Fashion

Our reporter Pascal Mourier also teaches communication sciences at a number of fashion schools. During France's unprecedented eight weeks of lockdown, he asked his students to write and produce a fashion film from the confines of their own homes. The project: to use only the materials immediately available to tell the story of a character's interaction with an item of clothing. We take a look at some of the offerings.

In an online message to mark the start of Paris Fashion Week, British supermodel Naomi Campbell ushered in a new age of digital fashion, while also embracing the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement. In these extraordinary times due to Covid-19, runway fashion shows are banned, with designers instead releasing videos on social media to showcase their collections, directed by an array of impressive names. We take a look at how this form of French soft power is moving with the times.

Pragmatism and resilience aren't usually words associated with high-end fashion, but that was before the Covid-19 pandemic. FRANCE 24 takes you around the world to see how designers are innovating. In Beirut, fashion house Tony Ward is turning its attention away from high-end ball gowns and towards other more immediately useful creations. In Marseille, Atelier Bartavelle is sourcing locally and prioritising artistic collaborations. Last but not least, in Taipei, we discover two labels pushing the boundaries of innovation: DYCTeam and Just In XX.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing global lockdown have had a profound effect on the world of fashion. So what will our sartorial future look like? Will things eventually return to what we're used to, or should we expect an overhaul of the system? Designer Jennifer Rönne is pushing for more sustainability, while Dana Messika is rethinking her silhouettes. The French Institute of Fashion, meanwhile, is urging labels to turn their socially responsible pledges and promises into concrete action. FRANCE 24 takes a closer look.

Fashion prizes have long given young designers a chance to prove their worth. The prestigious Open My Med award, financed by the Maison Mode Méditerranée, offers designers the opportunity for mentoring and exposure. But things are very different in the time of Covid-19. Among this year’s winners, Flore Girard de Langlade in Marseille and Romzy in Dakar are making the best of a bad situation, while Quoï Alexander in Paris is questioning whether he still has a future in fashion. FRANCE 24 went to meet them.

Dressed in her lucky vintage waterproof by French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, British singer-songwriter Shingai is adding the final touches to her new single "War Drums". The former member of the pop-soul group Noisettes has a message. She believes the current Covid-19 crisis provides an exciting opportunity to transform society. But how? As unlikely as it sounds, haircare could be a good place to start. FRANCE 24 finds out more.

Fashion has always known how to adapt to the world around it - and that's never been truer than right now. Face masks, once worn as fashion statements, have become indispensable amid the coronavirus pandemic. Big luxury groups and smaller outfits alike have repurposed their production lines to produce vital protective equipment. Covid-19 is forcing the world of fashion to take a long, hard look in the mirror. Who better to discuss these unprecedented times than Parisian designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac? He joins us on the show under lockdown.

Back in January, Paris was once again the global hub of haute couture, providing the backdrop for the summer’s couture collections. It’s an art form out of reach for most budgets. But, at its best, it can carry powerful messages about artistic and economic freedom. At Julien Fournié and Alexandre Vauthier, it’s all about turning a dream into reality through the client and their couturier working together. Meanwhile, at Franco-Turkish fashion house Dice Kayek, founder Ece Ege explains how couture helps women in the industry stand on their own two feet.

The global Covid-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life, including fashion. Designers, events organisers and journalists around the world are now confined to their homes. Catwalk shows and fittings are distant memories. So how is the world of fashion coping in these strange times? And crucially, is there any point in dressing up under lockdown? FRANCE 24 put that last question to a selection of designers, from Berlin to Casablanca to Pointe-Noire. On a more serious note, some also told us how they are making their own face masks to fight the spread of the virus.

Over the last decade, fashion films have become a cinematographic sub-category in their own right. The genre raises important questions which are now being studied at art schools: are fashion films just a new form of advertising or standalone works of art? Are they the logical extension of a brand's marketing strategy or social commentary? As the birthplace of both cinema and the textile industry, the city of Lyon is launching its first fashion film festival at Lyon 2 University. FRANCE 24 went to check it out.