Courtesy of Columbus Fashion Council
Following many events this year, Fashion Week Columbus will be mostly virtual in September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 Global Pandemic has forced Fashion Weeks across the globe to rethink and reconceptualize their platforms,” says Thomas McClure, founder and executive director of Columbus Fashion Council, which organizes the event. “Fashion Week Columbus will not only prevail with our mission to provide a platform for local and emerging fashion designers during this pandemic, but we’ll set the standard for other Fashion Weeks.”
Columbus holds the third-largest population of resident fashion designers in the country and the week-long event has provided a spotlight for rising fashion designers and models to announce themselves to the community.
The CFC has crafted a hybrid program of in-person and virtual events to keep audiences engaged. The council’s weekly programming has already been adapted for the Instagram Live platform, so transitioning FWC to a digital format shouldn’t stand as a setback. In fact, the hybrid format could prove to be a boon, potentially increasing the viewership to 300,000 people, according to the FWC website.
The possibility of a larger audience should re-energize a fashion community that has already given so much on a local and national level. Back in March, the CFC partnered with various contributors to produce over 30,000 masks for local healthcare facilities, community organizations, military branches and families in need. Fashion designers have served as an invaluable resource during these difficult times and the CFC wants to return the favor.
“We must continue to support fashion designers who are small businesses also trying to survive and grow during these unprecedented times,” McClure says.
In 2019, FWC electrified Columbus and celebrated its 10th anniversary by welcoming Christian Cowan, best known for dressing celebrities, such as Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani and Beyonce. McClure hopes to carry last year’s momentum into this year, bringing a much-needed boost to the fashion community and the city of Columbus.
“Even during the most challenging times, we must remain hopeful. We must continue to live life and contribute to society. We must continue to support our local businesses, artists, students and community,” McClure says.
Fashion Week Columbus 2020 is set for Sept. 20-26. Designer applications are now open, and FWC has lowered registration fees for those selected.
Matthew Urwin is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
