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.

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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. 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 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.

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. 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

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.

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.

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 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

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.