The fall semester began with the return of Fashion Week with physical shows. It took exactly 18 months of fashion shows and digital presentations to finally return to normal. The brands took advantage of this great opportunity to present new products that define the future of fashion.

Of course, it wouldn't be fashion week without scandal. Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion stormed the runway at Louis Vuitton's show during Tuesday's Paris Fashion Week to denounce the industry's impact on the environment. "Overconsumption = extinction," read the banner held by one of the protesters. That being said, a scandal shouldn't stop us from learning about the news and efforts that luxury brands are trying to show.

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SUSTAINABILITY

 

While sustainability is at the center of controversy in the fashion and luxury world, the brands present at Fashion Weeks are highlighting another fashion industry: one that values people, the environment and creativity. Indeed, people's needs have evolved and sustainability seems to take a special place within this sector. That's why brands have the duty to become better and deliver pieces that meet these new expectations.

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So how are brands trying to make sustainability a priority?

 

Many brands presented their collections this season and showed that they want to have a positive impact on the environment and adapt to their customers' new values. Marine Serre's Spring 2022 Ready-to-Wear collection is made from 90% recycled materials, up from 40% four years ago. The Chloé designer expresses the fact that 58% of the materials used in the fashion shows are low environmental impact. Hermes presented at Fashion Week, its new bag "Sylvania", designed from a material made from mushrooms. As for Balenciaga, the house uses vegetable leather that is made from fibers derived from cactus and biopolymers. The Botter brand uses a high-end material that is created from recycled marine plastic waste.

 

Brands are not only making efforts in the fabrics and the garment itself, some luxury houses have been able to renew and diversify in various ways. Brands like Gabriela Hearst, Gucci and Dior have held carbon neutral fashion shows and reused their sets from past shows.

 

 

ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVENESS

 

Unisex collections:

 

Who said rhinestones were only for women and suits for men?

 

In recent years, we've seen a rise in unisex collections. One brand that particularly stood out during fashion week was Swedish brand Diemonde, which won the New Talent Award.
We saw the same gender-neutral collection approach during London and New York Fashion Week. Brands such as Ahluwalia, Bethany Williams and Qasimi presented a joint collection for men and women.

Also, the famous brand Helmut Lang, which usually presents its collections under two separate categories, "menswear" and "womenswear"; this season chose to present a unique unisex collection.

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Digital:

 

With the Covid-19 health crisis affecting the entire world, the last few fashion weeks were presented solely digitally: via live happenings and virtual runway shows. However, today digital represents a plus for brands and offers more accessibility to the general public. Digital technology enriches Fashion Week and allows fashion lovers to experience fashion. Thanks to giant screens, immersive experiences and redesigned fashion shows, the major fashion houses have been able to conquer a larger audience and make this week so prized less selective.

 

In the fashion industry, changes are not made overnight. It takes time. However, the Spring/Summer 2022 fashion week presentations showed us how far we've come from a few years ago. From sustainability to inclusivity, brands have shown their commitment to the fashion industry and we can't wait to see what's next. We don't know what the future holds, but the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion (FHCM) wants to make Paris the first entirely green fashion week. Would the big houses be able to consider this?

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References :

https://www.euronews.com/2021/10/06/climate-protesters-invade-the-louis-vuitton-fashion-show- in-paris

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https://fashionunited.com/news/fashion/highlights-lfw-spring-summer-2022/2021061840545 https://www.elle.fr/Mode/Les-defiles-de-mode/News-Fashion-Week/Ce-qu-il-faut-retenir-de-la- Fashion-Week-de-Paris-printemps-ete-2022-3966249

 

https://fr.news.yahoo.com/fashion-week-defile-louis-vuitton-perturbe-militants-ecologistes- 102254859.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNoLw&guce_referrer _sig=AQAAAK_FOT4B9jiHaqqfFxxfb1SwpcsUZhaFiYAjNo9patAd1UvV-P2utJ1Qm0MEwkNgK7jphc- FgR2ffQiDwGhy9a52a68hLMmy2cZYVUmUm4AKEjZHJJLblUoHfDHVpflTNf3YnS3tqk_AyLEjUoqkIgW- lkQq-nPBIcPDLF0yAlqX

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https://www.lepoint.fr/mode-design/paris-en-vert-des-defiles-durables-21-06-2021- 2431983_265.php

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