Everything
Long before the pandemic, those who worked within the fashion industry – be it fast fashion or luxury houses – knew that something had to change. In the last 10 years, social media has taken off at rapid speeds, climate change is in focus now more than ever and in 2020 we’ve experienced a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. The fashion industry has to shift and whilst at least for the foreseeable future, fashion week will go digital, Italian fashion house, Gucci, is making permanent changes for years to come.
READ: FORGET 2020. HELMUT LANG WAS THE FIRST TO STREAM A RUNWAY IN 1998
In recent days, Alessandro Michele has released personal diary notes from confinement in Italy. Revealing personal thoughts and musings, his latest announced the departure of Gucci from the fashion week calendar.
“I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call,” said designer Alessandro Michele in a diary entry posted to Gucci’s Instagram.
“We will meet just twice a year,” the entry continues, “to share the chapters of a new story. Irregular, joyful and absolutely free chapters, which will be written blending rules and genres, feeding on new spaces, linguistic codes and communication platforms.”
But what does a seasonless brand look like in the midst of shifting traditions? According to the lauded designer, whilst the house will continue to show twice-yearly, the brand will stand alone from the February and September events and instead follow the creative callings of the designer. This will mean a combined show of both mens and womenswear.
READ: LONDON FASHION WEEK TO RECEIVE A MAJOR SHAKEUP WITH DIGITAL-ONLY PLATFORM
Gucci isn’t the first house to follow this trend. For some time now, Alexander Wang has shown out of the fashion week schedule and earlier this year Saint Laurent announced it would not hold its September runway in favour of reshaping its future schedules.
For now we can only wait for the glistening design magic Michele is so famously known for.
Stay tuned for further developments.
