Coronavirus Forces Ralph Lauren to Cancel Fall 2020 Fashion Show
Samantha McDonald
Business Editor
Ralph Lauren is the latest designer brand to call off its fashion show amid the coronavirus health emergency.
The American label said that its runway presentation — scheduled for late April at an unspecified venue in New York — has been canceled as the outbreak continues to spread. As of Wednesday morning, more than 94,000 cases have been confirmed and at least 3,200 deaths reported around the world.
“In light of the ongoing uncertainties related to the novel coronavirus around the world, we have decided to cancel our fall 2020 show as a precautionary measure and out of respect for our teams, partners and consumers,” a Ralph Lauren spokesperson said. “Our primary focus remains on their health and safety.”
Ralph Lauren did not participate in New York Fashion Week. Since September 2016, the brand has opted to host “see now, buy now” shows. Meanwhile, FN’s sister publication, WWD, reported that Ralph Lauren was planning to get out of that format by showcasing its fall 2020 collection in the spring.
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The firm joins a growing list of designers that have either postponed or done away with their fashion shows in recent weeks. On Monday, Gucci told FN that it had canceled plans to host its cruise 2021 event, which was scheduled for May 18 in San Francisco, due to the “ongoing uncertainty prompted by the coronavirus outbreak, as a precautionary measure.”
The cruise calendar as a whole appears to be in flux: Prada decided to postpone its cruise show, which had been scheduled for May 21 in Tokyo, while Chanel is still slated to show its collection on May 7 in Capri, Italy, and Dior plans to host an event on May 9 in Lecce, Italy.
Due to the spread of the coronavirus, fashion weeks scheduled for Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul have either been canceled or moved to a later date. Some showrooms have also reportedly shuttered early, despite buying appointments typically extending into mid-March, in the wake of many retailers issuing travel restrictions or bans for their employees.
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