MILAN (Reuters) – More and more luxury houses are postponing fashion shows around the world due to the coronavirus epidemic that has now spread to dozens of countries.
FILE PHOTO: Company logos are pictured outside a Versace store in Vienna, Austria on April 21, 2016. REUTERS / Leonhard Foeger
Italian brands Giorgio Armani and Versace announced Thursday that they are delaying fashion shows for their Cruise collections. The Armani fashion show was scheduled for April 19-20 in Dubai, while Versace was to present its collection in the United States on May 16.
Gucci, part of the French group Kering, has canceled its plans to host its Cruise 2021 show in San Francisco on May 18, while Prada and Chanel postponed the shows that were supposed to take place in Asia in May last month.
“The decision was made as a precaution to protect all industry players, employees and guests who would be involved in the trip,” said the Armani group in a statement.
Versace, part of the US group Capri Holdings, said it was “aware of the need to prioritize the health and safety of its customers and employees”, adding that further details would be provided as soon as possible. as possible.
The cruise collections are fashion shows organized outside the usual fashion week calendar, which are still an important opportunity for luxury brands to present their latest creations.
A Gucci spokesperson also said Thursday that the new schedule and where it will be released will be announced once the situation becomes clearer.
Armani said his event will now take place in November, to coincide with Expo 2020 in Dubai, and will no longer be a Cruise collection.
Giorgio Armani held his Milan fashion show behind closed doors last month.
The coronavirus, which emerged in the central city of Wuhan in China at the end of last year, has spread worldwide, with more new cases appearing outside of China than in interior, causing the cancellation of many world conferences and fairs. Italy has become the country hardest hit by the virus in Europe.
Report by Claudia Cristoferi, edited by Giulia Segreti, Timothy Heritage and Bernadette Baum