving COVID-19 lockdown
On 8 April the BSME launched the first in a series of lockdown lunch webinars hosted via
Zoom. The topic for this first, focused, hour-long discussion was “Surviving during COVID-
19 lockdown”. 15.04.20
https://www.bsme.com/past-events/past-events-blog/2020/4/15/bsme-lockdown-lunch-
episode-1-how-were-surviving

Paris Haute Couture Digital:
A New Season, & New Ways of Presenting Creativity.

All the fashion-week schedule changes that have been announced so far
From Saint Laurent creating its own calendar to Paris Fashion Week going digital

Here, we round up all the of the major changes we can expect to see with the fashion-week
schedule during the rest of the year.

The joy of haute couture is the tiny salons and the close-up attention to detail. July 2020
sees a digital variation of this with the shows on a special format yet to be announced and
clarified. Who will participate out of the Federations listings, who, if anyone, will wear the
clothes, and many other questions remain unanswered?

As fashion houses deal with the fallout of the global coronavirus pandemic, the generic
fashion-week schedule (which has been in place for years) is under review, at least in the
short term, if not longer. With social distancing guidelines likely to be in place for the next
few months, the upcoming September shows will certainly look very different, while the
men's July schedule has been all but postponed or rescheduled in a virtual sense.
Backstage at Valentino's fall 2019 haute couture show at Paris's Couture Fashion Week
Photographed by Corey Tenold

https://www.vogue.com/article/the-paris-haute-couture-shows-will-go-digital-this-july
https://fhcm.paris/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2020/05/CP_Haute-Couture-
https://fhcm.paris/en/haute-couture-2/
Online_FW_20_21.pdf
Couture Fashion Week has been postponed

In late March it was revealed that the couture shows, which were scheduled to take place in
Paris in early July, have been cancelled or postponed. French fashion’s governing body, the
Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, explained: "In light of the spread of the
Covid-19 epidemic worldwide, strong decisions are required to ensure the safety and health
of houses, their employees, and everyone working in our industry."

London Fashion Week is going gender-neutral (and virtual):
The British Fashion Council has also revealed its plans for a digital take on the traditional for
the upcoming London Fashion Week in June, where both the men's and the women's
shows will be hosted in the same virtual space.

"It is essential to look at the future and the opportunity to change, collaborate and
innovate," Caroline Rush, BFC chief executive said. "Many of our businesses have always
embraced London Fashion Week as a platform for not just fashion but for its influence on
society, identity and culture. The current pandemic is leading us all to reflect more
poignantly on the society we live in and how we want to live our lives and build businesses
when we get through this."
Exactly what this new platform will look like will be down to the creativity of the designers
and collaborators involved, but the BFC hopes that the new event will serve as a "meet-up
point", which will give the opportunity to designers to generate sales for both the public -
through existing collections – and the retailers, through orders for next season’s products.

Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks are going virtual:
With the men's July shows only a few months away, there is little surprise that the
governing bodies behind both Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week have cancelled
the physical showcase in order to make way for something virtual. What is surprising
however is that the two cities have swapped dates, with PFW now taking place a week
before Milan, starting on the 9 July, while the Italian city will kick off its virtual fashion week
on the 14 July.
Exactly what a virtual take on the traditional fashion week will look like remains to be seen,
but it appears that it will be mostly hinged on film content.
"This event will be structured around a dedicated platform," the Fédération de la Haute
Couture et de la Mode said in a statement. ‘Each house will be represented in the form of a
creative film/video.’

New York Fashion Week Has Been Postponed:
The Council of Fashion Designers of America has confirmed that the men's NYFW shows,
which were set to take place in June, will no longer be taking place.
"The decision was based on the current global situation, the ongoing uncertainty regarding
its impact on retailers and their open-to-buys, and designers’ challenges in producing
collections at this moment," the CFDA wrote in a statement.
The group also urged designers not to hold its resort 2021 shows, which usually take place
at various locations over the summer period.

