The spring/summer 2021 season was a game changer  for the fashion industry. The pandemic made designers make decisions about whether to present a collection as usual, do it virtually or just skip it all together. In some ways, the circumstances made fashion production get creative in terms of how to do the runway show. Designers had fashion shows in fields rooftops and on open streets. Now the statistics are out.

Data and analytics firm Listen First has shared figures on how brands fared this Paris Fashion Week, concluding that those who blended a catwalk show with digital aspects fared far better than those who opted for online only.

The message is clear, the traditional runway show, with attendees works best!

The firm added that there were ways to encourage engagement with digital-only productions. This includes  featuring influencers in the event. 

However, on the whole, these stats suggest that the live events are not dead. The catwalk runway show is here to stay. Nothing has quite the attention-grabbing appeal of a live fashion show. It brings the most viewership and revenue, and the format will likely be back for most brands post-pandemic.