Paris (AFP)

A year ago, Saint Laurent was the first to break with fashion weeks in the face of the changes brought about by the pandemic.

Since Gucci, Celine, Balenciaga and others do as they see fit.

What pleases and sells.

The Belgian stylist of Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello, gives a virtual appointment Wednesday afternoon for the fall-winter 2021 collection, two months after the week of women's ready-to-wear in Paris.

The previous digital parade of the Parisian house in December took place in the desert, a universe opposed to the traditional setting of the Saint-Laurent shows before the health crisis: at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

The Italian Alessandro Michele, artistic director of Gucci, also surprised with his Aria collection two weeks ago celebrating the 100 years of the Italian brand with an unprecedented freedom.

- "Piracy" Gucci-Balenciaga -

The Gucci and Balenciaga logos, side by side, adorn accessories and certain pieces of clothing, the cut of which recalls the lines of Demna Gvasalia, stylist of Balenciaga and friend.

With the agreement of the latter.

This is not a collaboration but "piracy", joked Alessandro Michele.

A stroke of "genius" for New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, giving an "anti-establishment" taste to a "multi-billion dollar brand yet well integrated into the system."

In the process, Demna Gvasalia presented a Balenciaga collection with "photoshoped" images of models posing against the backdrop of major tourist sites around the world.

On social networks, is presented a video with pets and waves, without clothes: a "feel good" film according to Gvasalia, which contrasts with its previous post-apocalyptic and anxiety-provoking parades.

"Of course, there is more responsibility in this chosen rhythm", explained Alessandro Michele in an interview with WWD, the bible of fashion, while saying to feel "free" and to have found "the passion to experiment" .

"Fashion is not over and never will end - regardless of any Fashion Week, it is a representation of life and can be self-managed," he said.

The figures confirm this observation: in the first quarter, sales of industry giants such as Kering (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga ...) and its competitor LVMH exceeded their levels before the pandemic.

Asia remains a driving force: LVMH achieved sales there, up 86% compared to 2020, Kering by 83%.

- China, a "promising market" -

It is in Shanghai that the Gucci-Balenciaga collection will be presented in the coming weeks, as will the men's ready-to-wear collection by Berluti (LVMH) on April 8.

It is "a buoyant market" and "the only place where one can present the clothes to a living public", explained to AFP the artistic director of Berluti, Kris Van Assche, who left the house during the week. last.

His departure coincided with announcements from Berluti CEO Antoine Arnault that the house will now have its own timetable "to maintain know-how and innovation".

Without warning, Hedi Slimane of Celine (LVMH) has already done it with two poetic films shot in castles, featuring the "adolescent knights" in Chambord in February for the men's collection and placing his women's fashion show unveiled on April 14 in Vaux-le-Vicomte.

Flexibility due to the health crisis or the beginning of the end of Fashion weeks?

Pascal Morand, executive president of the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion, wants to believe in a return to normal.

"If everyone leaves the system, everyone loses. In this context, it is good that there are safeguards, elements of credibility" such as the official calendar, he told l 'AFP in January on the occasion of the virtual Fashion week.

© 2021 AFP