Saint Laurent has created its own calendar:
Saint Laurent has announced that it will no longer show during Paris Fashion Week, opting
to run on its own schedule for the rest of the year, in response to the ongoing crisis.
"Conscious of the current circumstance and its waves of radical change, Saint Laurent has
decided to take control of its pace and reshape its schedule," the house said. "Now more
than ever, the brand will lead its own rhythm, legitimating the value of time and connecting
with people globally by getting closer to them in their own space and lives."
"With this strategy firmly in place, Saint Laurent will not present its collections in any of the
pre-set schedules of 2020. Saint Laurent will take ownership of its calendar and launch its
collections following a plan conceived with an up-to-date perspective, driven by creativity."

Armani has a new approach:
The house of Armani has announced a number of changes to its own schedule, which
includes pushing back the men's shows and presenting a seasonless collection in January.
Both the Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani men's and women's collections will be shown
in September 2020, but the format that this will take place in is yet to be determined.
The house also revealed that the Armani Privé show (which usually takes place during Paris
Couture Fashion Week in July) will now be postponed until January 2021, where the house
will show a seasonless collection, presenting garments that can be worn both in summer
and winter. Its atelier will also be open to clients from June 2020, which suggests that the
house is putting emphasis on its couture appointments for the rest of the year.

Anna Wintour: Business and compassion.

Anna Wintour has an Instagram profile named ‘Wintour World’. Whatever your views on
Anna Wintour, clearly from her words, over the months of COVID 19, she is well aware of
the consequences of the pandemic. Her role as Artistic Director for Condé Nast means she
is looking at a much wider creative landscape than just women’s clothes.

These include; In print alone, Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ,
The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Wired

https://www.wired.com/magazine/
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/

Vogue editor Anna Wintour said the coronavirus pandemic has been “catastrophic” for the
fashion industry, impacting both emerging designers and large retailers.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/20/vogue-editor-anna-wintour-coronavirus-has-been-
catastrophic-for-fashion-industry.html
“I think it’s really giving the industry a pause,”
                                                          Wintour on CNBC’s “Closing Bell

Introducing Vogue, Amazon Fashion, and CFDA’s Digital Storefront:
Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America partnered with Amazon to launch a
digital storefront this month that features the work of smaller designers.

Common Threads: Vogue x Amazon Fashion will highlight small- and medium-size
businesses at a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the industry.!
!

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented time of financial stress and
economic uncertainty for the fashion industry.
Millions of people are losing their jobs, and retailers are struggling (as evidenced by J.
Crew’s and Neiman Marcus’s bankruptcy filings). Vogue and the Council of Fashion
Designers of America (CFDA) first responded to the crisis in April by launching A Common
Thread, a fundraising and storytelling initiative supporting those in the industry affected by
the COVID-19 pandemic. A Common Thread was founded with the mission to support small
and medium U.S. fashion businesses with micro grants. With that as inspiration, Vogue, the
CFDA, and Amazon have partnered on an online digital store front, Common
Threads: Vogue x Amazon Fashion, to help connect designers directly with consumers. In
addition to helping create the store, Amazon has also donated $500,000 to A Common
Thread.

Designer and Supply Chain Digital Revolution:
How COVID-19 Is Changing the Fashion Industry

We are investing this time in studying innovative ways for sampling digitally, that would be a
huge step in our responsible commitment. At a certain level, most of us were forced to
make what the industry told us to make, but it's already proven that the industry is broken.
We will now concentrate more on making what we want to make and how we want to make
it.
                                     Sonia Carrasco, Fashion Designer and Brand Owner

For us at SupplyCompass, we're seeing that this crisis is a catalyst for change. Fashion
brands need to digitalize to survive and this is pushing brands to do it. So, VCs are looking
for companies who can help other businesses and consumers in this time of crisis.

                                         Gus Bartholomew, Co-Founder, SupplyCompass

Boohoo and (those brands at the) bottom of the market don’t have sustainable business
models. The environmental and social impact is not priced in. As legislation evolves to
include this, those brands will struggle.

                                                                   Hal Watts, CEO, Unmade

We think in a 5-year pivot, 20-25% of overall production will be made to order.

                                                                Ben Demiri, CEO, Platforme

Pat McGrath:
Make-up Artist Extraordinaire:

With Naomi Campbell utilising her time during lockdown to the very best advantage, her
next triumphant move is in the beauty business with an old friend. Pat McGrath is amongst
the top echelon of the worlds most creative make-up artists alongside Peter Philips,
Francois Nars.

