Everyone knows about the biannual fashion weeks hosted around the world, but what do brands do between the big runway displays that attract people every corner of the globe?
The two major fashion weeks where most major houses are guaranteed to show collections are spring and fall. Many people think there is a break for designers after fashion week, but the show always must go on.
Brands may choose to present collections in between spring and fall, during pre-fall and resort season. There is no official fashion week for these in between times, so each brand acts on their own schedule.
June is the unofficial resort season, also known as Cruise and Pre-Spring. Resort season usually takes place in late May to early June, a few months after the fall runway shows held in the spring. After showing collections in the early summer, orders are placed and the styles are available for sale as early as October in time for the holiday season.
The full fashion cycle in order, is spring (September shows) pre-fall (December shows), fall (February shows), and resort (June shows). The fashion industry stays about six months to a year ahead of the calendar in order to provide enough time for fashion shows, production and distribution time.
The addition of resort collections was established because the wealthy who traveled to tropical destinations during the winter created a demand for new designs. Department stores were only carrying winter clothes when they were planning their trips, opening up the market as it is today.
DID YOU KNOW: Coco Chanel was the first to address his need for her clientele, creating the resort season with her 1919 collection.
Over more than 100 years later, the season has transformed, now catering to all seasons and the winter holiday sale market.
Designers usually present smaller collections during Resort and Pre-fall season, saving their grand moments for the major fashion weeks where there is the most publicity. Since 2020, many designers have opted to continue to present their collections solely online and through to the media versus holding an in-person show.
Resort and Pre-fall season are not as well known, but they do have their advantages. Smaller seasons provide an opportunity for designers to be more daring with new concepts, gauging the public reaction, and applying that feedback to their upcoming large scale spring/fall show.
This is also a season where designers who's aesthetic matches the resort/holiday season get to shine. For example, designer Christopher John Rogers has become known for his fun annual resort collections.
Following along as we review some of the biggest names in fashion’s Resort collections! Let us know what shows you’d like us to review in the comments.
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