- Title: With no paparazzis or parties, Paris prepares for virtual fashion week
- Date: 4th July 2020
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 3, 2020) (REUTERS) DESIGNER CHRISTOPHE JOSSE, GUEST INVITEE TO HAUTE COUTURE WEEK SINCE 2018, TALKING TO ASSISTANT HANGER WITH CHRISTOPHE JOSSE BRAND NAME JOSSE ON THE PHONE FASHION MAGAZINES ON DESK DESIGNER CHRISTOPHE JOSSE, GUEST INVITEE TO HAUTE COUTURE WEEK SINCE 2018, SAYING: "This is also the big question mark, what will happen with the clients, how will they catch on (with the collection). I don't know when the borders will really re-open, for the American clients at the moment it seems to me a bit difficult. I don't know." PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) VIEW FROM INSIDE A CHAUFFEURED MERCEDES BENZ, OF COLUMN IN PLACE VENDOME CHAUFFER FROM CHABE CHAUFFERED TRANSPORT SERVICES, HICHAM SAFOUANE, DRIVING ALONG CHAMPS ELYSEES AVENUE VIEW OF CHANEL STORE FROM INSIDE CAR VARIOUS OF SAFOUANE STANDING NEXT TO MERCEDES BENZ OUTSIDE GRAND PALAIS, WHERE CHANEL SHOWS ARE USUALLY HELD NANTERRE, FRANCE (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CHABE CHAUFFERED CAR SERVICES, GUILLAUME CONNAN, SAYING: "The impact of a virtual fashion week on our business is serious, because there are no more clients to drive around. So very clearly, for us it's an immediate 100% loss on this sector, which we cannot recover because the cancelled events will not come back." PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) SAFOUANE DRIVING MERCEDES BENZ PAST BULGARI SHOP VIEW FROM CAR, APPROACHING PARIS OPERA GARNIER (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHABE CHAUFFER WHO HAS DRIVEN VIP CLIENTS DURING FASHION WEEK, HICHAM SAFOUANE, SAYING: "It will be sad, because it's true that Paris without fashion week is not the Paris of fashion. So we will miss this, there will be a void in Paris. There's much less activity these days due to the health crisis." BENZ PARKED NEXT TO OPERA SAFOUANE CLOSING TRUNK AND GETTING INTO CAR NANTERRE, FRANCE (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LUXURY CARS FROM CHABE FLEET PARKED IN GARAGE (SOUNDBITE) (French) MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CHABE CHAUFFERED CAR SERVICES, GUILLAUME CONNAN, SAYING: "The difference this year with a virtual fashion week is that there are cars behind me, wherein normally the garage would be empty." LUXURY CARS PARKED IN GARAGE (SOUNDBITE) (French) MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CHABE CHAUFFERED CAR SERVICES, GUILLAUME CONNAN, SAYING: "We hope that by 2021, at some point the market bounces back in a different form, that we will be stronger to take on this recovery, and that we will see ourselves in a healthier market." PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 3, 2020) (REUTERS) PARIS DEPUTY MAYOR FOR EVENING EVENTS AND CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DIVERSITY, FREDERIC HOCQUARD, WALKING OUT OF CITY HALL GATE: (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS DEPUTY MAYOR FOR EVENING EVENTS AND CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DIVERSITY, FREDERIC HOCQUARD, SAYING: "It's true that it will be an unusual event, or not. Normally, we welcome a huge number of people to Paris, whether it's from the fashion industry, but also it's a 'touristic' time. And now it will not take place." CLOCK ON CITY HALL (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS DEPUTY MAYOR FOR EVENING EVENTS AND CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DIVERSITY, FREDERIC HOCQUARD, SAYING: "Everyone has said, there's a before and an after. It's important to say now that, there will be an 'after' and how do we reinvent this? I can't wait to see how this 'after' will be created. It doesn't mean that fashion week must always take place virtually, because it raises other issues, economic issues. The Fashion Weeks keep Paris's economy running, whether it's luxury hotels, or it's also a great window that shows Paris's image to the world. So there are these things that must not be replaced and cannot just be replaced as such." PEOPLE ON SQUARE OUTSIDE CITY HALL
- Embargoed: 18th July 2020 11:38
- Keywords: Paris Stephane Rolland fashion week haute couture limousine luxury
- Location: PARIS, NANTERRE, FRANCE/ INTERNET
- City: PARIS, NANTERRE, FRANCE/ INTERNET
- Country: France
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Fashion
- Reuters ID: LVA004CLE80UF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Paris is usually abuzz during its prestigious Haute Couture presentations in July, with hotels normally heaving with fashionistas and landmarks turned into catwalk venues.
But in a makeover triggered by the coronavirus crisis, top designers will instead be experimenting next week with online showcases to try and keep clients hooked.
Brands from Christian Dior to Chanel are pressing ahead with collections and shows, through an organised schedule of videos running from July 6-8.
That has helped keep some textile suppliers and artisans going, though other businesses are feeling the absence of a larger event keenly.
"The impact of a virtual fashion week on our business is serious, because there are no more clients to drive around," said Guillaume Connan, whose limousine company Chabe usually ferries A-listers around between shows.
One of Chabe's chauffeurs, Hachim Safouane said he will feel the void, not having VIPs to pick up at the airport and take to the show venues like the Grand Palais.
"Paris without fashion week is not the Paris of fashion," Safouane said.
Paris' multiple fashion weeks generate some 1.2 billion Euros for the local economy every year, the federation grouping couture houses estimates.
At the Haute Couture week, a select club of designers display of one-of-a-kind, handmade outfits.
"I will miss the audience, I will miss my friends. Because if I do all my shows, it's also to bring emotion. And I love that...and those shows are made for that," said couturier Stephane Rolland.
But Christophe Josse, another French couturier who also produced a film, said he had enjoyed being able to highlight the intricacies of his designs differently and would consider doing it again.
"This is also the big question mark, what will happen with the clients, how will they catch on," said Josse said, whose clients include wealthy Americans who would normally travel to a show.
Physical catwalk displays are likely to be back on the agenda in Paris by September and brands were already booking venues, said Frederic Hocquard, who oversees tourism and some cultural affairs at Paris' city council.
"The Fashion Weeks keep Paris's economy running...it's also a great window that shows Paris's image to the world. that must not be replaced and cannot just be replaced as such," he said.
He added that the hiatus this time could have some positive side effects, despite the economic hit - including as an inspiration for greener formats in future, which would not generate as much congestion or waste.
(Production: Michaela Cabrera, Clotaire Achi, Melodie Sforza) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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