She has elevated the role to the highest possible level within both the beauty industry, and
in fashion itself, alongside designers, stylists and photographers. Her name is a guarantee
of excellence and of extraordinary imagination and narrative.

https://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/a32699479/naomi-campbell-pat-mcgrath-
interview/
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/naomi-campbell-global-face-of-pat-mcgrath-labs
Beauty queen: how Pat McGrath became the world's most influential makeup artist
A self-confessed cosmetics nerd, Pat McGrath creates the looks for 80 major fashion shows
a year. As she launches her first line, she talks about race, Instagram, her best friend Edward
Enninful (the new editor of Vogue) and the influence of her makeup-obsessed mother Jean

  Pat McGrath
Betony Vernon:
Whatever the lock down, there is always sex.

You’ll find Betony at the Valentino Couture show, dining at Hotel Costes, speaking at Ken
Fulk’s extraordinary Saint Joseph’s Fine Arts Society. Her jewelleries and inventions, her
glamour and seduction is legendary amongst those in the know. Betony continues her work
in virtual digital spaces, if you know where to look. Enjoy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betony_Vernon
https://www.betonyvernon.com/en/

Interview: Betony Vernon On the Boudoir Bible:!
https://www.showstudio.com/projects/the_boudoir_bible/interview-betony-vernon-boudoir-
bible?autoplay=1

'We can't deny that our sexuality has been controlled by the establishment, and still is.' Sex
educator and Jeweller and artefact designer Betony Vernon discusses pleasure, taboo and
21st century sex in a thorough interview with Lou Stoppard.

https://www.showstudio.com/projects/the_boudoir_bible/interview-betony-vernon-boudoir-
bible?autoplay=1

https://www.1843magazine.com/design/the-incredible-fulk

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/san-francisco-saint-josephs-arts-society-new-
home-restored-church-11711/

Socially Distanced Sex in the Time of Covid-19:

The jewellery designer and sexologist Betony Vernon guides us in navigating intimacy
during the coronavirus: "Spend as much time as you can naked." 05.13.2020 by Giorgia
Cantarini (Italy) https://www.lofficielusa.com/wellness/sex-relationships-during-social-
distancing

Who better to guide us through having sex during the period of social distancing than
Betony Vernon? The bold, provocative and subversive American jewellery designer is also
a sexual anthropologist and author of The Boudoir Bible, The Uninhibited Sex Guide for
Today. Though she has designed for several brands including Alexander Wang, Missoni,
Gianfranco Ferré, and Piero Fornasetti, she may be more well known for her fine erotic
jewellery collection, and her mission to empower women and men to enjoy and share
greater pleasure.

Kenneth Ize:
Using his voice to celebrate his cultural background.
Kenneth Ize, the fashion designer loved by Naomi Campbell, is putting Africa on the
Fashion Map.
If you’re in the shortlist for the LVMH prize and you come from Lagos and you use your
heritage crafts as a key to your work. Then if Naomi Campbell is only going to walk in one
show in Paris Pret a Porter it will be yours.
Kenneth Ize has a personal and distinct design voice and his work resonates at a time when
many factors are influencing how we view fashion. Ahead of his Paris Fashion Week debut,
Kenneth Ize spoke to Kenya Hunt about his sustainable, community-driven clothes.

https://www.kennethize.net/
https://www.ft.com/content/8f858290-4bfa-11ea-95a0-43d18ec715f5
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiE0
dXcq97pAhUxDWMBHRnRDjYQFjABegQIARAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vogue.com
%2Ffashion-shows%2Ffall-2020-ready-to-wear%2Fkenneth-ize&usg=AOvVaw2UL-
6OD4vLCNu1IULZzk8s

Hubert Crabieres:
Hubert Crabieres (b.1989) lives and works in Argenteuil, France.

‘My photographic work is structured around a single series: Gravity and Grace. The staging
is the main focus of my research. It coordinates my relationship with the subject and my
desire for images. I photograph my relatives and the objects I surround myself with. I seek
to provoke the tensions that coexist or confront each other in the domestic space and that
of the staging.’

