COVID-19’s impact on fashion
The coronavirus outbreak has taken a toll on several big-ticket corporate, sport and entertainment events, and the world of fashion has not been spared. The FDCI Lotus Make-Up India Fashion Week, one of the country’s biggest fashion galas, which was to be held in the Capital from March 11-15 and had participants from across the country, has been put on hold, in light of the health safety hazards posed by coronavirus. And it is one of the many fashion events affected across the world, impacting business.
Sunil Sethi, chairman, FDCI, says while all regulatory permissions and NOCs, from Delhi Police, Traffic Police, Fire and Safety, were taken, it was “a tough call especially when so much money and preparation is involved”. “More than 80 designers had stalls and 30-40 designers were going to showcase. Around 200 buyers had already signed in, but we had so many cancellations from the international market. Fortunately, the media and domestic buyers supported us,” he says, and adds that above all, the main concern was everyone’s safety.
Even the sponsors, vendors and talent were supportive. Talking of the finances, Sethi asserts, “The losses have run into crores, but we took this decision to not worry about the money aspect. We can’t put anyone at risk.”
Across the world, fashion weeks including one in Tokyo, and labels such as Prada, Versace and Gucci have cancelled their cruise shows. Actor Deepika Padukone, who was invited by Louis Vuitton for the recently-concluded Paris Fashion Week, had also declined the invite.
Designer Gaurav Jai Gupta understands the impact of the scare, however, he is positive that this shall pass. “Of course, the business will be impacted but the virus is not going to stay forever.
While he shares some of his friends who had gone for the Paris and Milan fashion weeks described them as “disasters”, Gupta has his hopes pinned on domestic buyers. “Logistically, it would have been a nightmare for us to put together this show because there’d be no buyers,” he says.
Designer Nikhil Mehra says the decision to ensure fashion events don’t become a melting point for things to get worse, is right. “Of course it affects our brand, but it is better to be safe than being sorry.”
How are designers tackling the impact on business? Designer Namrata Joshipura, who was working on fittings for her show, says, “Why would anybody want to subject guests, staff and visitors to something like this?”
Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh, says, “(We have a) responsibility towards members, visitors and organisers before commerce.”
Nida Mahmood says she will share “interesting images of her collection on social media to keep the morale high”.