Paris Couture Week Has Been Canceled
The latest events in a litany of coronavirus-related cancellations are the Paris Couture and Men’s Shows, which were axed on Friday.
Paris Couture and Paris Men’s Fashion Week are the latest victims of coronavirus-related cancellations.
The two events, scheduled to be held in the French capital in July, were canceled on Friday afternoon, according to a statement from the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
“In light of the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic worldwide, strong decisions are required to ensure the safety and health of Houses, their employees and everyone working in our industry,” read the statement. “Consequently, the Board of Directors of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode has come to the decision that, in the present conditions, the Paris Fashion Week Menswear, scheduled from June 23rd to June 28th, 2020, and the Haute Couture Week scheduled from July 5 to July 9, 2020, cannot take place.”
“However, the Federation is actively working with its members on possible alternatives.”
Couture Week in Paris is a time for the highest-level houses to send their most fanciful creations down the runway—it’s the venue of the year for Chanel’s iconic brides, and where many celebrity stylists mine inspiration for their clients’s red carpet looks. Notably, this year, Olivier Theyskens was set to make his debut as artistic director at Azzaro during Paris Couture Week. The collection was said to combine women’s and men’s ready-to-wear with couture—it’s possible fashion editors, photographers, and other would-be attendees of the show will be seeing his first-time looks for the house on the couture schedule from their computer screens at home.
Despite this year’s fall 2020 fashion month season ending slightly before the height of the coronavirus worldwide, much of the fashion calendar has been axed as a result of the pandemic. Shows from the cruise season (including Gucci’s and Chanel’s, and Versace’s) were canceled, as was Seoul Fashion Week, and Giorgio Armani took his own fall 2020 presentation off the calendar during Milan Fashion Week as well.
Related: The Street Style Details You May Have Missed at Paris Couture Week
