In an unexpected announcement, Saint Laurent has pulled out of fashion week dates for the year 2020. The French fashion giant has posted the following on the official Instagram account:
“Conscious of the current circumstance and its waves of radical change, Saint Laurent has decided to take control of its pace and reshape its schedule. Now more than ever, the brand will lead its own rhythm, legitimating the value of time and connecting with people globally by getting closer to them in their own space and lives. With this strategy firmly in place, Saint Laurent will not present its collections in any of the pre-set schedules of 2020. Saint Laurent will take ownership of its calendar and launch its collections following a plan conceived with an up-to-date perspective, driven by creativity.”
Is this the end of Fashion Weeks?
From Milan to Paris, fashion weeks have had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently wreaking havoc across the world. Milan Fashion Week was postponed to September, Paris – simply cancelled, while London has decided to go online for the time being.
Does this mean the classic fashion week model is done? Well, if the trend continues and more brands pull out, perhaps change will come. For the moment, only time will tell.