How has the crisis affected your market?
The fashion industry is certainly one of the sectors that has been most impacted by the crisis, on multiple levels and with significant consequences that will be felt for months and years to come.
One of the primary consequences of the crisis, besides struggling production and a drop in sales, is the cancellation of Men’s Fashion Week in June, Haute Couture Fashion Week in July as well as all the associated fashion shows and showrooms.
Reduced consumerism and spending trade-offs propelled not only by economic reasons but also ethical, social and environmental ones is another impact.
This crisis has accelerated the awareness that the fashion industry no longer functions properly: a hectic pace for designers caused by increasing numbers of collections, too many products, disconnected from seasons, often produced too far away, not always in good conditions, dependence on sales and an industry in which some players have not yet begun their digital revolution.
This crisis is significant for the industry and not only at the financial level. More generally, it is significant because the entire ecosystem must undergo a complete technological, human (in terms of the relationship between brands and customers) and career transformation.
Would you say we will try to go back to normal as quickly as possible, or do you think we will need to rethink the world post-Covid-19?
Even if the entire industry is currently concentrated on crisis management, reopening and management of stock as well as collection calendars, it is crucial to think about the “world after” and prepare for its reinvention and rebirth.
New expectations of brands, new uses, new rhythms, new drivers of desirability, new tools, new smart sourcing: these are some of the changes initiated before the coronavirus that are now speeding up.
The entire value chain must transform itself to respond to the current upheaval: participation and civic responsibility/digitalization of uses and occupations/collection planning and new creative processes.
What has the crisis changed for you or what have you learned personally?
Human beings will always amaze me; I was impressed by the speed with which we all found new ways to work, to communicate, to live. The agility that NellyRodi has long advocated for could not be more noticeable now. I am also fascinated by the power of social networks, especially Instagram. I liked the active solidarity and inventiveness they exhibited. Let’s keep that going…
