When it comes to fashion retail during the Covid-19 pandemic, the conversation has centered mostly on the overall viability of a retailer and their strategies to overcome the decrease in brick and mortar shopping. And this makes sense, considering the onslaught of bankruptcies that were unleashed in the spring and the real concern these closings would have on employment and the overall economy. However, for those companies that were in a strong enough position to avoid bankruptcy, their focus became two-fold: energize their online sales and re-open brick and mortar. And while the latter was welcomed in theory, in practice it meant store line employees at fashion retailers were put at the forefront of a health crisis, making them more vulnerable to Covid-19 itself, as well as front and center in the mask debate.Christopher Lacy, former Director of Customer Experience, Learning and Development at Barneys New York and now an Assistant Professor at Parsons School of Design points out that “Crises inform you the old system can no longer be maintained and that there is a need to change.” While the pandemic has certainly had an outsized negative effect on the retail industry, it could also serve as an opportunity for retailers to reset and refocus, beyond sales numbers. It’s a chance for them to rebuild trust between all constituents, the customers, the home office, and most specifically the store line employees who are central to the success of any retail business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices