Harrogate Fashion Week postponed to August

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
May 27, 2020

Organisers of Harrogate Fashion Week announced this week that the trade show will be postponed to 23-24 August because of the coronavirus crisis and disruptions to the buying season. The event was originally scheduled to take place on 26-27 July.

“This has been such a difficult time for every business and our industry feels it needs to work together and look to the future. SS is such an important season in the buying calendar that to miss it for a whole year could dramatically affect many of our exhibitors and boutiques,” said event director Sarah Moody.

The trade show said that despite the uncertainty, demand from buyers and exhibitors encouraged organisers to consider hosting the event at a later date at Harrogate Convention Centre.

But the next edition of Harrogate Fashion Week could come with some changes, with Moody saying that some buyers have commented “they would feel safer visiting a more intimate and focused show to buy this season”.

Event director Wendy Adams explained: “There are still a lot of decisions and planning to take place, as most importantly we need to ensure the safety of both our exhibitors and visitors attending, but we do feel with the help of HCC we can make this possible.”

The announcement comes as clothing stores prepare to welcome back customers from 15 June under new government guidelines. The date could change if reductions in Covid-19 infections fail to meet expectations and customers are being urged to “exercise restraint” by not trying on clothing when shops reopen to prevent the spread of the virus.