New York: New York Fashion Week started on Thursday on a gloomy note, with a Chinese designer who presents his goods to a partially empty room in the midst of fearing that the Coronavirus could force labels of the Asian giant to cancel their catwalks.
“Mukzin is perhaps the only Chinese brand you will see during this New York Fashion Week,” said a announcer before he introduced the autumn-winter 2020 collection of designer Kate Han.
The Compere referred to the deadly virus that killed more than 560 people and led to a global alarm because it spreads around the world like “a disaster and a sad, sad story”.
“We are not only here to present the large pieces of the design, but we also see Chinese people and the people around the world, we have strong will and strength and love because of all the difficulties and hardships,” she added.
There were rows of empty seats, a rarity for the New York Fashion Week, at the start of Han’s parade of designs that merge traditional Chinese influences with a modern turn.
This week a cloud hangs on the involvement of Chinese designers, buyers and journalists because of the deadly coronavirus.
The Chinese label Sheguang has said that the show in New York will also take place and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), which helps to run Fashion Week, says it has no information about possible cancellations.
But Chinese fashion houses Angela Chen, Ricostru and Hui have already canceled the catwal performances later this month on Milan Fashion Week because of the virus.
About 1,000 Chinese buyers, journalists, stylists and other industrial staff will also miss the event, have said Italian officials.
“I felt very confident and very safe here to make the show,” said Han.
