Did COVID-19 Expose That Fashion Is Not Important?

Many would say that the leaves changing color is the tell-tale sign that fall has arrived. However people like myself in the fashion industry would beg to differ. For a fashion industry professional the real mark of the change in season is the start of New York Fashion Week. I would go as far as to say the excitement I personally get the day before it begins is similar to what Christmas morning feels like. Many of us in the industry wake up at the crack of dawn (depending on the show schedule) and religiously refresh our browsers to catch a glimpse into what is new and fresh on the runway for the upcoming season.

After taking a sip of water, apologizing to my younger self, and realizing I was being unreasonable I started to dig into how far from the truth that is. In fact it is actually the opposite in my opinion. Fashion has a way of adjusting to whatever is going on in the world to make itself relevant and important. This lead me to look into how brands are communicating to the consumer during the pandemic. Brands are telling the consumer yes they know there is a pandemic that is causing everyone to stay in the house and oddly make banana bread every night, but that does not mean they cannot look good while doing it. Brands are telling consumers that they know their offices are closed and work from home is the new normal, but again they can still look good while telling their co-worker they’re on mute during a Zoom meeting.

The message has changed across many brands to really cater and adjust to this new normal. When visiting the websites of my favorite brands the common theme is not only comfort, but also convenience. Brands have went above and beyond like they never have before to ensure consumers know whatever they want is available to them with the swipe of a finger. It just lead to me think about how many packages I had delivered to me each day during the lockdown. The excitement I would get unboxing an outfit that at the time I had no clue when I would ever be able to wear was so thrilling. I also thought about how I masked up and did curbside pickup for a certain outfit I wanted for my first Zoom meeting after returning from furlough. All of these instances and adjustments the fashion industry has made during the pandemic is proof to me that they are important. Although some brands did suffer and either closed or filed for bankruptcy (Barneys, Lane Bryant, J.Crew, etc) I personally do not think the financial aspect of the industry is always an indication of its importance.

Fashion in my opinion is important because it is something that can alter how you feel. I even have to say the pandemic made me personally appreciate fashion even more. During such a scary time fashion was something that distracted me from worrying about the unknown future. Also let’s be honest the slash in prices and constant sells due to the tanking of economy may have contributed as well. However I think that fashion has solidified itself as an industry that can adjust and is here to stay even during a pandemic.

Gerard, B. (2020, May 12). So, Like, Is Fashion Week Canceled? Retrieved October 11, 2020, from https://stylecaster.com/is-fashion-week-cancelled-september-2020/

Segal, L. (2020). Every Household-Name Brand Filing for Bankruptcy or Closing Stores Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic. Retrieved October 11, 2020, from https://people.com/lifestyle/stores-restaurants-shutting-down-going-bankrupt-coronavirus/

Wylie, C. (2020, May 21). How is coronavirus impacting fashion brands? Retrieved October 11, 2020, from https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2020/05/21/how-coronavirus-impacting-fashion-brands