Staying at home for this guy means resourcefulness

Hubert Crabieres isn’t a “fashion designer” but his fabulous fifty-five costumes is better
than many catwalk shows. He is a photographer but not in the sense that the classic
definition of photography implies. Award winner and in a sense “iconoclast” discovering his
inventiveness, and his narratives is like landing outside the known. Love it or loathe it, his
work is a statement.
https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/introducing-hubert-crabieres/
https://www.vogue.it/fotografia/article/55-costumes
https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/hubert-crabieres-edicola-photography-200619
https://journal.americanvintage-store.com/en/through-the-lens-of-hubert-crabieres/

Derek Blasberg:
The voice of Facebook Fashion

Head of fashion & beauty partnerships, YouTube & man on the street, vanity fair
the bestselling author and editor is currently vanity fair's "man on the street" and the new
head of fashion and beauty partnerships of YouTube.

As the man behind Facebook Fashion you would expect Derek Blasberg to be well
connected. Well he is, and if you don’t know about Mr Blasberg, you’re missing out.
Derek Blasberg is a man who loves fashion, loves models, loves glamour and revels in
every moment of his fashionable and glamourous life. He is a whizz on Instagram, an
established voice in fashion and a man who has linked all his passions to create a career.

He is currently the head of fashion & beauty partnerships at YouTube, a contributor
at Vanity Fair and a staff member at the Gagosian Gallery. Further to Blasberg's prolific
career as a writer and editor, his collections of essays, Classy: Exceptional Advice for the
Extremely Modern Lady and Very Classy: Even More Exceptional Advice for the Extremely
Modern Lady have propelled him to success a best-selling published author.

Blasberg was the long-time editor-at-large of US Harper's Bazaar when he announced in
August 2015, he was leaving to join Vanity Fair as the magazine's Our Man on the Street. It
was a newly formed role that included writing for the magazine as well as video and content
creation for the website. In 2016, it was announced Blasberg would be the host of the
resurrected CNN Styleshow https://edition.cnn.com/style/style-show on CNN
International, covering creative expression from a multi-faceted point, including the art,
architecture, design and fashion industries. He left this role in June 2018 to join YouTube
as head of fashion and beauty partnerships.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Blasberg
http://www.derekblasberg.com/
https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/derek-blasberg
https://fashionista.com/2018/06/derek-blasberg-youtube-fashion-beauty-partnerships

#BoFLIVE: Naomi Campbell and Derek Blasberg on How to Be Successful on Youtube
Naomi Campbell and Derek Blasberg join Imran Amed in a conversation about what it takes
to be successful on the video platform: https://youtu.be/z91Ql1RWIhM

Caroline Issa:
Chief Executive & Fashion Director, Tank Magazine

!

Magazine publisher and consultant Caroline Issa is well known as a perennial street style
favourite. As chief executive and fashion director of London-based biannual title Tank and
editor of online magazine Because, the Montreal native is an established fixture on the
fashion week circuit, often photographed by bloggers and photographers like Scott
Schuman and Garance Doré. In February 2015, she also launched a line of ready-to-wear
essentials with American retailer Nordstrom , and in July 2019, a seven-piece capsule
collection for Label/Mix.
Antonio Pappano:
A voice for music.

A famous classical musician, conductor, sums up the complexity of formulating ideas far in
advance, or planning the future when uncertainty and shifting rules are constantly updated.
In trade newspaper The Stage he discusses the uncertain times

         “We’re talking about plans A, B and C, it changes every week.”

                                                                              Antonio Pappano

https://www.thestage.co.uk/big-interviews/antonio-pappano

Dior YouTube:
Tell me about your bag?

Dior Presents the Savoir-Faire of The Gem Clutch Bag
(For Immediate Release)

Dior is delighted to announce that Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of Dior and Victoire
de Castellane, Artistic Director of Dior Joaillerie, have worked collaboratively to create an
exceptional gem-set clutch. Meticulously assembled by hand in the Dior ateliers, this green
satin minaudière Gem Bag represents the coming together of two Creative Directors, in a
fusion of accessories and jewellery savoir-faire excellence. Roses were one of Monsieur
Dior’s most favourite flowers, and the precious diamond clasp that decorates this evening
clutch is drawn from the ‘Rose Dior Bagatelle’ jewellery collection.
An exclusive ‘Making-of’ video will premiere on the Dior Youtube account today,
Thursday 21st May 2020 at 3pm UK time: #DiorJoaillerie https://youtu.be/u9NuJLdZxRo

Hermes YouTube:
Why Hermes is Hermes.

