It's fair to say COVID-19 has effected pretty much everything there is to effect globally. With entire nations in lockdown, I want to discuss the impacts I see currently and that could impact the fashion industry in the future.
Putting the unemployment and furloughing aside, the deterioration of the industry will have a huge impact on the global economy too, however is there a chance this catastrophic pandemic can have a positive impact of the future. Along side hundreds of online services and things to get involved in at this time of uncertainty, stylists Anna Rosa Vitiello and Bettina Looney told ELLE UK ‘We wanted to create a fun and interactive way to help raise funds for charities who need our help during this time.’
However having said that many retailers have had to make the decision to close all or the majority of their retail stores as a result of lockdown, having a snowballing effect on the manufacturers, delivery services and designers. Primark was one of these stores that made the decision to shut all 189 of their stores as lockdown began and has admitted it will affect some 37,000 of their staff. These sort of decisions aren’t just going to effect these people for the duration of the pandemic but could have serious effects on their lives beyond that.
Now from the consumer’s point of view: although online shopping is still available to an extent, the reality is that social distancing is even having an impact on that too. What I will be interested in is if as a nation and as consumers will we realise the joy and appreciate the social aspect of physically going shopping when we are allowed to do so again. I known I have found isolation incredibly tough and the thing I took for granted were in fact the normal interactions of daily life and the ability to go in a shop and feel a fabric or see a product in the flesh on someone else. I am fascinated in how the situation we find ourselves in now will impact our social lives once it’s over. Will the ease of online shopping appeal as much when we have be deprived of social interaction?
Another thing I will be watching out for is whether with the lack of capability to order and receive clothes with next day delivery and with prices increasing in difficult financial times, will people realise that perhaps fast fashion isn’t necessary. Perhaps this lack of ability will encourage us to appreciate what we have in our wardrobes and encourage creativity in styling your outfits. I also believe that with everything going digital, the realisation of the pressure people feel to mea different outfits for their social media is actually not at all important. I know I haven’t barely thought about how I look for the last few weeks of this, and actually the feeling of comfort and lack of pressure is freeing. In a time where freedom is the last word I would use to describe our situation this carefree attitude towards the latest trends and looking good is something we should and could enjoy for this duration but hopefully carry past this and into life after COVID-19.
St.
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