Here in the country, SA Fashion Week (SAFW) has just come and gone. Branded “The Business of Ethical Fashion” and filmed at the Mall of Africa, it was the first time the show went virtual.

Similarly with African Fashion International (AFI). Their Joburg event was a two-day affair with online masterclasses and their Cape Town iteration earlier in the year had to move to digital platforms on its last day because of Covid precautions. It was just a few hours before our president declared a national state of disaster, then later imposed a lockdown as a measure of fighting the pandemic.

It’s largely been the same around the world as fashion capitals akin to ghost towns continue to be affected by travel restrictions, store closures and declining sales.

But it hasn’t been all doom and gloom. Some luxury brands and pivotal events on the fashion calendar have risen to the challenge and from the ashes by rethinking their digital strategies and new business models, and really listening to what their (younger) consumers really want.

As the front row seat is democratised, and Generation Green (Gen Z and Millennials) votes for sustainability, inclusivity and conscious buying, the future of luxury fashion looks like an e-phoenix.

Read more here on Business Day Wanted Online