A lot has happened in 2020. Entire industries have been hurt pretty bad by the pandemic. Primarily the travel and hospitality industries, with hotels, restaurants, and airlines taking a huge hit. The truth is, whatever industry you look at has faced change due to the virus and the economic impact which followed it, and will still follow it for some time. Fashion is certainly one of these industries. Even at the high level, fashion has been quite interactive, with widely reported fashion shows and events taking place all over the globe. The global nature of these exhibits is what Covid put a halt to, and many of the smaller fashion houses have taken a hit. But what’s next for fashion and how can it snake its way out of what’s rapidly turning into a new world?
Home Fashion
With so many more people working from home, a lot of people aren’t dressing up anymore. They are no longer buying fashion forward items which they’d wear to work. Those who wore suits are sticking to sweats as they work from their coffee table. Sure, you might still put on a pair of mens brown brogue shoes to go grab a sandwich, but it isn’t the same. As such, loungewear has seen a slight surge in popularity. People will invest more in something if they’re wearing it every day. Especially if they’re going on video calls and their colleagues are still seeing them in the flesh. Expect this trend to continue as a lot of companies have realised staff are more productive from home and that it also saves them some money.
High Street Fashion Changed
The issue with these sweeping lockdowns is that high street stores are seeing less and less custom. Even when open, a lot of people are staying home for fear of catching the virus and becoming sick. As a result, online sales are surging. PEople aren’t shopping for fashionable clothing in stores, they’re looking online. This of course suits some of the giants who already had websites in place meaning they can take the hit but those who aren’t selling online and take sales through the store are going to struggle. Think of the costs involved. Website, distribution network, warehousing. Business owners can’t really afford this kind of thing. As a result, certain retail experts have predicted the death of the high street. Shopping for fashion may never be the same again. When and if it does build back up, in all likelihood the high street will be a changed place with some new names to consider buying from when it eventually, if ever, gets back to normal.
Break Into Sustainability
People are far more involved with wanting a greener planet and a safer place to live than they used to be. Lockdown and the virus hasn’t changed anything. In fact, people seeing less pollution and clear waters has led to a surge in the climate change movement. How will this impact fashion? People will expect cleaner credentials from those who are creating the garments. They’ll expect fashion providers to use green energy solutions. Whether this be green energy to power their business locations and design shops, or sustainably harvested wool for use in the manufacturing process. Doing so will certainly garner more younger followers and give customers that peace of mind so many crave these days. Before long it will likely be the norm in the fashion industry. A similar parallel is being played out in the makeup industry but perhaps a few years ahead. More and more brands are being shunned if they’re not sustainable, especially by the younger generations.
Brands Buy Into New Accessories
The face mask has really come to the fore this year. Previously used by the vulnerable and those seeking to avoid the bad air in certain cities around the globe, the facemask has quite suddenly been made mandatory for public spaces in many countries This sheer need for face coverings has of course been delved into by some of the more canny fashion houses. Face Masks of all designs have been cast out for consumer consideration. Some as simple as having a little branding in one corner and others which are completely unique in their coloration allow the consumer to show some of their uniqueness with their facemask. Even if the vaccines conquer covid, don’t imagine face coverings to completely disappear for a while yet. People might hang onto a new fashion identity which they’re used to using to help them feel safe. It’s doubtful that this will change.
