The 5 most 'WTF' moments in the fashion industry in 2020

In an already very complicated year, the fashion industry has continued its course in a way that is anything but mellifluous, reserving, as usual, great surprises and twists. In times of impossible collaborations and unexpected joint ventures, 2020 of the fashion industry has seen exceptional cases of musical chairs, the so-called game of chairs involving the creative directors of fashion brands, which sees the alternation at the helm of the major Maisons the best-known designers of the moment. 

In such a particular year the fashion industry has rediscovered its political commitment, first with the protests of the Black Lives Matter, later with the invitation to vote for the American presidential elections, creating ad hoc merch and collections and bringing the art of protest even on the covers of the most influential fashion magazines. Another dominant theme was sustainability, with new practices and emerging brands devoted to the cause. However, in this particular ranking, nss magazine has decided to focus on the most relevant media moments, the ones that are also those capable of triggering truly epochal changes. In twelve eventful months, despite lockdowns and restrictions, the fashion industry has given just the right amount of soap opera moments. nss magazine has collected below the most unexpected and exciting moments of the last twelve months of fashion. 

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons' co-creative direction

With a press conference announced at the last moment on a cold Sunday morning, Miuccia Prada welcomed the journalists alongside the man who would soon become the creative co-director of the historic Milan brand. That shy Belgian designer was none other than Raf Simons, who with his presence confirmed the rumours that in the previous months had become increasingly insistent. It's hard to remember such a positive and expectant welcome for an announcement of this magnitude, especially given the unprecedented meeting between two designers as Prada and Simons, two creatives who have written the history of fashion, each with their obsessions and their own rituals. The first joint fashion show unveiled digitally last September, was only the first step of a total and all-encompassing collaboration, which aims to merge two highly identifying imaginaries, and therefore certainly successful. Given the authority of the names involved, it's probable (and possible) that this new type of collaboration inaugurated by Simons and Prada could become a trend, starting from the assumption that two creative directors might be better than one. 

The release of the Air Dior 

Technically, we started talking about what is perhaps the greatest example of luxury sneaker ever in December of last year, after the Pre-Fall 2020 fashion show held in Miami in which Kim Jones unveiled an Air Jordan 1 never seen before, enriched in the Swoosh by the monogram of the French Maison. In the following months, the wait became increasingly urgent, due to the constant leak of images, the lookbook of the apparel collection, and the endorsement of Travis Scott and other celebrities. The spread of the pandemic delayed even further the release of the sneaker. At the time of the drop, in any case, the procedure for attempting the purchase was anything but simple, given Dior's attempt to make the release as exclusive and limited as possible. Beyond the actual success of the sneaker (take a look at the resell prices of the shoe on StockX to get an idea), the meeting between Dior, Kim Jones and Nike has exasperated the idea of ​​luxury sneakers to the maximum, taking the concept to such a high and unrepeatable level that paradoxically it could mark the end of luxury streetwear as we know it. 

Kim Jones' appointment at Fendi

Let's talk once again about the creative director of Dior Homme, undoubtedly one of the protagonists of the fashion industry over the last few months. Yes, because after the great uproar caused by his latest collections for Dior, Kim Jones announced last September, in a completely unexpected way, his arrival at the helm of Fendi. The position now occupied by Jones is actually very delicate as well as coveted, as this appointment makes him the direct heir of Karl Lagerfeld, former artistic director of Fendi women's collections - a vacant position that had never been officially assigned to anyone after the designer's death last year and temporarily held by Silvia Venturini Fendi. A few days ago, to increase the dose, Jones also announced that next January Fendi will be showing during the Fashion Week dedicated to Haute Couture. While new creative directors usually make their debut in ready-to-wear, the decision to make Jones debut with Haute Couture testifies to strong optimism. We'll see, confident that Jones will continue to dominate the industry over the next few months too. 

Gap's troubled collaborations 

It wasn't an easy year for Gap, which like other fast fashion brands paid dearly for the months of forced closure, which led to the closure of a large number of stores, especially in Europe. The year started out with the announcement of a collaboration with Telfar, the fastest-growing emerging brand in recent months, for a genderless collection that was supposed to redefine the identity of the fast-fashion chain, bringing it as close as possible to an audience of fashionistas, and at the same time making the American designer's work known to an even wider audience. However, when Gap itself announced a collaboration with Yeezy in June, the capsule with Telfar was quickly overshadowed, so much so that it was even cancelled, not without controversy. Kanye West's dream of a democratic fashion takes, therefore, shape, and will officially see the light in the first months of 2021. But not only. The peculiarity of the agreement sealed by West and Gap, which could amount to one billion dollars a year for the American brand, lies first of all in its duration - ten years - as well as the appointment of Mowalola Ogunlesi as the head of Yeezy Gap. Unusual, because in his career in fashion Kanye West has never chosen a rising designer like Mowalola, always preferring to find talents not discovered yet. Will Mr West be right? 

Stone Island's acquisition by Moncler 

The most important news for the Italian fashion industry came, once again by surprise, in recent weeks. Indeed, on December 7, the brand led by Remo Ruffini announced the acquisition of the brand led by Carlo Rivetti for 1.16 billion dollars. It's an impressive and absolutely historic operation, given that it's the first time in which two brands of this magnitude, unique for their archive, their research and innovation, but also for the connection they boast with the world of streetwear, join in what is a declaration of independence towards the big luxury conglomerates, such as LVMH and Kering. An important signal for Italian productivity in this troubled year and which officially marks the beginning of the New Luxury Italian Outerwear.