William Diep is a powerhouse. How many sixteen-year-olds do you know who, due to the blasé attitude of their country’s current president, have taken matters into their own hands by creating an online anti-racism movement in the midst of a global pandemic? I now know one – and he’s great.

Following a series of videos that emerged online back at the beginning of the frustratingly long Black Mirror episode that is 2020, showing a number of Asian-American people in incredibly compromising situations involving physical and verbal abuse; William saw a pattern that he couldn’t stand for. In fact, he even saw it at school, when one day in February, a classmate claimed the “Kung-Fu” or “Ling-ling” virus was brought to America by people of Asian descent. “It was completely abusive, derogatory and offensive to the Asian-American community. The fact that I may get attacked because people look at me and think I may have brought the virus here is completely false.” Following this, alongside President Trump’s failure to address these issues; William ultimately felt he had no choice but to launch his student-led Instagram campaign: Virus: Racism.

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How do you host Fashion Week during a pandemic? Milan was the first city to adapt. From 14th to 17th July 2020, the autumn/ winter shows moved online and brought a breath of fresh creativity to Italy – a much-needed boost after a severe and lengthy lockdown.

Some brands flourished despite the changed circumstances. Ermenegildo Zegna XXX combined a live show with pre-recorded segments, providing a perfect showcase for Alessandro Sartori’s designs. In unfamiliar times, versatility pays off; Business of Fashion praised the collection as “light, desirable and uncontrived, sartorially-savvy and progressive”.

New York will face a similar challenge in the next few days, as designers showcase their work across digital and physical platforms from 13th to 17th September 2020. Then (finally!) the excitement will come to London; Fashion Week will run – with some alterations – from 17th to 22nd September 2020.

It suddenly feels like a luxury to have such a high-profile, international event go ahead. The first months of the pandemic threw cold water over almost all the large-scale events which normally pepper spring and summer: the London Marathon was called off, the Chelsea Flower Show was snipped from the schedule, countless art fairs were cancelled.

But London Fashion Week is strutting ahead in style, displaying ranges of womenswear, menswear and accessories from over 80 designers. Like New York the week before, London will host events both digitally and in person, with the physical catwalks and exhibitions adapted to accommodate the government’s guidelines on social distancing.

LFW isn’t about aesthetic relief alone – it’s the flagship event for fashion businesses across the UK. In 2019, the British fashion industry contributed £35 billion to the UK economy, and the latest figures suggest it employs over 890,000 people. While the uneasiness of the current news cycle includes economic concerns, London Fashion Week represents a step towards countering the financial difficulties caused by a worldwide pandemic. Dress up to help out, anyone?

The exact arrangements for each event will vary according to the brand. Some famous labels – including Christopher Kane, ERDEM, and Victoria Beckham – will host across digital and physical platforms. Other brands will showcase exclusively online, and a small minority (three designers) will continue with physical events only.

Victoria Beckham AW2020/21 via FF Channel

Perhaps the most thrilling aspect of the new LFW schedule is its accessibility. Digital content can be viewed by anyone through www.londonfashionweek.co.uk. And even aside from the main events, there’s a range of content to dip into; the British Fashion Council’s podcast ‘Fashion Forum’ brings leading figures from the UK’s fashion industry together to chat about their careers and experiences. Recent guests include London-based photographer Campbell Addy in conversation with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, the Fashion Director of Garage Magazine.

Much will be missed – not least the flashiness of a crowded front row, where celebrities literally rub shoulders with up-and-coming actors and glamorous muses. But now that crowds are a thing of the past, we can treasure the other elements of a Fashion Week: the colors, cuts, and creativity of new collections and fresh pieces.

Words by Jaleh Brazell

The post What To Expect from September 2020 London Fashion Week During A Global Pandemic appeared first on Voir Fashion.

As we all know the ongoing pandemic has drastically changed our everyday lives. And although it seems we are taking slow steps down the path to normality one of the biggest industries to be affected by this is the music industry.

