The Covid-19 pandemic, which in March 2020 forced many businesses to close down, has not spared the fashion industry; the fashion shows of the world’s most famous brands as well as the photo shoots of many fashion magazines have taken a heavy blow. However, there have been some attempts to cope with the impossibility of carrying out photo shoots with models. The case of Zara’s spring/summer campaign could be an example: the Spanish fashion brand, in fact, sent product samples directly to the models’ homes to allow them to shoot the new collection by themselves and thus preserve a certain involvement on the part of the public. Among the protagonists are the Polish top model Malgosia Bela, Tasha Tilberg and the very young Lexie Smith, Cara Taylor, Deirdre Firinne and Giedre Dukauskaite, immortalized wearing garments from the spring/summer 2020 collection, specially sent to their homes.
Camera and iPhone in hand, the models posed, without makeup, choosing the coolest corners of their homes, from the bathroom to the kitchen, from the living room to the bedroom, helped in this photo shoot by the quarantine roommates or more simply by self-timer. The result shows homely yet chic models, faithfully reflecting the common feel (and dress) of isolation. This experiment gave the campaign a particularly authentic feel, as not only did the models not have access to the hair, makeup and tailoring teams they would normally have access to, but they also had to rely on the camera and lighting equipment they had.
In April, Bella Hadid used the iOS FaceTime app to set up a photo shoot in her home, promoting French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus’ new fashion line. Jacquemus himself and photographer Pierre-Ange Carlotti oversaw the shoot. In the series, Hadid sports several pieces of clothing, such as a white suit paired with a green bra, a yellow striped crop top and a lavender knit bodysuit. In one image, she is completely nude, hidden only by one of Jacquemus’ mini hand bags. She also sports summer accessories like rectangular lucite sunglasses and jute sandals.
Adding to the trend is Italian designer Nicolò Beretta, founder of the Giannico brand, who collaborated with Italian model Chiara Scelsi, filmed in the privacy of her Milan loft and without the help of any hairdresser or makeup artist.
“The fashion industry once again adapts and reinvents itself. We have to keep experimenting with our creativity on all levels,” says Chiara. “Shooting via FaceTime for Giannico was a new challenge for me – I enjoyed being even more part of the creative process and helping with production.”
A back-to-basics with 90’s atmospheres that recalls analog films and embodies the spirit of the brand, which is based on a radiating sensuality, the search for an elegant composition and a vision of luxury in step with the times. This social media campaign is part of the brand’s new digital approach aimed at creating an increasingly dynamic aesthetic and supported by an interesting storytelling, focused not only on the product but aimed at telling the true soul of the brand through the world of social.
It seems that, given the difficult climate and the upheaval that the pandemic has brought to our lives, fashion has turned to a tool that it would normally neglect, the do-it-yourself home. Yet, beyond a matter of convenience, it’s possible that these FaceTime photo shoots could truly change the way fashion looks at accessibility and familiarity.
Giovanni Troìa
