46 As stated by Brydges et al. (2020) the fashion industry should use this time to reflect and rebuild a more inclusive, environmentally and socially sustainable industry. Fashion is facing an uncertain future, and the only thing certain is that the industry will look different from what we knew before. (Brydges et al. 2020). As digital alternatives are dominating the industry, it is very possible that fashion shows are not expected to return to the pre-COVID-19 format. Digital solutions, such as fashion films and virtual fashion shows among many others, are replacing the traditional live format along with fashion show audiences. (Binkley 2020). Hagelstam (2020) states, that there are a lot of different challenges in making fashion films captivating and interesting without too much commercial focus on garments. However, when done well, a fashion film can be a successful concept and something that we will probably see more of in the near future. (Hagelstam 2020). The research of this thesis focuses on observing the history of fashion shows and current phenomena shaping the shows. As the COVID-19 pandemic brought a new and current layer to the work, the research strongly focused on the state of fashion shows during the pandemic. The methodology of this thesis consists of interviews with carefully selected fashion professionals, whose expertise and insights are considered highly valuable to this study. The interviews highlight the complexity as well as richness and currency of the topic. The findings of the methodology state that the main purpose of fashion shows is to inspire and create an experience. However, the shows today have lost exclusivity and fail to attract interest and devotion. As described by Hagelstam (2020) the fashion weeks have become “a commercial circus” and the fashion show audience has changed from industry professionals to front row celebrities. Nevertheless, collections are still considered relevant, only the fashion show format might be evolving. The significance and importance of live events to people is recognized and perhaps the future of fashion shows is a hybrid, a combination digital and physical. According to de Betak, the fashion industry is under a transformation though it might not happen as fast as desired. The elements of over a century old fashion shows and fashion weeks are difficult to change, thought they probably will. The environmental benefits identified already during the pandemic will probably result in a realization, that we should not go back to how things were. (de Betak in Bonacic 2020). Quoting Louekari (2020) and Hagelstam (2020) on the future of the shows: “I think people will miss physical events, something real. A real experience. Maybe after the pandemic we will settle in a hybrid format?” (Louekari 2020). “Most of all, I wish this pandemic has an effect on consumer culture.’’ (Hagelstam 2020).
47 7.1 FINAL NOTE BY THE AUTHOR Since the beginning of my studies at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, I have had the opportunity to build my own academic path. The major of Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design has enriched my knowledge, but I during my time at Aalto, I have understood that my passion does not only lay in design. After being accepted to the minor of Fashion Management organized by Department of Design, I have managed to build an academic path that strongly supports my professional career. This thesis project helped me to understand the industry patterns in larger spectrum, especially focusing on observing the fashion show execution and production. The objectives of this thesis included studying the history of the shows in order to identify the traditional fashion show elements and current phenomena shaping their evolvement. The broadness and relevancy of the topic would be fruitful for future research. I would like to develop this research further in order to reach a higher level of expertise among the field. In May 2020, after living in the emergency situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic for some months already, I wrote down few notions, which I think help to identify the current complex state of the shows. Perhaps in this era of change, it is difficult to yet identify future directions clearly. Whatever the future might be, I think it is always necessary to observe, question and reimagine the future. “What will happen to live fashion shows? Will the pandemic change how fashion show audience is perceived? Closed events, seating order, front row, wider accessibility to shows? Is this the end of Street Style / Instagram fashion celebrities? How will they participate in the shows? Do you need live audience in the shows? Does fashion become more approachable? Is this the end of exclusivity? Overconsumption – could this be a natural way to develop the fashion cycle? A change has been in the air for a long time already and perhaps now was the time? The end of the traditional fashion seasons? Will fashion brands take control for themselves? Fashion calendar? Will this spark new inspiration and new rules for fashion? New innovations? Will there be any rules left?” (Tikanoja 2020).