We don’t think anyone could envisage a situation where there would be a ban on all live shows. Gigs and festivals offer such a unique and memorable experience and often are what we’re all looking forward to throughout the year. On the other hand, for artists, this is arguably the worst possible scenario and one that none of them were ready for. Live Nation, who were one of the first organisations to postpone all of their gigs, have stated they hope to resume concerts at “full scale” in the third and fourth quarter of 2021. Which will be a torturous wait for any musician.

With all concerts and festivals being canceled for the foreseeable future it’s beginning to take a toll on the up-coming artists over the world who rely on touring meticulously to make most of their money. Independent artists who don’t have the machine of a major label behind them are starting to struggle, this pandemic could throw away huge amounts of potential due to the fact that without touring it’s difficult for artists to stay financially afloat. Given that The Music Industry Investigative report revealed that just 17% of musicians said that they were not always able to pay their bills every month even before COVID-19, it’s quite startling to think about what those numbers maybe today.

Live Nation, who were one of the first organisations to postpone all of their gigs, have stated they hope to resume concerts at “full scale” in the third and fourth quarter of 2021. Which will be a torturous wait for any musician.

The one thing artists have been able to do more of is make music. With this excess of time on their hands, there has been a surge of users on music distribution services such as TuneCore and United Masters uploading music at a never before seen rate. It may seem obvious but the best thing an up-coming artist can do right now is to keep on releasing music, and try to reach as big of an audience as possible while they have the time to do so.

Looking on the bright side, many independent artists tried to make the most of the circumstances and began doing live performances via streaming. Although it’s not the colossal moneymaker that is live touring, it’s given artists a great way to interact with their fan bases without having to be directly in front of them. It’s clear that the smaller artists using this tool are really trying to keep a strong connection with their fanbase and cultivate it even further which in turn will hopefully support them during these unprecedented times.

Luckily, there are still ways to support your favourite artists in these dire times, one of the best ways to help out is buying their merch. Many artists who had tours planned will have made huge orders on tour merch which they would have expected to sell at their upcoming shows. However, due to their cancellation, they are now stuck with endless amounts of merch and a huge financial loss. Buying a t-shirt from an artist you love could go a long way in ensuring they continue to make music and remain in a financially stable situation to do so.

Although it would be understandable for any musician to take a break right now in favour of financial stability, equally we have every hope that emerging artists will bounce back and be able to show their talents in the flesh, as we slowly return to normality.

Words by Chris Saunders

Graphics by Georgia Walters

The post How the Pandemic is Affecting Emerging Musicians appeared first on Voir Fashion.

It’s been 12 weeks since BoJo – aka Boris Johnson- essentially closed the UK. Shops were boarded up, restaurants closed their doors (yes Nando’s, we are looking at you) and late-night Netflix binge sessions became our only form of socialising. We’ve had a whirlwind of banana bread making, Tiktok watching and Chloe Ting sweatin’; however, the much-awaited time has finally arrived for things to start going back to normal.

From the 15th of June, the green light has been given for all non-essential shops to welcome their customers again. Hi Topshop, we’ve missed you. But what exactly does ‘non-essential’ mean and what will shopping look like from next week?

Well to start with, the non-essential stores include:

• Food retailers

• Chemists

• Fashion shops

• Tailors, dress fitters and fashion designers

• Car dealerships

• Photography studios

• Mobile phone stores

• Craft fairs

Food retailers

Chemists

Fashion shops

Tailors, dress fitters and fashion designers

Car dealerships

Photography studios

Mobile phone stores

Craft fairs

For the whole shebang, check out the full list here.

Whilst it’s good news for the high street that business can start up again, the government have set out a few ground rules, so you can happily spend your dosh while keeping yourself and others safe.

Now, what’s going to change?

