There are more seasons!

There was a time, not so long ago, when things were pretty clear and efficient. In September, fashion houses presented their women’s collections for the coming summer, while winter lines were shown in March. The men’s collections also had their place in the calendar: in January and June, just like the haute couture collections, in January and July.

A system set up by the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion in 1973, which kicked off with the event called “The Battle of Versailles”: five French designers – Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, Christian Dior (at the time led by Marc Bohan), Pierre Cardin and Hubert de Givenchy – and five American designers – Anne Klein, Halston, Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass and Stephen Burrows – competing in daring at a major charity evening organized at the Palace of Versailles.

Fashion weeks were then gradually structured and organized in the major fashion capitals, New York, London and Milan. But that was before. Before what? That some brands decide to play it solo, to show their collections when it suits them. One of the first to break the rules was Azzedine Alaïa. ” The collection comes out when it’s ready. For a long time, I have said that this escalation of catwalks is bad for creation. No one has so many ideas per season », He confided to World, in 2016.

Sell ​​winter in winter and summer in summer

In recent seasons, more and more labels have taken this freedom, while sometimes choosing to merge their feminine and masculine lines on the same podium. During the last edition of New York Fashion Week, at the beginning of September, many big names were missing: Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs… In London, Burberry chose to present its collection Monday September 27, a week after the close of London Fashion Week.

In May 2020, the house of Gucci announced for its part to give up Milan Fashion Week to present two annual collections, on indefinite dates. The next collection is expected to be unveiled in November in Los Angeles. This spring-summer 2022 Parisian season, which began on Monday, September 27, will notably be without Celine or Mugler, who will present later, at a time deemed opportune. Conversely, Saint Laurent, who had announced to leave the official calendar in April 2020, returns to the podiums on Tuesday, September 28.

These defections are part of a broader reflection on the frantic pace of fashion, the production and overconsumption of clothing. The Belgian designer Dries Van Noten spoke in May 2020 through an open letter signed by several of his peers – Marine Serre, Joseph Altuzzara, Tory Burch… – asking to rationalize the official calendar, to reduce the number of sales practiced by brands and to adapt the marketing of clothing in accordance with the reality of the seasons: selling winter in winter and summer in summer. The health crisis, which has forced homes to reinvent themselves through videos, has opened up new perspectives.

Article reserved for our subscribers Read also Reducing unnecessary travel, rethinking catwalks … an open letter for a profound change in fashion

source site