They're dealing with canceled events, impending launches that are suddenly bound to fail and confusion over how to strike the right tone with editors and consumers alike.
The coronavirus outbreak is not the first incident that has made fashion and beauty feel like incredibly trivial things to talk and write about — or pushed many of us in the industry into existential crises of sorts. It can be hard not to question your role in a world where there are always More Important Things Going On. But this global pandemic is still unique in the impact it's had on literally every human on earth, and in the sense that there's still no end in sight.
We spoke to several brand founders and PR professionals in fashion — and observed their actions — about the discussions they've been having internally, how they're shifting their communications strategies, what they're doing about cancelled events and launches, how publicists are working with clients who may soon not be able to afford to pay them and how brands keeping consumers engaged while remaining sensitive and mindful. Read on.
"We have really emphasized to our team the importance of striking the right tone when speaking with media to ensure we are not being frivolous or opportunistic in our communication," adds Ashley Carone, managing partner at Autumn Communications."Right now, the sensitivity really has to be there," says Sarah Flint, founder and designer of an eponymous luxury shoe line, who struggled with how to communicate around an important new collection launch this week.
Catbird founder Rony Vardi is working hard to keep her small Brooklyn operation running somewhat smoothly and trying to reach customers with connection rather than promotion. "Beyond the business itself, we're leaning on [our team and customers] to help navigate," she says. "Sharing tips on how to care for each other and ourselves, sharing fears, meditations, words, reading lists, jokes, glasses of wine over Facetime.
One unnamed womenswear brand was forced to postpone the March launch of a collaboration of products pretty much centered around vacation: They planned to align the launch with spring break and Coachella, and it quickly became clear that it wasn't something the brand's customers would respond to. So they scrapped it.
Beth Bassil and Danielle Goodman just opened their new Los Angeles-based PR agency B.good in January, and had planned a trip to New York to meet with editors and introduce them to the new company and their clients. Since that wasn't possible, they emailed editors inviting them to schedule a "Virtual Breakfast.
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