48 7.2 LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH This thesis was completed between spring 2020 and winter 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic created uncertain circumstances worldwide. This research meets the following limitations: 1. As this thesis focuses on observing and identifying current phenomena shaping fashion shows, future research could develop these themes further. The fruitfulness of the topic would provide plenty of material for future interest. 2. The time frame covering current fashion shows in this thesis is mainly focused on year 2020. The first months of 2021 have already indicated that currently there are multiple interesting digital fashion presentations. This strongly indicates, that the research around the theme of digital fashion shows / fashion presentations could indeed be developed further. 3. For future research the variety and number of interviewees should be expanded. This current research focuses only on Finnish fashion industry professionals’ insights. In order to reach a wider understanding, both international professionals (and fashion brands) should be interviewed. It would be fruitful to understand whether the themes would be similar to the ones observed in this particular research. 4. In addition to interviews with Finnish fashion industry professionals, for future research and in order to reach a deeper understanding of the topic, fashion brands should also be interviewed. However, at this current situation due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was challenging to reach fashion brands and their representatives.
49 REFERENCES #rewiringfashion. (2020). A proposal for the global fashion industry. Rewiring fashion. Accessed 2 June 2022. https://www.rewiringfashion.org/ Aleksander, I. (2020). Sweatpants Forever. The New York Times Magazine. Accessed 13 December 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/06/magazine/fashion-sweatpants.html Berg, A., Brantberg, L., Hedrich, S. & Amed, I. (2020, December 1). The State of Fashion 2021. McKinsey & Company. Accessed 2 January 2021. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion# Betak. (2017). Fashion Show Revolution. Phaidon Press Limited. Binkley, C. (2020). The Fashion show, as we know it, is over. Vogue Business. Accessed 1 June 2020. https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/the-fashion-show-as-we-know-it-is-over-covid-19 Blanks, T. (2020, May 28). Business of Fashion A Proposal for Rewiring the Fashion System. Business of Fashion. Accessed 1 June 2020. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/a-proposal-for-rewiring-the-fashion-system Bonacic, D. What’s the future of fashion shows? Producer extraordinaire Alexandre de Betal weighs in. 10magazine. Accessed 1 October 2020. https://www.10magazine.com/news/future-of-fashion-shows-alexandre-de-betak-bureau-future/ Brydges, T., Retamal, M., & Hanlon, M. (2020). Will COVID-19 support the transition to a more sustainable fashion industry? Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 16:1, 298-308. Business of Fashion. (2020). Biography of Alexandre de Betak. Business of Fashion. Accessed 1 October 2020. https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/alexandre-de-betak Celine. (2020). Celine Summer 2021 women’s collection. Accessed 2 December 2020. https://www.celine.com/en-fi/celine-collections/womens-summer-2021/show_summer2021_women/ CPHFW (2020). Copenhagen Fashion Week Sustainability action plan 2020-2022. Copenhagen Fashion Week. Accessed 15 January 2021. https://copenhagenfashionweek.com/assets/pdf/CPHFW-SUSTAINABILITY-ACTION-PLAN-2020-2022.pdf CPHFW (2021). About. Copenhagen Fashion Week. Accessed 15 January 2021. https://copenhagenfashionweek.com/about Diderich, J. (2020). Saint Laurent to skip Paris Fashion Week, Set own schedule. Accessed 4 June 2020. https://wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/saint-laurent-to-skip-paris-fashion-week-set-own-schedule-due-to-coronavirus-crisis1203621408/ Deeley, R. (2020, May 28). Gucci to go seasonless, Show twice per year. Business of Fashion. Accessed 4 June 2020. