Has the development of the Coronavirus pandemic shed light on the fashion industry to show a more sustainable path?

It’s the word on everyone’s lips, Covid-19. However, with the arrival of the virus in Italy the same time as Milan FW started, did it bring a welcome switch-up to an industry that’s long been shouted at for change?

The European market is extremely lucrative when it comes to fashion, with presentations in its three major cities not just happening for spring and fall collections. It is a gathering place for brand building in between seasons of more commercial lines, with America coming over solely to sell in this market and gain essential contracts.

When Milan FW kicked off it also saw the departure of editors, celebrities and the cancellation of shows. When presentations have been curated, designed and planned for months even in some cases a year in advance its incredibly problematic for the ateliers. Giorgio Armani was forced to cancel his presentation so instead opted to live stream it with models walking out into an empty room. A reality which many would have to adopt when fashion season swings round again. It got heads thinking, do designers really need a show to sell their products and bring awareness to their brand? The world is now accessible like never before with everything available at the touch of our fingers, will this pave way for brands to use the abundance of digital platforms as a means to sell instead of the shows?

Ethical purchasing is a growing movement, with more people being mindful of where their clothing is coming from. So will the market of fast fashion manufacturing in China change? Will the disruption in supply chains cause brands to source elsewhere?

Either way, like its trends, fashion has to adapted to the times. Maybe in this case it’s time for more sustainable change?