Well, by now we have all become pro’s at social distancing, so don’t worry, things won’t be too different in that department. We all know that two metres is the magic number when it comes to keeping your space. But on top of that, employees will have staggered shifts, there will be a one-way system marked on the floor and many hand sanitizer stations throughout the store. Plus, additional parking. Get in!

And if you hadn’t guessed already, much like your weekly Tesco trips, only a limited number of people will be allowed in the store at one time. Which, when you think about it, is pretty damn ideal. It’s safe and means no one can crowd you to grab the last pair of shoes in your size. Best of both worlds, really.

You may be thinking, what about clothing stores? I mean put your hand up if you love to mindlessly rub your hands up and down swede jackets and fluffy coats, without any intention of buying them. Because we do! Well, say goodbye to those days for now. You’ll be encouraged to touch as little products as possible *cry* and will need to try on clothes at home. Which means, it’s time for those at home catwalks again.

So, while post-pandemic shopping won’t all be the same for quite some time, you’ve got to think of the positives in every situation. 1. You can enjoy your shopping experience in safety, and 2. less people in the store = a shorter queuing time. We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait for the shopping sprees to begin again. Just remember, bring your mask and gloves!

Words by Grace Dembowicz

Graphics by Katie Janes

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The post Hi Shops, We’ve Missed You. appeared first on Voir Fashion.

It’s day God-knows-what of working-from-home, the novelty of rolling out of bed into a makeshift home office at 8:58 is wearing off and the fatiguing prospect of staying at home for the indefinite future is causing you to lose track of what day of the week it is. The lack of structure and social life – group Facetimes just aren’t quite the same as the real thing. Isn’t this exactly what we all wanted, though, More hours in the day? If we’re going to be stuck inside for the foreseeable, now is the time to focus on being your best self. Skincare, haircare, working out etc. Here is Voir’s summary on how we plan to achieve a quarantine glow up as we make way into a hot girl summer.

PSA: it’s completely OK if you’re feeling anxious and if seeing people online treat isolation like a self-care/wellness retreat or who seem to be doing a million and one things at once is stressing you out. It’s also OK if you do just want to spend your time watching Netflix or YouTube videos if that makes you feel good in these weird times!

Reset Your Skincare Routine

We’re all guilty of having dozens of skincare and beauty products hibernating in the depths of our bathroom cupboards from a 10-step daily routine we started months ago and kept up for a week before slowly falling out of the habit. If you’ve been neglecting your skin, now is the perfect time to start paying it some extra attention – that face mask you’ve been saving for a special occasion, that night oil you forget to apply each night until you’re already too wrapped up in the warmth your duvet, that serum you don’t bother applying in the morning for fear of turning up to work looking like you’ve just run a half-marathon in 25-degree heat. If you don’t have any masks around you can also refer to the Voir’s article of homemade skincare(https://www.voirfashion.co.uk/post/from-cupboard-to-skin-homemade-skin-remedies) of natural organic products found in your home that can serve as skincare alternatives. Even if you’re not going anywhere, there’s nothing better than fresh feeling skin, and in however many weeks when we emerge from our quarantine, we’ll all be glowing.

Work Out At Home

Apparently, there’s something about being forced into confinement that’s giving everyone the itch to get up and move – everyone, even the people who haven’t so much as run 100 metres since school, seems to be downloading Couch to 5K or proudly sharing their home workouts on their Instagram stories. When you’re stuck inside, sat at a desk or curled up on the sofa for hours on end, there’s nothing better than exercise to break up your day and give your body and mind a shot of energy in the form of a run or a home workout. So, now’s the time to start that home fitness plan you’ve been putting off for weeks, or simply try one of the plethoras of free workout videos on YouTube and Instagram. Getting some fresh air is also one of the best ways to get a physical and mental refresh, so if you can, put on a podcast or your favourite playlist and step out for a (socially distanced) walk.

Try New Recipes

Feel good from the inside out and nourish your body by trying out some healthy new recipes. Dust off the old cookbook on your shelf or download a recipe app and find comfort in the joy of home-cooked food – the Deliciously Ella app (https://deliciouslyella.com) is a go-to (and affordable) favourite for easy, healthy plant-based recipes. Or, bake some indulgent treats that’ll give you a little something to look forward to each day.