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/gucci-to-go-seasonless-show-twice-per-year Edelkoort, L. (2015). ANTI_MANIFESTO a manifesto for the next decade. Trend Union. Evans, C. (2013). The Mechanical Smile: Modernism and the First Fashion Shows in France and America, 1900-1929. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Fletcher, K. (2010). Slow Fashion: An Invitation for Systems Change. Berg. Goodman, E. (2018). Remember when Helmut Lang became the first designer to show a collection online. CR Fashion Book. Accessed 23 January 2021. https://www.crfashionbook.com/fashion/a19721311/helmut-lang-1998-designer-collection/
50 Knight, N. (2019, April 3). Essay: Nick Knight on Plato’s Atlantis. SHOWstudio. Accessed 23 January 2021. https://www.showstudio.com/projects/platos_atlantis/essay-nick-knight-platos-atlantis Loewe. (2020). Loewe Spring/Summer 2021 Women’s collection. Accessed 2 December 2020. https://www.loewe.com/eur/en/stories-collection/show-on-the-wall.html London Fashion Week (2021). About the event. London Fashion Week. Accessed 25 January 2021. https://londonfashionweek.co.uk/schedule/185/london-fashion-week-february-2021-schedule McKinsey & Company. (2020). The State of Fashion 2021 PREVIEW. Business of Fashion. Accessed 1 November 2020. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/intelligence/state-of-fashion-2021-preview-fashion-luxury-apparel-scenario-forecast Metsämuuronen, J. (2006). Laadullisen tutkimuksen käsikirja. Gummerus Kirjapaino Oy. Michele, A. (2020). Notes from the Silence. Gucci. Accessed 4 June 2020. https://www.gucci.com/fi/en_gb/st/stories/article/notes-from-the-silence Modalek, A. (2020). How to stage a digital live event. Business of Fashion. Accessed 4 June 2020. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/media/how-to-stage-a-digital-live-event Prada (2020). Prada Fall/Winter 2021 Menswear presentation and online conversation. Accessed 2 February 2021. https://www.prada.com/fi/en/pradasphere/fashion-shows/2021/fw-menswear.html Prada FW21. (2021). Prada Fall/Winter 2021 menswear fashion show. Prada. Accessed 2 February 2021. https://www.prada.com/fi/en/pradasphere/fashion-shows/2021/fw-menswear.html Prada SS21. (2021). Prada Spring/Summer 2021 Dialogues. Prada. Accessed 2 February 2021. https://www.prada.com/SS21-submission-page/en.html Rocamora, A. & Entwistle, J. (2006). The Field of Fashion materialized: A Study of London Fashion Week. Sage Publications. Stark, G. (2018). The Fashion show: History, Theory and Practice. Bloomsbury Publishing. Tikanoja, S. (2020). Personal notes. Vogue a. (2020). Giambattista Valli Fall 2020 Couture digital presentation. Accessed 4 June 2020. https://www.vogue.com/video/watch/giambattista-valli-fall-2020-couture Vogue b. (2020). Christian Dior Fall 2020 Couture digital presentation. Accessed 4 June 2020. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2020-couture/christian-dior
51 IMAGES (1) Giambattista Valli Fall 2020 Couture digital presentation. Screenshot of the video. https://www.vogue.com/video/watch/giambattista-valli-fall-2020-couture (2) Christian Dior Fall 2020 Couture digital presentation. Screenshot of the video. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2020-couture/christian-dior (3) Celine Summer 2021 women’s collection. https://www.celine.com/en-fi/celine-collections/womens-summer-2021/show_summer2021_women/ (4) Loewe Spring/Summer 2021 Women’s collection. Screen shot of collection material. https://www.loewe.com/eur/en/stories-collection/show-on-the-wall.html (5) Prada Fall/Winter 2021 Menswear presentation and online conversation. https://www.prada.com/fi/en/pradasphere/fashion-shows/2021/fw-menswear.html (6) Models in Parisian fashion house in early 1900s. https://www.elle.com/fashion/g28495/evolution-of-the-supermodel/?slide=2 (7) Model in mid 1800s at couturier Charles Frederick Worth. https://www.elle.com/fashion/g28495/evolution-of-the-supermodel/?slide=1 (8) Alexandre de Betak. https://www.ft.com/content/5d7b0452-8cd3-11e7-9580-c651950d3672 (9) Dior Couture Spring/Summer 2017 Musée Rodin, Paris. By Bureau Betak. https://blog.bureaubetak.com/post/156405019719/dior-couture-ss17-mus%C3%A9e-rodin-paris-by-bureau (10) #rewiringfashion Instagram post May 2020. