PFW Review

Left: Ralph & Russo A/W 2020 - Grand Finale.

Victoria, what were your responsibilities as an intern and what are your overall impressions about your internship experience? Pirrie, could you please share with us which shows you’ve attended and tell us your overall impressions? which show was your favorite?

Victoria: I have worked for Ralph & Russo as you know, for Couture and AW20 collections, in the PR department. My responsibilities as an intern was to check in all items coming from London, separate them look by look and naming what influencers would wear it that week and on the day of the show, as well as making a list of influencers and editors who were attending, and also keep track of what is being posted on social media. Could you tell us more about the show, location, backstage, model casting, was there anything special, that Ralph & Russo did this time? Victoria: On the day of the show, the or department greets all influencers and editors making them feel welcome. The location was a very famous location in rue Cambon (where one of the most chanel boutique is located) Tell us more about the collection, what was the inspiration behind? And did you face any issues in the showroom and the show due to COVID-19? Victoria: They had Mahalia singing live, giving all the cozy mood for A/W season, a lot of brown leaves on the floor, very “fall” like a forest. There was already a lot of talk about covid-19, they had free masks for al the workers, but no one really cared about it that time, however, some people missed the show worried about COVID 19. In the showroom everyone worked normally (no issues regarding covid-19) *** Pirrie: I attended Reese Cooper, Moohong, and Kimhekim. I was very impressed with all 3. I was so busy this season that I didn’t have time to make my requests for big shows so I only attended smaller ones. My favorite was Reese Cooper. Please share with us some insight information about the location, backstage and the ambience in the shows you’ve been to, what overall trends did you notice on the runway? Pirrie: Reese Cooper was my favorite because the location was so gorgeous. It was at the Palais de Tokyo in a huge room. The catwalk was in a square shape around the whole space. The vibe of the whole show was very different because there were no seats so the guests just stood wherever they wanted around the room. There was free champagne and drinks for everyone which also makes it fun. It was a collection inspired by nature so everything was in very earthy tones and patterns. The other two shows were in the Garage de Luebeck which is one of my favorite fashion show venues. Many designers use it because it has a very minimalistic and warehouse vibe. Could you please tell about the collections, what was the inspiration behind them, was there anything special that these designers did this season? Pirrie: Kimhekim was amazing this season. The first look that came down the runway was a pair of jeans and nothing on top except for a model holding a heart shaped mirror to her chest. Strappy shoes were layered with leather socks to create a new look. The models had long bangs that covered their eyes which leads to a very mysterious look. Moohong was very focused on tailoring as usual but with a deconstructed twist. There was an incredible trench coat look where the entire thing was worn backwards.

AUTHENTIC BUSINESS FOR A NEW WORLD by Pirrie Wright

The current health crisis is greatly affecting the global business market and economy. Millions of people have been devastatingly laid off or furloughed creating enormous financial pressure. While we can all agree that this is a global pandemic and crisis, business trend forecasters and experts claim that if used correctly this time could contribute to a lot of good. How is it that some businesses have not had to fire anyone at all? How were they prepared? How is business going to change? Will things ever return to “normal”?

Firstly, it will be imperative for organizations and companies to build trust based cultures with their employees as well as their customers. In a time of uncertainty for billions of people, trust is worth its weight in gold. One way of doing this is collaborating with customers. This could be in many forms such as online surveys or polls. This tactic will only be successful if the customer feels that it is an authentic partnership rather than an attempt to boost profit. For example, a company could release a product or service to a few selected customers for free in return for valuable feedback. This makes the customer feel genuinely appreciated and therefore motivated to provide the company with information. Digitization of products, services, and work will become the new normal. Companies that have been forced to go digital with their teams, will likely embrace the technology and use it in the long term. With time, leaders will learn to manage a working team over platforms such as Zoom without anyone feeling isolated. Benefits of this can be increased productivity and flexibility for the employee. With long term remote work becoming more common, we might see the traditional linear hierarchy of business disappear to make room for more dynamic and collaborative team forms. However, the power of business leaders in this time is enormous. Their decisions are what set apart the successful companies and the failed companies. The good ones will use this time to enhance company culture, as well as the culture that the customer experiences.

Along with remote work, conferences and meetings will become virtual. Many people are starting to realize that it is unnecessary to travel somewhere whether it be by car or plane for work. This way people around the world can still have a meeting at the same time, and potentially increase productivity. It will even become the norm for job interviews to be virtual. Maybe companies are missing out on talent by only hosting in person interviews.

Customer experience is exactly what businesses need to be focusing on during this time. Billions of people are stuck at home craving comfort, connection, and certainty. This leaves the door wide open for companies to reach out to make a lasting impression. With everyone’s inboxes full of the same cash grab emails from businesses, it is going to take a meaningful and human message to stand out these days. While this could sound easy, it becomes a lot more complex once in person contact is taken off of the table. Millennial approved company Glossier is piloting a video service on their website that will provide customers with a free 10 minute consultation about their skincare and makeup routines. Companies will be charged with the question of how to add humanity to their digital platforms and channels.

Trend forecasters have foreseen many concepts that should be interpreted by all kinds of industries. These include comfort, casual, convenience, necessity, clean, radical transparency, made in the USA, and sustainability first. Once this crisis is “over”, consumers will still be cautious. During their time at home they will have prioritized self sufficient practices such as cooking more at home than they ever have. As people start going out and participating in in-person purchasing, they will be looking for companies that put people first and profit second. None of these concepts are entirely new, what is new is the amount of gravity that will be placed on them. Whereas before a consumer might have overlooked the sustainability level of a brand due to a low price, they are less likely to settle for that now. Quality over quantity and people over profit is the mantra.