Chanel has scrapped plans for a fashion show in Beijing because of the coronavirus outbreak, which is hurting the bottom line of several luxury brands.
The venerable French fashion house decided to postpone its May show in the Chinese capital given “the current situation and following the guidance of Chinese authorities,” it said Tuesday.
Chanel did not give a new date for the show but said it plans to hold it at “a later and more appropriate moment.” The 111-year-old brand said it is monitoring the coronavirus situation with “the health and well-being of its teams and clients” as a priority.
The coronavirus outbreak has killed nearly 1,900 people, sickened thousands more and caused major business disruptions in China, an important market for luxury fashion firms.
Some high-end retailers have reportedly shuttered stores in China because of the outbreak — including British fashion label Burberry, which warned earlier this month that the coronavirus was slamming luxury demand in China and Hong Kong.
Labels owned by the French luxury giant Kering, including Gucci, are bracing for smaller audiences at their fashion shows this month. The conglomerate has also put off new store openings and spending on social media because of the virus.
“We are seeing a sharp drop in traffic and sales in mainland China,” Kering chairman Francois-Henri Pinault said last week.
With Post wires
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