Fashion after Coronavirus by Emmy Award Winning Designer Shelley Komarov
Fashion after Coronavirus
by Emmy Award Winning Designer Shelley Komarov
After months of wearing sweatpants and maybe, at best, donning a statement shirt and necklace for a particularly important Zoom meeting, the question is: how will dressing up look as the world slowly begins to reopen following the Covid-19 pandemic?
Fashion can be a good barometer of the state of the world and of people’s outlook about the future.
Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s creative director, believes we will want beautiful things once we are out of this pandemic.
Let’s look at history for answers. Some of the most interesting periods in fashion followed huge historic calamities. Right after WWII, Christian Dior’s “New Look” was comprised of radical femininity that created a revolution in fashion, and that after years of austerity and mandated fabric rationing.
Going further back in history, we enter “The Roaring Twenties” that followed WWI and the Spanish Flu pandemic. The 20’s became a decade of economic prosperity, renewed enjoyment of life, and breaking with many traditions and taboos to redefine fashion. Jazz Age and the dance craze, raccoon hats, bootlegging, flappers, throwing away inhibitions - that decade saw it all. The war was over and people were ready to relax and indulge. A new woman was born - fashionable, independent, eager to consume the latest in fashion. She drank, danced and smoked. The styles became bolder and more seductive, with emphasis on youth: skirts above the knee, long pearl beads, feather head bands, cloche hats, boas, silk/rayon stockings, long elegant cigarette holders.
So, what should we expect when it is our turn to come out of these troubled times? After crises comes celebration. So, post-Coronavirus fashion could bring colorful fabrics, maximalist shapes, bold combination of styles, and unrestricted silhouettes. However, our mindsets have been already altered by the comfort and convenience of the casual approach, which means we might want easy-to-wear, durable items rather than blindly following the most hyped trends.
Fittingly, floral maxi dresses will be trending for the coming months, perfect for the brunch mornings and leisurely outdoor afternoons.
After months of confinement people will be eager to spend with new vigor.
The impact that the Covid-19 crises will leave on the fashion industry will be significant, but the brands that are prepared to adapt and offer customers the right combination of comfort coupled with feminine style will have the best chance to succeed.
HISTORY
Shelley Komarov is the founder and Creative Director of Komarov Enterprises, Inc. Hailing from St. Petersburg, Russia, Shelley immigrated with her husband Boris and small son Dimitri to the United States in 1977. Having had experience making costumes for the Kirov Ballet in Russia, she sought a career in costume design for film and television when she landed in Los Angeles in 1978.
During her 25 years as a costume designer, Shelley was honored with four Emmy awards for her work on Peter the Great, The Kennedy’s of Massachusetts, Frank Sinatra and Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. She was charged with the responsibility of costuming over forty productions from feature films to miniseries. Needless to say, after fitting thousands of cast members, including Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Matthew McConaughey, Jack Lemmon and George Clooney to name a few, Mrs. Komarov understands how clothing should fit.
Being that her work required a great deal of travel, she became personally frustrated with the lack of style, fit and availability in garments that travel well. Such was the impetus for creating KOMAROV, a beautiful line of women’s sportswear and dresses. Reflecting Shelley’s love of architecture and art, all of the garments are pleated using both modern methods and the age-old artistry of hand pleating. Each piece is hand made at their Los Angeles studio.
KOMAROV was established in 1997 with Shelley Komarov, Dimitri Komarov (Shelley’s Son) and Dmitry Liberman at the helm. Shelley has now bid the film business goodbye in order to dedicate all of her attention to the demands of her busy clothing company and the love of her life, her granddaughter, Ava.
PHILOSOPHY
“As a Costume designer, I often travel the world and live out of a suitcase. From my own experience, I know how difficult it can be to maintain clothes. As the world is getting smaller and we spend more time traveling, working, etc., we have less time for ironing, alterations, and maintenance. We just want to stuff our clothes into the bag and go. The line sets itself apart with its signature pleating that produces a unique surface texture while enabling each piece to naturally conform to the wearer's body shape. Manufactured in Los Angeles, Komarov utilizes a special heat process that permanently bends natural and man-made fibers resulting in the kind of luxurious fabrics that recall the works of Mario Fortuny and Issey Miyake. My dream has always been to create clothes that have a 21st century vibe. I feel that I have accomplished this with the Komarov collection”.
FABRIC
Komarov utilizes the finest natural and man-made fabric blends, most of which are from meticulously selected yarns and created specifically for Komarov before undergoing the line's special pleating process. Each piece is hand printed so no two are exactly the same.
FIT
Each Komarov piece conforms or expands to fit the body so the fit is uniquely your own. Komarov has made pleating relevant to modern lifestyles with fabrications that provide unbeatable fit. Though strict quality control is imposed for manufacturing consistency, the process itself produces slight variations that make each garment almost one of a kind.
EASY TO CARE FOR
The collection is hand or machine washable, wrinkle-free and lightweight. Ideal for the busy business or leisure traveler who wants to look chic at a moment's notice without the need for dry cleaning.
Website: https://komarov.com/