Fashion brands design ‘waist-up’ clothing for video calls

Fashion labels are designing outfits for video calls during the coronavirus pandemic.A “waist-up” focus has been noticed at both Milan and London Fashion Weeks, with detailed necklines and relaxed trousers.Prada placed its logo near the collars of its tops, and featured large coats pulled around shoulders like a blanket.It said it was not inspired by Zoom, but by the “contemporary human relationship with technology”.”Fashion is about reacting to reality,” said Miuccia Prada, head designer of Prada, at its virtual Milan fashion show. “During lockdown, I realised how important technology is and how it is impactful for us, and in some ways, an extension of ourselves.”

“The tunic tops and roll necks, with the brand’s famous triangle logo blown up and placed directly below the neckline, will certainly catch the eye of your fellow Zoomers,” Jane McFarland, fashion director at The Sunday Times, said of the collection.
“This year has been all about ‘waist-up dressing’. Having spent a lot of time on video conference calls, the top half of our outfit has become significantly more important than our bottom half.”
Luxury fashion sales worldwide are forecast to fall by around 35% this year, due to shops closing and lockdown, analysis by the Boston Consulting Group suggested.
Clothing sales in the UK plummeted by 34% in March, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show, as the industry struggles to attract customers.
But fashion is reflecting history and the economy through these clothing trends, said Lynne Coleman, textile expert.
“Designers are thinking about how we are living our lives. That’s why you see logos appearing in places you haven’t seen before,” she added.
“We’ve been stuck inside for so long now and we want to express ourselves.”

Fashion critics have noted jewellery has increased in popularity, while sales of handbags and shoes are down.
“Moving the logo up to the neck is a good way of keeping your brand out there and making a fashion statement,” said Deborah St Louis, founder of Fashions Finest, which represents emerging designer labels during London Fashion Week,
“People still want to appear professional, when working from home especially, but now we see a shift towards a more casual relaxed look.”

At Milan Fashion Week, designers also seemed influenced by remote working, with a trend for flatter shoes with a small heel, elasticated trousers, matching silk sets and pyjamas.”I’ve never seen so many elastic and drawstring waists in my life,” said Lauren Indvik, fashion editor at the Financial Times. “All the stylists are talking about ‘waist-up’ dressing, because that’s all everyone sees these days.”They have to inspire people to buy clothes, and there aren’t social occasions to dress up for, so maybe luxury at home is the new focus.”Outside of leading fashion houses, smaller designers have also focused on comfort at home with their new ranges.