In case you’ve missed this wonderful insight into Hermes and the life of its products here is
an example of why these pieces are not just for life, but to be handed down from generation
to generation. In Hong Kong, experienced artisans make a well-loved bag look new again,
by changing a handle or retouching an area of colour. Restoring, repairing, it’s what their
skill is all about. Or there’s the bag-spa?

As vintage or preloved, or simply great classic pieces are being re-examined, when
auctions for handbags have triumphed over lockdown it’s good to know these pieces are
truly valued.
https://youtu.be/mrvGt9NYURY
https://bag-spa.co.uk/hermes-bag-repair-and-restoration/

Totem Digital: Tomorrow is today for this fashion PR.

Above image Xuan Couture Autumn Winter 2017/18
Invite your customers to interact with your products:

Everything you need for promotion. Cadesign form's innovative sales tools visualize your
product range and invite customers to interact and learn more. This will also automatize the
sales process and improve your bottom line. Do you need the perfect solution for
visualizing your brand? – Digital Showroom is the right choice!

The Totem Fashion Digital Showroom is a new innovative project, created to meet the
current need to communicate through an online platform. In this project you will find the
latest collections of our designers as well as all the information.

This showroom also gives you the possibility to make look requests directly on the platform.

It is opened to all crafts from the fashion, beauty, design, artisanal fields. This dynamic
display is accessible to everyone. Looking forward to seeing you again.
https://youtu.be/KtRpPcN6lqM

Blanca Li:
Choreography and dance at home.

Blanca Li interprets isolation through dance

Renowned dancer Blanca Li choreographed and shot a series of videos for Stellavision
whilst at home in Paris during lockdown, inspired by and wearing our iconic vegan Elyse
sneakers and pieces from our Summer 2020 collection. Missing her dancers in isolation,
she digitally multiplied herself – making real a hope for the future when they will move
together again.

Other Voices:
The piece below gathers together many things we’ve mentioned in past issues.
https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/article/fashion-houses-collections-after-covid-19-
confinement-digital-online-platforms-fashion-week

How The Harvard Business Review looks at consumers.
https://hbr.org/2020/05/3-behavioral-trends-that-will-reshape-our-post-covid-world
Student Voices:
We continue to discuss education and graduation and how we can manage in the ongoing
times of distance learning and digital and online teaching. Plus how the industry influences
change how we teach and prepare students for employment within the industry or to start a
business in the post COVID 19 world.

https://fashionista.com/2020/05/fashion-school-2020-graduate-shows-coronavirus

https://www.vogue.com/article/the-new-school-parsons-school-of-design-class-of-2020

https://fashionista.com/2020/01/fashion-school-youtube-
vloggers?utm_source=site&utm_campaign=related

https://fashionista.com/2020/03/coronavirus-fashion-design-
education?utm_source=site&utm_campaign=related

https://fashionista.com/2020/05/ecommerce-models-influencers-coronavirus-
pandemic?utm_source=site&utm_campaign=related

Gossip:
The moment I saw the new Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande “Rain on Me” video, I knew
someone had watched the latest Balenciaga show staged in water with a stormy
atmosphere?
And finally, … Who gets Karl Lagerfeld’s Money?
Who gets Choupette? It seems a lot of people lay claim in this continuing story.

https://www.thethings.com/the-fashion-world-is-stunned-a-french-model-claims-to-be-
karl-lagerfelds-spiritual-son/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8376721/Chanel-handbags-dawn-Model-
chauffeur-vie-named-Karl-Lagerfelds-spiritual-heir.html

https://www.web24.news/a/2020/02/baptiste-giacobini-the-widower-and-heir-of-karl-
lagerfeld-has-spoken-about-their-relationship.html

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/fur-flies-as-designers-friends-vie-to-be-heir-
hwjwcmzgn

https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.leparisien.fr/societe/karl
-lagerfeld-une-succession-d-imprevus-la-bataille-entre-les-heritiers-du-couturier-29-05-
2020-8326110.php&prev=search

Thank you
T.G.
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