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAK2XdmAuy7/ (11) Prada Fall/Winter 2021 online conversation. https://www.prada.com/fi/en/pradasphere/fashion-shows/2021/fw-menswear.html (12) Prada Spring/Summer 2021 Dialogues. https://www.prada.com/SS21-submission-page/en.html (13) Prada Spring/Summer 2021 Dialogues. https://www.prada.com/SS21-submission-page/en.html (14) Balenciaga Autumn/Winter 2021 collection video game. Screen shot of the video. https://videogame.balenciaga.com/en/video (15) Jacquemus Spring/Summer 2020. Set design and production by Bureau Betak. https://blog.bureaubetak.com/post/185864746424/jacquemus-ss20-set-design-and-production-by (16) Sandra Hagelstam. https://5inchandup.com/about/ (17) Miika Kemppainen. https://www.instagram.com/p/CKtyDuXhwD7/ (18) Sofia Oksanen. Sofia Oksanen’s personal archives. (19) Martta Louekari. https://juni.fi/who-we-are/ (20) Susse Roos. https://www.instagram.com/p/BvWMamvB31D/
52 IMAGES HISTORY OF FASHION SHOWS 1920 - 2000 (1) Fashion models in London in 1926. Getty Images, Stark (2018.) (2) Elsa Schiaparelli https://www.schiaparelli.com/en/21-place-vendome/the-story-of-the-house/#annees30 (3) Dior fashion show in 1940. https://www.dior.com/couture/en_pt/the-house-of-dior/the-story-of-dior/the-new-look-revolution (4) Fashion show in Italy in 1952. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-week/g26238514/old-fashion-week-photos/?slide=10 (5) Chanel RTW fall 2016 and “the golden fashion show chairs.” https://www.vogue.com/article/chanel-fall-2016-ready-to-wear (6) Mary Quant’s mini skirts in 1967. https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/controversial-moments-fashion-history (7) Kenzo fashion show in Paris in 1975. https://www.wsj.com/articles/kenzo-takada-helped-put-asia-on-the-global-fashion-map-11602165601 (8) The hallway. https://www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/10760/the-legendary-1970s-fashion-show-that-pitched-france-against-america (9) Thierry Mugler Autumn/Winter 1984. https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/gallery/80s-fashion-catwalk-moments?image=5ef62c2bb083d673a78203e5 (10) Versace RTW Fall 1992. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-1992-ready-to-wear/versace/slideshow/collection#2 (11) Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2010 “Plato’s Atlantis.” https://www.showstudio.com/projects/platos_atlantis/essay-nick-knight-platos-atlantis
53 APPENDIX 1 Interview questions -How long have you been working in the fashion industry? What kind of work? Abroad of Finland? -Which fashion shows have you been working with or been in the audience? How did you end up working with shows / in the audience? -Do you follow fashion shows regularly? Why / Why not? -What is the meaning/ importance of fashion shows to you personally? Has it changed over the years? How / why? -Do you think fashion shows are still relevant? Yes / No? What makes fashion shows relevant or not? -How do see the fashion shows will change in digital age? What will be their role and future to your mind? -Do you follow fashion shows online and if yes, how have you experienced this? Which platforms have you used (e.g. Instagram, Vogue.com etc?) Tell more about your experience – what was good, bad, how did it differ from offline experience? -In your experience, have you witnessed a change in fashion show culture? (Digitalization, live events and audience?) -How does Covid-19 affect the future live fashion shows? What do you think will happen to live fashion shows in the future?
54 THANK YOU Linda Turunen for guidance and support Pirjo Hirvonen Elina Peltonen Sandra Hagelstam Miika Kemppainen Martta Louekari Sofia Oksanen Susse Roos Family & friends