Get Creative With Social Media

Not sure how to maintain a perfectly curated Instagram feed while quarantined? Get creative with the content you can create from the confines of your home – after all, there’s only so many throwback pictures we have backlogged in our photo rolls to post. Practice taking the perfect WFH OOTD selfie-and yes, that means changing out of your pyjamas and actually getting dressed – or stack your favourite necklaces and snap your layered (the latest Instagram jewellery trend). Organise your room to create a -worthy display of joy-inducing memories and pieces – whether it’s snapping a colour-coordinated bookshelf, your favourite aesthetically pleasing beauty products in the bathroom or simply a thoughtfully put-together collection of personal objects.

Practice Make-Up Tutorials

Since you most likely won’t be seeing anyone (besides whoever you’re living or isolating with) for a while, now is your chance to hone your makeup skills and get outside of your beauty comfort zone by experimenting with some bolder looks. YouTube offers a cornucopia of tutorials for a schooling in how to perfect that contouring or cut crease. If you are not sure where to start here is a list of makeup look to try. (https://www.voirfashion.co.uk/post/5-eye-looks-to-try-if-you-re-wfh)

Practice Mindfulness

We all know by now that meditation and yoga are great for combatting stress and anxiety and for focusing your energy on yourself rather than everything going on in the world around you, but there’s never been a better time to slow down and take some time to be more introspective. It can be hard to really remove yourself from the outside world at first, so find an online guided meditation or live stream yoga practice to help you get started. Even if it’s just devoting an hour or so of time a day to doing something that you enjoy away from any distractions – taking a bath, journaling, tackling the pile of books you’ve been meaning to read for months. Here are some examples of yoga meditation sessions that will help you find inner peace.

Clear Out Your Closet

There’s nothing more satisfying than a perfectly organised, uncluttered closet. Now is the time to Marie Kondo your wardrobe. Practice the art of Kon Mari (https://konmari.com) by throwing out anything that no longer inspires you when getting dressed (but of course, donate or resell rather than throwing away if you can). Go one step further and clean out your whole room, flat or house – after all, an organised space is an organised mind.

Words by Ruby McAuliffe

Graphics by Katie Janes

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The post The Quarantine Glow-Up appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Fashion always has been, and always will be, a mirror of the world we live in.

Fast forward five weeks and two days since what we now know as ‘COVID-19’ was first reported from Wuhan as ‘a pneumonia of an unknown cause’, to China’s office of the World Health Organisation. It’s February 6th and fashion month begins as it normally does; with the creme de la creme of New York’s fashion scene kicking it off.

As the future of our 2020 Autumn/Winter wardrobes sashays down the catwalk, 7,140 miles away, Wuhan and the other cities in the Hubei province of China have been on lockdown for 2 weeks in an emergency effort by the Chinese authorities to stop the spread of COVID-19 – the death toll in China has risen to 563, with more than 28,000 cases confirmed.

Lack of knowledge about the virus keeps the majority of the rest of the world’s population happily sedated from the impending panic. The word ‘Coronavirus’ to most of us is merely another distant problem across the world that we spare an empathetic thought to should we hear something about it – but are reassured by medical professionals on the news that ‘this is nothing for us to worry about’.

It is now the 14th of February and, on the surface, London Fashion Week follows suit and goes ahead as usual. However, as COVID-19 rapidly spreads from China to Thailand… to Japan… to South Korea… to the US… to Europe, it’s now inescapable impact becomes visibly noticeable with the sanitisation of the benches and rooms after every show and the face masks being worn by those in attendance being dubbed ‘fashion week’s must-have accessory’.

