While it may seem frivolous to discuss any future fashion-themed purchases during a time of such uncertainty, there’s nothing stopping us from connecting with our favourite designers in new and innovative ways.
An essential part of our culture, the way we are interacting and consuming fashion amidst the coronavirus pandemic is rapidly changing – no longer can we frequent our favourite stores to eye-off new season collections or watch in awe as supermodels command the runways of Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. Thankfully, some of the world’s biggest fashion houses have recognised our constant yearning for sartorial content, using their social and digital platforms to give us the cultural fill we are desperately after.
Brands like Christian Dior, Prada, Chanel and Bottega Veneta have enlisted their long list of cross-disciplinary contacts to provide entertainment and education in the form of videos, interviews, performances and active audience participation. So, when you’ve finally exhausted all the new releases on Netflix, tune in to some (or all), of these artfully curated streams and podcasts to indulge in the ultimate cultural pick-me-up; courtesy of your favourite fashion houses.
Bottega Veneta
The most coveted brand of 2019, Bottega Veneta have launched Bottega Residency, a space accessible across all their digital platforms, (Instagram, Youtube, Weibo, Line, Kakao, Spotify, Apple Music and their website), to showcase chefs, artists, writers, musicians, film directors, and designers from across the globe. You can re-watch these moments through their Instagram story highlights.
Christian Dior
In early March, Dior launched a podcast series called Dior Talks, under the direction of the brand’s creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri. Artist and host, Katy Hessel, interviews a series of feminist artists and curators, asking them about their lives, their work, and their journey to becoming prestigious figures in the modern-day women’s rights movement.
The fashion house is also inviting you to experience its magical exhibition, ‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’, which was originally held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, from July 5, 2017 to January 7, 2018, at home. Using YouTube and Instagram you can immerse yourself in the incredible works of the brands creative directors, from Monsieur Dior to Yves Saint Laurent and now, Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Chanel
Heritage fashion house Chanel encouraged its loyal followers to #StayHome by live-streaming an exclusive concert with Belgian singer Angèle on their Instagram account.
Chloé
The Parisian fashion maison has been sharing a series of talks, DIY guides, and live performances on its Instagram feed dubbed Chloé Voices. The program will feature creative director Natacha Ramsay-Levi, writer Pauline Klein, artists Langley Fox Hemingway and Rithika Merchant, songstress Ellie Goulding, and DJs Parcels Flora Fischbach and Pandora’s Jukebox.
Prada
Titled Prada Possible Conversations, the fashion house will be hosting a series of live dialogues on their Instagram account between thinkers, cultural arbiters and fashion figures across the world. The best part is that with every discussion, the brand will be donating to UNESCO – an organisation whose work during the COVID-19 pandemic focuses on over 1.5 billion students worldwide who have been affected by school closure.
Manolo Blahnik
Luxury footwear brand and a strong favourite of the iconic Carrie Bradshaw, Manolo Blahnik is partnering with the American Mental Health Foundation on a project called Smile, which is essentially a colouring book made up of the eponymous designer’s favourite sketches. The brand is encouraging people to reimagine the iconic designs and share them on social media. Download the sketches here.
Tory Burch
Beginning at the start of April, Tory Burch sat down for a virtual chat with model Halima Aden, which launched the concept of #ToryStories. Using the hashtag, the brand will also be conducting Instagram takeovers centred around cooking, table settings, crafts, health, and wellness. You can re-watch her discussion with Halima here, and other #ToryStories moments through Instagram highlights.
Jimmy Joo
Another iconic shoe brand sharing creativity is Jimmy Choo, who have launched Choo Sketch, an initiative that asks its audience to submit videos and drawings of shoe designs that it will then feature on its social media channels. The brand will then choose five of the most creative designs and produce them for a capsule collection, with all the profits going to charity.
The Row
Ever wondered what sartorial icons and founders of cult fashion brand The Row listen to in a day? The beloved Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have released a curated Spotify playlist, and as expected, their selection of tracks is perfectly on-brand. Starting off with a classic, “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You,” by Elvis Presley, this soundtrack would fit perfectly alongside any Sofia Coppola film. Listen here.
LOEWE
LOEWE EN CASA is series of online events, talks and workshops taking place through Instagram LIVE that explores and celebrates craft, innovation and artistic expression through the words and the work of collaborators involved in the LOEWE cultural projects and the finalists of the LOEWE Craft Prize.
This article originally appeared on InStyle.
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