All the digital fashion shows we love
Fashion has been an insiders game for a long time. If you’re the right buyer or the right press or the right influencer, you might get a seat at the show. But for the rest of us, we have to be content scrolling through the photos after, sobbing that we weren’t in fact part of that inner circle. But the global pandemic and other forces have been changing that. From this summer, designers have got imaginative with show formats and it’s led to a plethora of inspired presentations. Access has been changing in the industry and we were watching. Here’s three of our favourite digital shows so far.
Celine
Filmed at the Circuit Du Castellet racing track just outside Marseille, the Celine Spring/Summer 2021 menswear show was a triumph. High-octane, sweeping cinematography, digital effects… it felt like being at a show itself but we could all enjoy it. And watch it again and again - which we did. Admittedly. The clothes had throwback vibes in the most delectable form. Think bedazzled bomber jackets, baggy cargo trousers, oversized plaid shirts and slouchy Grandad knits. With a 1980s Americana feel, the whole collection was a tribute to the youth of yesteryear and today – played against a backdrop of the TikTok-famous track from Tiagz. Solitary, youthful models walking endlessly, alone… maybe it was a picture of what the pandemic has been like for youth. Maybe it was just a great show. Either way, Hedi Slimane did a great job.
Jacquemus
Ah, Jacquemus. It feels like the brand can do no wrong. After the lavender-field show of last summer that brought in 1.8 million Instagram followers, it was a hard act to follow to say the least. But staged in a sweeping field of wheat with a collection that was effortlessly elegant, a love letter to neutrals and shape, he again caused a hit with his SS21 show. Presented to 100 guests, socially distanced and spaced among the sheaths, the show had a magical, romantic, breathtakingly beautiful feel. There was an emphasis on form, with imaginative cut-outs and sultry two-pieces in a washed colour palette of clay, ecru, black and sage. We were lost in its beauty – and, like others, are now very eager to walk through a field of wheat.
Gucci
Turning the fashion model on its head, for Gucci’s Resort 2021 show Alessandro Michele decided to present a 12-hour livestream of Rome’s Palazzo Sacchetti as the team prepare and shoot a major campaign. With an all-access pass to every element of the shoot process, it was fascinating. But what we liked even more were the models for his Resort looks. All creatives from his in-house team, the models were the faces you never see behind the seams: the designers, production assistants and more. The shots had a raw authenticity mixed with the eclectic style the house is known for. From archival botanical prints to checks, wide-brimmed hats and oversized glasses, it was fun, vibrant and we loved it. More of that, please.