Designers tell Sakshi Sharma that the post-COVID world will have a seasonless look. Though trends will always dictate the industry, comfort will overtake luxury and versatility
Collections that do not fit into the notion of season, layering up or down according to the weather, styling garments so that they can be worn in a multiple ways and sustainable practices — the fashion industry is looking at ways to move forward in a pandemic-hit world. So did you think that at a time when everything is succumbing to the new normal, this industry would remain untouched?
The first indication was a recent, virtual press conference which could have wide ramifications for the industry. Broadcast live from the Rome studio, it had Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele declaring the fashion week calendar obsolete. He said he was no longer adhering to a rota staked out by spring/summer, autumn/winter, cruise and pre-fall shows. Instead, the brand will show “seasonless” collections twice a year answering to the need for fashion that is more in sync with the requirements of a planet that is tottering under the onslaught of excess. There are no plans for a show in September, when the Gucci collection showcased, as a key part of Milan fashion week. The move has created quite a stir in the fashion world which wonders about the way forward.
Designer Ashish N Soni says that there was an overdose of fashion prior to the pandemic. There were just too many shows, too many collections and too much fast fashion even at the luxury level. “There was over consumption and over indulgence in fashion. A lot of brands are now refraining from this to find their brand soul. What Gucci is suggesting was there a long time back but finally people are taking note of it as it makes more sense in the current times. Seasonless fashion is the future. I have been doing my show only once a year. It’s a step in the right direction. I am glad that even if we are learning from the pandemic, it is in the interest of the people and the planet,” adds he.
Designer Payal Jain agrees with Alessandro and says that it makes a lot of sense right now as we are living in very dynamic and uncertain times, with no surety of what the following week or month holds. Payal asks: “In such a situation, how can one plan fashion collection six to 10 months in advance?” Seasons will spill into one another and the boundaries will merge. A slow transition towards this direction was already underway for some years. Now is the time to combine seasonal collections into a simple format, with comfort, practicality, versatile usage and long-term sustainability as prime concerns for the future, be it for the creators of fashion lines, or the consumers.
Fashion designer Pooja Shroff says that it’s a great idea and strongly believes in it as most of her pieces are non seasonal and can be worn all year round and layered/styled differently each time according to the weather.
But one wonders how feasible will it be in the Indian weather conditions. Ashish says that earlier it was mindless consumption with see now, buy now being the driving forces. It won’t be season driven heavily any more. “It helps us because, besides North India, there is no Fall in the rest of the country. We pretty much have a tropical climate and a warm weather throughout the year. We sell the Spring/Summer collection all across India though some places do not experience summer. So in the same way, if you showcase the collection in September or October that product will be seasonless enough. There’s no winter in Kolkata, Mumbai and other places so I’d rather sell a seasonless collection than doing several shows. It makes the functioning of the business easier,” adds he.
Payal feels that a collection that does not adhere to seasons is very feasible as we have long summers and a comparatively shorter winter, hence the former can remain the focus. “With experimental thinking and reinvention of the conventional winter fabrics, weaves and silhouettes, we can create lines that work through the year and give enough variety to the consumer, yet keep them up to date with global fashion,” says she.
Nanki Papneja, creative director at Limerick, says that if the number of collections are reduced, it will be imperative for a designer to create several options for major seasons in each collection. This is where classics like a jacket and cape come into the picture. Pieces that one can layer up or layer down as per season will see prominence in each collection.
Even in the pre-COVID phase, all brands were talking about sustainability, feels Ashish. It was the buzz word then. “I don’t know how seriously they were taking it but now it is a wake up call to follow sustainable practises and packaging so that you look like a responsible brand. Consumers will also respect that. Now is the time to not just talk about it but do something substantial,” says he.
Fashion can be made more sustainable and supportive for the environment through the use of natural yarns, organic textiles, natural dyes, recyclable trims and accessories. It can change the way we have been thinking about the industry. “We need to look at end-to-end sustainable practices and processes to be implemented across the garment and textile industry in our country. There is a dire need for a basic certification process, possibly initiated by the government with a handful of experts, to help our industry implement and follow safety, health and sustainable concerns. There is also an urgent need to minimise wastage of water and power, recycling raw materials and scrap, minimising plastic packaging and using other non bio-degradable materials, all steps towards making garment production process sustainable and friendly for the environment. It needs to be a conscious decision for all in the fashion industry to do our bit for the environment,” says Payal.
The world has been locked down for quite a few days during which most of us have taken to wearing t-shirts and shorts or pajamas. This has paved the way for a new fashion phenomenon — slothwear where comfort occupies a place of primary importance in people’s mind. Ashish says, “Now the consumer is looking at more comfortable and easy clothing which has to be value driven and priced right. This is being said in almost every report and prediction. When the 2008 financial crisis hit the world, there was a revival of minimalism. It is again going to be a huge trend where people would want to buy simple, comfortable and easy clothing, which is crafted well with sustainable practises, is easy to take care of and has a certain value attached to it. Though it might take six to eight months to bounce back but there won’t be any drastic shift.”
According to Payal, the post-COVID fashion will adhere to the parameters of comfort, versatility, ease of maintenance and a seasonless look. She says: “Trends will always dictate fashion but comfort will overtake luxury and versatility will certainly get more marks than a startling statement. AW 2020-21 will be reinvented this time….”