By the time Fashion Week reaches Milan on the 18th of February, followed by Paris on the 24th, COVID-19 has proven that it isn’t about to ‘blow over’ any time soon. The fashion industry reflects the wave of uncertainty, fear and confusion beyond the runway that, with this virus, began in China and has now spread right across the globe. The majority of the designers take a ‘the show must go on’ approach – typical to fashion – whereas other designers take a more vigilant approach.

Giorgio Armani cancels his public runway show in Milan and opts for an ‘isolated’ catwalk show. The eerie empty theatre setting without press or buyers was not a creative vision conducted in the name of art; but a considered safety precaution.

Following the final day of Milan’s fashion week dissolving into its country’s lockdown, the sobering reality had firmly set in. In Paris, masks are no longer the (almost) novelty fashion accessory they had been at the previous fashion weeks – but are now being handed out upon arrival at shows such as Dries Van Noten and Paco Rabanne. Five Chinese brands; Shiatzy Chen, Masha Ma, Uma Wang, Calvin Luo and Maison Mai cancelled their shows, as well as the French brand Agnes B’s cancelled their shows. LVMH, the luxury powerhouse that fathers the fashion houses of Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Dior, Celine and Fendi cancelled its prestigious ‘LVMH Prize’ cocktail event.

COVID-19 had started to break down the well-oiled, resilient machine that is the fashion industry.

The new trend: Survival

The Chinese market makes up 1/3 of the luxury fashion market. With an unsurprising decline in current demand for luxury goods, stores, showrooms and factories have gone from being the beating heart of fashion to being shut for the foreseeable future and ‘Cruise’ or ‘Resort’ season being cancelled – the fashion industry as we know it has ground to a hauntingly abrupt halt.

However; only as we know it.

American designers such as Christian Siriano, Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss, Rachel Comey, and Canadian designer Dov Charney have offered their studios and sewing teams in full force to make face masks due to the shortage.

LVMH’s factories that up until now have churned out luxury perfumes and cosmetics are now going to produce free sanitising gel for hospitals and authorities in France.

The British Fashion Council has called ‘all designers with production capacity’ to get in contact with the British government so they can begin the production of essential products.

The factories of Inditex – the world’s biggest fashion retailer and owner of High Street giants such as Zara and Bershka – have been made available to the Spanish government to create and donate surgical masks for medical workers and patients. Meanwhile, its textile manufacturing capacity has been handed over to the production of health materials.

Millions have been donated by Kering, the owner of the likes of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander Mcqueen, to China and Italy. Their efforts continue with the donation of their Balenciaga and Saint Laurent workshops to begin to manufacture masks.

Italy’s fashion elite; Donatella Versace, Prada, Armani, Sergio Rossi and Moncler have all made huge donations to scientific research and hospitals across the country.

The fashion industry has rapidly adapted itself; going from being a luxury to one that is necessary for the survival of the human race. Despite each individual part of the billion-dollar industry taking a more than severe hit, designers and fashion houses have repurposed themselves in our war against our invisible enemy.

Not so vapid after all

In the relatively short period of time between December 31st and today, the feeling of self-importance that is pre-disposed in human nature has swiftly evaporated. COVID-19 has forced humankind into survival mode, leaving the majority of the world’s population feeling helpless and hopeless.

With every individual and every industry trying to do their bit in this unprecedented war, the fashion industry has re-defined its purpose and its worth.

For an industry that is adored by many, yet to its critics could be seen as shallow and heavily based on face-value, the fashion industry as a collective has proved that – underneath the thick skin of glamour – at its core is a warm heart of human empathy and tenacity.

Like the rest of the world, the fashion industry has shown its determination and ability to adapt for survival, not just for itself, but for humankind. In these times of uncertainty, where the future of the world as we know it, let alone the fashion industry, is uncertain, one thing is definite; the show must and will eventually go on. We will not give up.

Your NHS needs you. https://www.goodsamapp.org/NHS

Words by Ella Winfield

Graphics by Katie Janes

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The post The Pandemic That Changed the Face of Fashion appeared first on Voir Fashion.