Article for @institutoriomoda blog | Original version in portuguese here
NEW FASHION PRESENTATION FORMATS
In January 2020, Vogue Italia surprised us with a totally unexpected edition: for the first time, the magazine replaced editorials with fashion illustrations by various artists. The editor-in-chief of the magazine, Emanuele Farneti, declared that it was a decision in favor of sustainability, since to produce all the editorials of an edition it took an average of 20 flights, a dozen train trips, lights on for at least 10 consecutive hours, hundreds of plastic bags to wrap clothes, food waste from catering services, electricity to recharge countless cameras and cell phones…. To top it off, the savings from this edition were wisely donated to the reconstruction of an educational institute in Venice, which had been badly affected by the last floods.
It seemed that the magazine already sensed that in the coming months the world would need to change radically and, in fact, the pandemic accelerated changes and movements that were already boiling, such as conscious consumption and production and the home office.
When the COVID-19 pandemic exploded across the world, the fashion industry had to quickly reinvent itself. Many professionals, such as photographers, models, makeup artists and stylists were prevented from working. As an alternative to face-to-face work, the solution for many brands and magazines around the world was to carry out photo shoots online, via FaceTime. Soon, we realized that we no longer need a mega production or an amazing location to produce quality fashion images.
In the midst of this chaos, Elle Brasil magazine resurfaces, bringing a series of 22 essays carried out with 22 photographers in quarantine, each using pieces from a different Brazilian brand, aiming to strengthen national fashion in times of crisis.
During these months of social isolation, we have seen from fashion shows using invisible mannequins and 3D modeling pieces to fashion campaigns starring digital avatars. How not to get caught up in the incredible online presentation of the Pink Label Congo collection, by designer Anifa Mvuemba? And what about the recent Area New York campaign, whose model was Lil Miquela, a virtual character who has more than two million followers on Instagram?
However, we don't need solutions as far-fetched and apparently as complex as virtual modeling and digital clothing items to present fashion. Simpler alternatives, such as collages and fashion illustrations, regained strength and prominence in the media. The June magazine Ela (o Globo), for example, replaced the editorials with a series of collages made in partnership with the artist @marcellacollagist. Many recent covers, such as the May issues of Vogue Portugal and Vogue Spain and the June issues of Vogue Italy, have been illustrated.
It is worth noting that, in these three covers, fashion is not the highlight, but the message of hope and reflection on the difficult times of the pandemic. However, it is surprising to see that one of the main fashion outlets abandons its own image standards for the greater good. In this way, fashion is closer to art and people.
And to conclude, we could not fail to mention the Haute Couture Week in Paris, which took place between the 6th and 13th of July, being completely digital. From it, we can observe several new formats of fashion presentation, more sustainable and safe solutions for this moment of resumption of post-pandemic activities.
Starting with Dior, which invites us to dream by launching a beautiful fashion film that portrays a fantastic world, where miniature mannequins are taken to mythical beings, so that they choose their dresses. The film's concept was inspired by the Thêátre de la Mode, a theatrical show made up of dolls wearing miniature couture pieces, which spread Parisian fashion during World War II. The theater's objective was to show the world that French haute couture was still going strong in the face of the challenges of war.
We also had Balmain launching his collection on a boat ride down the River Seine, which was streamed online on TikTok, to celebrate the Maison's 75 years of history.
Ralph & Russo launched their pieces with digital collages, where virtual models wear couture in tourist and exotic locations around the world.
Schiaparelli presented his collection through sophisticated fashion illustrations.
In this way, we conclude that fashion can reinvent itself, as it is already doing brilliantly, and that there is no lack of alternatives for fashion presentations in an exceptional context. May our creative potential overcome obstacles and be inspired by all these examples!
Photos (from left to right, bottom to top): Ralph & Russo, Schiaparelli, Vogue Italia, Balmain, Ralph & Russo, Anifa Mvuemba, Dior, Elle Brasil, Vogue Spain and Balmain.