The Fashion Survival Guide: COVID-19

Since March of 2020, the world has been impacted by COVID-19…obviously. The “New Norm” has taken it’s toll on every aspect in all industries. Let’s talk about Fashion, or what’s left of it. Needless to say, there are virtually no projects thriving due to COVID-19. According to WWD; photoshoots in the form of group ad campaigns have been canceled. That word continues to pulsate throughout fashion: CANCELED. Most fashion weeks have been canceled or have limited seating, til further notice. Not that I’m too disappointed; I’ve never been invited to an official one…yet. By the looks of it, I won’t be invited anytime soon. I’m not too bothered though, because the area of fashion I thrive in the most is digital. Fashion Writing is what I do, so due to everything going on, writers have been more in demand.

Which now raises my concerns about whether fashion will thrive solely on digitality. YES I invented a word: DIGITALITY that’s focusing on the status of belonging to a particular format of communicating technological wise… fashions digitalness. Let’s face it, fashion has always been more fun in the physical world. The brick and mortar stores are barely holding on. They struggled before hand and now it seems worse. I went into a well-known retail chain the other day; not gonna say which one, but it rhymes with smicktoria ekret. Half the store was on sale! And they’re not the only ones. Is fashion in trouble? No! Not if WE have anything to do with it. By we, I mean the ones who work in fashion AND who love it. Ladies and Gentleman, I introduce to you The Quirky Bombshell Fashion Guide to Surviving COVID-19! The title is a bit long so I’ll shorten it and get straight to the point. I’ll be making a series of posts dedicated to helping you get through this detrimental time in fashion. The subjects will be geared towards inspiration, and methods to dealing with the new fashion norm. I’ll keep you posted…Literally ;)

Collection Review: Topshop Spring/Summer 2018

The spring/summer Topshop collection had some interesting contrasts to consider. Everything from the color palette to the actual textiles had a fun aesthetic to it. I loved the metallic pink jackets and long petticoats. Topshop is clearly capable of creating transeasonal pieces (items that transition into other seasons). Keep in mind; this is a European based company, so featuring long coats for spring isn’t too surprising. I mentioned the color palette earlier…not too crazy about it. What really caught my attention was the Lilac Opal, Apple Blossom, Frosted Fig, and Mauve pieces. Those skirts were driving me nuts though! Adwoa Aboah opened the show, and her skirt riding up was just so frustrating to me. It was all I could focus on. The problem could be the length. That fabric (whatever it was) probably isn’t the best choice. The silhouettes were basic, except for the more formal pieces. This IS a ready-to-wear retailer after all. I had to remind myself of that fact, which excused the basicness of it all. The sparkling velvety fabric and billowing sheer formalwear stole the show. The styling was interesting too; sporty and sweet meets formal and street. This collection maintained its youthful presents and I look forward to seeing it in stores next year.

 

2016 Fashion Collaboration & Innovations!

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Happy New Year! When it comes to Fashion and E-commerce, it’s important to keep abreast of what’s happening in technology and the industry. There was a time when the focus was on fashion brand collaborations, now it’s more about collaborating industries. Pimpkie (a European Retailer) has recently collaborated with some high-end Hotels to provide their recipients with what I’ve come to understand is “Fashion Room Service”. Here is the link to a video that explains the dynamics of what it is. Basically when you arrive to your room, there are a few clothing items from Pimpkie waiting in the closet. It’s like the refreshments that are in your tiny hotel fridge; if you choose an item or two, you get charged. Although it’s a great idea and a luxury, there are still risks to consider. First off, people come with clothing when they travel, unless their luggage gets lost. Heavy data analysis would have to go into selecting items fit for any taste level. Also, I wonder if the price points are higher, and if the selection is exclusive. I personally hate seeing someone in the same outfit I’m wearing. Well, I assume Pimkies’ idea is doing well, since they’re actually expanding throughout Europe, but what about the U.S? Will people catch on here?

As a professional Fashion Writer who specializes in E-commerce content, I see a lot of opportunity with Pimpkies’ idea. There’s plenty of planning and web coding to consider with this new advent. If the hotel industry really starts merging with the fashion industry, then it could only benefit both. Brands will now have the opportunity to expose potentially new clientele to their goods. Hotels could even increase their occupancy based on what clothing brand they carry. With so much competition in the hotel industry, FASHION could be a determining factor for where the customer chooses to stay. Fashion brands can even offer exclusive items that are only available to people staying in the hotels they’re collaborating with. Right now the marketing is directed towards women, but it’s only to work the kinks out I assume. Shopping has changed so much, and now brick and mortar stores are finding that they have to compete by creating CONCEPT STORES (click here for article). Stores are even adding sitting areas and free Wi-Fi like Topshop in London. Although shopping is still considered a fun pass time, how far will technology take us from the REAL shopping experience? Only time will tell.

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