Social Distance has happened before in history, the difference now, during Covid-19
Crisis, is how it impacted in a digital media aspect that was never seen before also in fashion.
Internet, since its beginning, has the purpose of communicating throughout the world and
forming unity, specially while the pandemic continues, there is no exception. Even
though time has gone by since the introduction of digital platforms, people who don’t
use them daily still exist. Specially Gen X, Baby Boomers and traditionalists.
It could be dependent of generations the opinion that internet facilitates human life; but
the global crisis is relatively forcing everyone, despite of age differences, to be at the
top of the digital game since no one wants to be left behind.
In an industry level, practically the one that closes loses during Covid-19 crisis, so every
company has to adapt into becoming reachable to everyone fast, and there’s no easier
way as virtually.
The relationship between this is that people are being driven to turn their lifestyle into
one in which they are working buying, and communicating digitally due to the social
distancing and them avoiding to leave their houses. This causes the digital world to
develop even more because the demand is increasing. This is a one-way road situation
because as media grows so are humans adapting to it.
The fashion industry was affected by Covid-19 by stock markets having declines in the
last weeks as the virus spread across the world, major events like MET gala being
cancelled, Fashion Week Disruptions, and Retail Stores closing, among other
complications.
Unless companies up their game and make their digital capabilities stronger, they will go
down. Specially because consumers will adapt and will keep demanding it for a long
term matter. Brands like Nike with a strong digital game, had a digital sale growth of
36% in the last months as well as other brands that had ideas to entertain their
costumers through their digital platforms. People are going digital in solving shopping
thanks to brands that adapted as fast as possible. Fashion is being affected in a digital
media aspect through the pandemic crisis.
Digital plans in the fashion industry will be adjusted including marketing through digital
channels. The change the pandemic is creating is not only a challenge but also an
opportunity that the fashion industry can use to grow in a world that is becoming more
digital than ever. The post-pandemic lifestyle status will never be the same as it was
before because of the fear created by the virus that will cause consumers to never go
back to what used to be a normal life. Nevertheless, fashion remains as an
entertainment and a luxury that people want to remain even if it is digitally since fashion
is a form of expression.
As fashion is affected majorly by almost everything that goes around globally, positive or
negative, it learns to adapt to the situation and continues developing the industry. Like it
is stated in The State of Fashion 2020 by The Business of Fashion and the McKinsey
community : “Though the duration and ultimate severity of the pandemic remains
unknown, it is apparent that the fashion industry is just at the beginning of its struggle.” (Natalia Madrid Campo)
