The runway show for the Chanel 2021 Cruise Collection was meant to be held in Capri but a global pandemic put the event on pause, leading to the creation of the luxury brand's first-ever digital show. The virtual experience was shared in the form of a seven-minute video referencing Balade en Méditerranée—or "a trip around the Mediterranean." The video captures the essence of a Caprese sunset from within a studio, yet offers an experience that provides a much-needed escape.
The pandemic has not just changed the way people purchase fashion but the way designers display and create their collections. As creative director Virginie Viard describes, evening dresses and heavy items were intentionally excluded, and the collection was made of in-stock fabrics and buttons to ease the strain on the supply chain.
Digital Luxury Fashion Shows
The Chanel 2021 Cruise Collection is the Brand's First Digital Show
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Fashion Shows - Luxury fashion brands are moving towards digital fashion shows to showcase their collections in a virtual space, creating new opportunities for immersive experiences and audience engagement.
2. Sustainable Luxury Fashion - Creating collections with in-stock fabrics and buttons to ease the strain on the supply chain is just one example of a new trend towards sustainable luxury fashion, which presents numerous opportunities for innovation in materials and production processes.
3. Escape and Experience Luxury From Home - As consumers continue to seek ways to escape from the current reality, luxury brands are finding new ways to offer virtual experiences that allow consumers to enjoy the brand's aesthetic and atmosphere from the comfort of their own homes, creating opportunities for innovative digital and immersive experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion and Apparel - The fashion and apparel industry is being disrupted by the rise of digital technology and the pandemic, presenting opportunities for innovation in materials, production processes, and digital experiences.
2. Luxury Goods - The luxury goods industry is adapting to the pandemic and changing consumer behaviors by creating new opportunities for immersive virtual experiences and sustainable production processes.
3. Event Planning and Management - The event planning and management industry is being disrupted by the shift towards virtual events, creating new opportunities for innovative digital experiences and audience engagement.