At that time, last year, celebrities were fulfilling their obligations in fashion month, while concerns about COVID-19 increased in speed. Now, New York Fashion Week is here again, and it looks a little different from February 2020. With most shows going virtual, designers had to be creative to remind us why we should be concerned with their new collections.
One way to break through digital noise is to hold an IRL show. On Sunday, Jason Wu organized a socially distant but very live catwalk for his fall-winter 2021 collection. Wu is no stranger to a front row adorned with masks; he was one of the few designers to present a personal exhibition in September for his spring 2021 collection.
This month’s show revolved around the concept of a general store in the 1950s farmers’ market. Guests were invited with personalized Coca-Cola bottles (Coca was a sponsor), and the event took place in a retail space in Noho who had become “Mr. Wu general store. ”The walkway was filled with baskets of flowers and crates of vegetables provided by the Chef’s Warehouse. In the end, the leftovers were donated to City Harvest, New York’s largest food rescue organization. Brightly colored products complemented the clothes; true to his style, Wu presented bold floral prints and strong tailoring. (Although the show took place in real life, you can watch the scanned version here.)
Rebecca Minkoff also performed a live show, but she embraced the 2021 Zoom mindset. Minkoff not only broadcast his show virtually, but also broadcast live on his Instagram and TikTok accounts. Multiplataform, you say? I was there, I did it. But wait: she also visited OnlyFans, a site best known for its explicit content, to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at her 2021 autumn-winter collection. This is definitely new.
Then there is that classic way of getting attention: famous guests. The Concept Korea autumn-winter 2021 show is a collaboration between Korean brands Jarret, WNDERKAMMER and ul: kin. Beautifying your catwalk will be Yeonjun, a member of the K-pop group TXT; YangYang of Taiwanese singer WayV; and the Korean artist BIBI – all famous and handsome enough to be models. Judging by the level of joy this news brought to Twitter, the show will be heavily broadcast.
While this Fashion Week may not be easy for brands, the good thing is that designers are doing everything they can to ensure that the visual experience is ideal for everyone – not just for those in the front row. You can watch all the programs from your own room here.