Uncertainty over the second outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has left the fate of many European fashion shows and events hanging in a limbo. While some organizers have decided to defer their events for a month or so, others have abandoned them for a year. Dolce & Gabbana plans to hold its couture event in September. To be held in association with Pitti Immagine, the event will feature two shows, the Alta Sartoria menswear show at Palazzo Vecchio on September 2, and the Alta Moda women’s wear show at Villa Bardini on September 3. Both these events will have limited audience

Parisian trade shows rescheduled

Earlier scheduled to from September 4 to 7, Parisian trade shows, Who's Next, Impact, Traffic and Riviera have been postponed to October 2-4, and will now be held in parallel with Première Classe. Lingerie show Interfilière will be staged online via the Interfilière Connect website. It launched on August 24 and will end on September 30. Similarly, resort wear show, The Splash Paris will be held online from September 7 to October 9.

Originally planned for September 15-16 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition centre, textile sourcing event, Premiere Vision Made will now hold its digital version on September 15-16. It will feature exhibitors’ collections, conferences and presentations, and networking opportunities for producers and buyers.

After postponing the summer edition of its events to September, Italian show organizer Pitti Immagine has also opted for a digital approach. Lack of visibility and shrinking exhibitor numbers have forced the organizer to pin all its hopes on the Pitti Connect website. Launched on July 16, the website hosts the virtual editions of Florentine fashion shows Pitti Uomo, Bimbo and Filati. It showcases the collections of some 500 exhibitors, as well as a plethora of extra content and special events.

Organizers stall events on health concerns

Health considerations continue to plague event organizers across the globe. Scheduled across various Chinese cities from September 2 to 4, Kingpins China has been cancelled, due to the pandemic and related travel restrictions. Similarly, the International Leather Goods Fair, earlier scheduled in Offenbach am Main, near Frankfurt, from September 5 to 7, has been stalled due to renewed rise of COVID-19 cases in the region.

Italy plans to go ahead with its September trade shows as planned. Textile and fashion industry organizations in the country have staged an intense program of events, under a common banner, #StrongerTogether. Milano Unica, Italy's leading trade event for high-end textiles and fashion accessories, will open the season at the Rho-Pero exhibition centre from September 8 to 9, hosting nearly 200 exhibitors, less than half its usual number.

The event has deployed a robust digital counterpart, e-MilanoUnica Connect, created with the help of Pitti Immagine’s tech know-how. Milano Unica’s virtual show will only be active after the end of the physical event, from September 10, and will be operational until the next session, in February 2021.

Organizers keen to return to physical format

On September 19-22, the Fiera Milano pavilions will host the Homi Fashion & Jewels show. From September 20-23, the organizers will hold the benchmark footwear show Micam, will also stage a virtual version, the Micam Milano Digital Show, on a website developed and run by the NuOrder agency.

After months of organizing digital events, fashion industry professionals now wish to go back to physical events. Carlo Capasa, President, Italian Fashion Chamber (CNMI), has announced the phygital edition of Milan Fashion Week from September 22-28. The show will feature 28 live catwalk shows.