The Future of Fashion

I am writing this article at the end of what has been a very different and very special New York Fashion Week. With my staff here in the Big Apple, we have just wrapped up an intense week of initiatives and events following the safety guidelines dictated more by our common sense than by the incompetent disgraceful local officials, and we did great. Despite all the limitations and the restrictions, we were able to send out a strong positive message.

This NYFW edition was also the occasion to promote a new, more profound conversation among all the protagonists of this industry about the future and the necessary actions to allow this vital sector to survive and thrive again.

Livein Magazine, in partnership with Find Your ID NYC, and within the project, shoplocaldesigners.com, had an intense and engaging two-day event in which I met some protagonists of the New York fashion scene (Janice Lawrence-Clarke of CAFE JLCPR, Mike Okerson of Jump Into the Light and Ed Bellevue owner of Frekan, Imani Jones of FYID NYC) to discuss the status of fashion today and where the industry needs to go moving forward.

We agreed that if fashion wants to rewire itself to its roots and its customers, three are the directions it has to take: to focus way more on people's needs rather than choices, considering the economic impact of this crisis and it's medium/long term effects.

Second, big or small designers can no longer ignore a consumer base who wants to see the industry making a decisive and practical step towards sustainability and respect for human rights. It is time for all the fashion world actors to take responsibility for the past and use this crisis as an opportunity to restructure and re-direct a business model that treats people and resources in a more balanced and appropriate way.

Third, technology he's going to play an increasingly important role in fabrics and production processes and the interaction with the smart devices that are so popular and utilized in our society. Last but not least, everybody on the panel foresaw the increasing importance also of accessories of all kinds, which very likely is going to go along with the trend of reusing older clothes.

In this edition of Fashion Week, it was essential to make a statement with a physical presence and commit to start a transformation journey.

Now that the lights are off, it is time to take action and match those ambitious expectations, and we will be here to give you always our passionate and honest view. Good luck, everybody will need it.

Article and pictures by Joseph Ralph Fraia @jrfstudio – jrfstudio.com