Enjoying art without distractions is the motivation behind the phone-free fashion show among the public that Pinterest is planning for London Fashion Week, which will take place between September 17 and 21. The platform has teamed up with designer Claudia Smith to shape her debut, titled “Beyond REGARD”, and create a unique and pioneering experience at the British fashion event.
The show will take place on September 20 at the British Museum, making it the first individual haute couture show by a black British designer at the museum. The particular location will be combined with the absence of telephones in the front row (first row) to enhance disconnection and enjoyment of the moment.
As explained by Pinterest, the goal is for attendees to be able to focus on the art, without distractions. To do this, the platform and the designer have created crossbody bags specially designed for the occasion: each bag comes in a striking red color that evokes the gemstone theme of the collection and is hand-embroidered. Attendees will be invited to save their phones for the grand finale and take the bags home as souvenirs, intended to inspire future phone-free moments.
“Claudia Smith used Pinterest to shape a collection based on craftsmanship, creativity and extraordinary attention to detail, which made this collaboration a natural fit for us.“explained Claudine Cheever, Pinterest’s Chief Marketing Officer, in a statement. “Together, we wanted to create a runway experience that reflected the best of Pinterest: turning inspiration discovered online into something meaningful in the real world.”.
For her part, Claudia Smith points out that haute couture deserves to be enjoyed in person, and to be seen and felt in the moment. “Collaborating with Pinterest to create a phone-free front row allows our guests to give their full attention to the art before them, reflecting a value we both share: that inspiration found online can become something much more powerful when experienced in the real world”, he expressed.
“Collaborating with Pinterest to create a phone-free front row allows our guests to attend to the art”
“Beyond REGARD” is the first haute couture collection from the Claudia Smith London brand, and is inspired by the historic Gem Alphabet, a jewelry language in which gems were selected by their initials to form words, names and feelings. The title is made up of the initials of ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst, ruby again and diamond.
The collection brings this particular language to haute couture, transcending jewelry to express its color and emotional meaning in garments. It stands out for its sculptural forms, embroidery work, the use of crystals, hand-made beads and textile craftsmanship. As explained by Pinterest, the designer has found inspiration on the platform, and has created a board that shows the references and textures behind the creative process. This board will be expanded after the show to include official images of the final collection and the show.
The company assures that the initiative seeks to promote the physical experience in a context in which fashion is increasingly experienced through a screen. He also points out that it is aligned with his philosophy of helping people discover inspiration online, but encouraging them to translate it into real life in a personal and tangible way.
