KAROLINA GEITS

Undercover New York City fashion constraints Revelations by famous model Karolina Geits

Empty gray streets, lonely sunbeams scraping through the majestic skyscrapers and silence ... New York has never been like this! The most popular city in the world with its raging pace of life is empty. About how life is going in NYC now, what restrictions are in place and how the fashion industry survives in quarantine, we decided to learn from the famous American model Karolina Geits.

Author: Karolina, please, tell us how your life changed during the quarantine period and what habits did you have to break?

Karolina: You know if initially quarantine, revolution and all sorts of restrictions were horrified, now you are getting used to it. It was unbearable for me to break sports, but I found an alternative for myself in outdoor activities and tennis. Meetings with friends in a cozy cafe have switched to conversations in zoom, trips to shops - to online shopping. Life for New Yorkers has never been home - people here do not bake pies without a special occasion and would rather have dinner in a cafe or bar room than cook at home. With the quarantine, this has changed a lot. I always try to look for the positive in everything, for example, due to the fact that many have left Manhattan - the real estate market has sagged and apartment rental prices have become slightly lower. For New York, with its ever-rising house prices, this is nonsense. I could not help but take advantage of the situation and move into a luxurious apartment on the Upper East Side with panoramic low windows sills, now I can shoot for brands with a view of the city from the comfort of my home (laughs - author).

Author: By the way, Fashion Week ended recently, what has changed and how was it like this year? And in general, how are things with the fashion industry and shooting?

Karolina: Most of the official parades this year took place online, some did take place, but were private - only for photographers and the press. The world of fashion went online. Nowadays, many people have gone digital, prints work mostly either by subscription or with pre-order delivery. Brands have increased online sales, they also close offline stores, save on rent and salaries. For example, Massimo Dutti has completely closed its stores in the United States, and Karen Millen almost went bankrupt and is represented only in London. People began to consume more consciously, the demand goes for home and comfortable clothes. Also famous in New York City, Century21, a chain of branded clothing outlets that has been successfully developing since 1961 and was represented by 13 retail stores across the state, went bankrupt. The queues were kilometer long, more than near Apple on the day of sales! But with so many going online, there is more work for the models, as everyone wants beautiful content.

Photos & Copyright Holder: Evgeny Milkovich @emilkovich • Model: Karolina Geits @karolinageits

Karolina: Of course, large-scale campaigns are impossible now, so the shooting has lost its scale. But there is a great virtue in the absence of a crowd of people on the streets - you can safely shoot street-style. New York is a city of inspiration and here every corner can become a unique photo zone. Now I mainly work in tandem with a photographer, often we travel by taxi from one location to another, so as not to contact anyone. If the shooting involves a lot of images, a stylist can come with us. Now is a very interesting and certainly challenging time for brands and not all of them will stand the test. But those who can adapt after the quarantine will rise up! If earlier it was necessary to have a good budget in order to be sold in showrooms or large stores, now there is one competition for everyone, since everyone buys online, then it does not matter where this brand comes from and where it is manufactured. I always try to support not only large and well-known brands, but also young designers. Next week I will shoot a campaign for two Ukrainian designers, but I’ll tell you about it next time.

Author: Thank you Karolina for your time and success in your future endeavors!

Photos & Copyright Holder: Evgeny Milkovich @emilkovich • Model: Karolina Geits @karolinageits