The world is currently on pause! Life as we know it has changed in the blink of an eye and everything has somehow shifted into a new normal.

Covid-19 was first discovered in China which is home to leading Fashion Warehouses and Manufacturers. The first thing that came to my mind when the pandemic hit, was “How the heck will I get my clothes?”. Though a bit self-centered, it’s a reasonable question as we will be moving from Winter to Spring which is one of the most exciting seasons in the Fashion Industry as this is when the top trends are released.

According to Worldmeters.com, the pandemic has amassed roughly 1,074,295 positive cases, 56,989 deaths and 226,063 recoveries globally. Here in Jamaica, our very own Prime Minister and his cabinet has created a Bill that includes Social Distancing, Closure of Borders and No flights in and out of the country and a 7-day curfew to aid with the spread of the virus on its citizens with it’s over 44 cases.

These measures have also affected a myriad of Fashion and Beauty businesses, many of which are now closing their doors for an indefinite period. Below, we will look at a few ways Covid-19 have impacted the Fashion Industry both locally and Internationally.

Major Events Cancelled

Jamaica Carnival – Image Source Visitjamaica.com

If you live in the Caribbean or of Caribbean heritage you will know Carnival is life! Carnival runs from February to April (sometimes May) on the Islands and this year was a Bummer! A major part of Carnival is Make-up and Costume where people save money a year in advance to experience the full glam! With the government’s decision to lesson large gatherings Carnival was postponed and all who bought a costume or booked a MUA are left with nothing to show and on the other end, the MUA’S might have to consider issuing refunds which is a major loss on their part. Internationally,

Covid-19 hit major shows in like Milan Fashion Week in late February, causing a number of designers — including Giorgio Armani, who barred a public audience to view his fall 2020 runway show — to rethink their show formats.

The virus has now caused many design houses to cancel or postpone their international resort 2021 shows, including Armani, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, Max Mara, Prada, Chanel and Versace.

Another major cancellation is the Met Gala which has been cancelled indefinitely!

Job Loss

Sephora

I know this should have been the main point since it’s the most obvious, but I had to ease my way into this one. People in the Fashion Industry lost their jobs or have less hours which means less pay and it has been crazy for these Individuals. Stores like Sephora have closed their doors in the US and Canada and Ulta has reduced their hours and have has discontinued all make-up application services. In Jamaica, MAC closed it’s doors just a week ago and other popular make-up retailers have closed their doors’ to make-up services and their workers have been sent home.

Fashion Retailers have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by shutting their doors. In the last few days, a number of major retailers and brands announced their temporary closures in the U.S., including Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, H&M, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Sephora, Nike, Apple, Walmart, Urban Outfitters, Madewell, Everlane, Lululemon, Glossier, Reformation and Anthropologie, among others. When I got an email from H&M saying they were closed, things really hit hard, as again I wondered “How the heck will I get my clothes?”

Solidarity

Christian Siriano was the 1st International Designer to make Face Masks during the shortage to help with the spread of Covid-19

Though the Fashion Industry has been deemed as self-centered and stuck-up, during these trying times, the Industry became united! We saw a high influx of Designers making and selling masks to contribute to the shortage in various cities worldwide. There were a few Designers who even contributed masks to Healthcare workers for FREE!

Many influential figures and fashion designers are coming together to raise funds to combat COVID-19’s global spread, many of whom are donating money or resources to hospitals and institutions.