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Must Read: How Fashion Has Embraced Digital From Lockdown, What's Next for Bergdorf Goodman?

Plus, the first round of recipients of "Vogue" and the CFDA's "A Common Thread" grants are announced.

These are the stories making headlines on Thursday.

How fashion has embraced digital from lockdown — and what that means moving forward
The fashion industry is slowly starting to reopen in some countries, but many are still living — and trying to go about their jobs — from lockdown. Worldwide stay-at-home orders have forced many companies to speed up their digitization efforts over the past few weeks, as a way to keep business going. Whether it's by improving the e-commerce experience, opening virtual showrooms or coming up with alternative ways to show collections, the global pandemic has brought attention to how fashion is still behind when it comes to embracing technological advancements. "This moment is going to be a catalyst for the industry to embrace digital more," Drake Watten, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group, told WWD. {WWD}

With Neiman Marcus filing for bankruptcy, what's next for Bergdorf Goodman?
Earlier this month, Neiman Marcus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and it didn't take long for some to wonder what would happen to its parent company's assets — namely, Bergdorf Goodman, which it has owned since the '80s. In Vogue, former employees, designers and industry players talk about the New York store's influence and how that might help it weather this storm. "Bergdorf's has always symbolized the idea of connoisseurship — the best customers looking for the best product, at the best location, in the best city in the world," Michael Kors, for whom the retailer played a pivotal role in launching his design career, told Vogue. Bergdorf Goodman's reopening plans haven't yet been announced, but many in the industry remain hopeful that its story is not yet over. {Vogue}

First round of grant recipients from Vogue and the CFDA's "A Common Thread" announced
On Thursday, the CFDA released a list of U.S. brands, retailers and factories that will receive the first round of grants from its and Vogue's "A Common Thread" initiative, around $2.13 million to be distributed among 44 businesses. The money will go "towards rehiring laid off or furloughed employees, making rent payments and payments to factories or manufacturers, the production of future collections, and digital marketing and e-commerce updates, among others," according to the CFDA. Recipients include Area, Bode, Brother Vellies, Collina Strada, Eckhaus Latta, Jonathan Cohen, Prabal Gurung, Rodarte, Ryan Roche and Telfar; the full list is available here. {CFDA}

Them's virtual Pride celebration to feature Hayley Kiyoko, Shangela, Edward Enninful, Tegan & Sara and more
Them announced an initial list of talent that would appear on its virtual Pride celebration, Out Now Live, slated for June 22. The Condé Nast publication revealed that among those confirmed were Aquaria, Naomi Campbell, Lea DeLaria, Asia Kate Dillon, Nyle DiMarco, Billy Eichner, Edward Enninful, Victor Garber, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy O. Harris, Hayley Kiyoko, Michael Kors, Judith Light, Cynthia Nixon, Antoni Porowksi, Zac Posen, Shangela, Raven Symoné, Julio Torres, Sasha Velour and Evan Rachel Wood, with more to be revealed closer to the date. {Fashionista Inbox}

PR Consulting closes its L.A. office
WWD reports that PR Consulting has closed its L.A. office, which opened in 2013 — adding to the list of public relations agencies that have had to reduce operations following loss of business due to the ongoing pandemic. Though the company didn't comment on or confirm whether staffing was affected, this closure comes after layoffs at PR Consulting's New York headquarters in March. {WWD}

What will happen to Forty Five Ten?
It seems that the future of the buzzy concept store Forty Five Ten is uncertain, like that of many retail businesses amid the coronavirus crisis. Business of Fashion reports that staffing at the company has been reduced from around 100 employees to five and that stores in locations where lockdowns were lifted weeks ago remain closed. Kristen Cole, Forty Five Ten's president and chief creative officer, was furloughed in March, and eventually laid off; she told BoF: "We were really poised to be a big player … everything has changed now." {Business of Fashion}

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