Author: Zlatna Nedeva
Crises lead to innovation аnd fashion is no exception. Some of the worlds’ most famous designs were created because of global upheavals. A good example is how Coco Chanel adapted to scarcity during World War I, and created ladies’ apparels made of cotton and jersey. This massive transition in women’s clothing, from tight and confining corsets to comfortable clothes, made her one of the most iconic designers ever.
During the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, as well as today, medical face masks became a clothing staple.
Covid-19 not only transformed the industry, but our relationship to clothing. The biggest change, in fact, is that last year we bought much less clothes. Manufacturing was extremely difficult and as many of us were forced to stay home, we didn’t see a reason to shop. In 2020 the fashion industry experienced a revenue drop by one third. A few new trends, however, emerged precisely due to the pandemic:
Face Masks
First on the list of course is a most unusual must-have, the year’s life-saving fashion accessory if you wish. Face masks have become compulsory in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 and this obligation made them a fashion accessory. Most brands and designers started making face masks in all sorts of designs, prints and patterns. There are handmade ones to match our clothing, even wedding pieces. Unfortunately, very few have thought of making masks with transparent fronts, which would be very helpful to people with hearing loss.
Vaccine Card Case
A most interesting new product on the market is the case for our precious vaccine card. The card proving that we have been vaccinated, is going to be in our luggage for every trip we take. It has become more important than the passport itself. Gradually, countries have been opening their borders, and our vaccine cards are no longer just the golden star badge for our share in society, but rather premium travel passes. Designers are competing in making the most stylish and desired case for an important piece of paper.
Cold shoulder Dresses
It looks like one-shoulder dresses and tops are back, but what’s more interesting is that the reason for this is the Covid-19 vaccination. Since the beginning of the year, some long-forgotten trends have been making a slow but steady come back. Enter cold shoulder dresses. With the availability of vaccines increasing, more people are wondering what to wear for the long-awaited vaccination day. A T-shirt and leggings sound like perfectly fine, but celebrities around the world have decided to show us a few more options in line with their Instagram feed. Dolly Parton, Amy Schumer and Hillary Clinton, to name a few, wore a cold shoulder outfit to get vaccinated. Actress Lily Collins set the trend when she appeared in a one-shoulder dress at the Golden Globes Awards in March. In the first two months of the year, the clicks for one-shoulder dresses increased by 68% compared to November and December 2020. Clicks for one-shoulder tops increased by 63%. We are not sure whether the trend is going to last long, but the look is certainly no longer out of fashion.
The Kindness Economy
During the pandemic we realized how important small shops and local produce really are. Many big corporations also decided to show support for small businesses and local initiatives to help those affected by the pandemic the most. Data show that small businesses “support local initiatives by 250% more than big corporations.” Gallery 28 is a Plovdiv based shop which does precisely that. The gallery is a place where Bulgarian artists are given space to shine. Their mission is to be a helping hand and support every artist who wants to create and grow in Bulgaria. Since the end of 2020 they are also online, and their mission it is to support Bulgarian brands, hashtag #дазащитимбългарското.