Will designers need to manufacture in advance and take inventory risks if they decide to have in-season events?

No. While there may be benefits to brands from manufacturing lead-time reductions, the currently envisioned model does not necessitate changes to manufacturing lead-times. Orders would still be placed 4-6 months before store deliveries during more intimate buying appointments / presentations. This will not compress current manufacturing time and thus not impact quality, nor force designers to take inventory risks.

Will designers have to manage two shows for two different collections in the same week: a preview for trade and an in-season event?

No. The nature of the preview for buyers / press is up to each designer to determine. It could be a show or an event, or both, and could be managed by different teams at different times:

• For the trade preview, many buyers and long-lead press interviewees expressed that they don’t need a full-blown show for every brand but often prefer an intimate showroom presentation. What matters is the look, fit, and touch of the clothes as well as the designer’s statement behind the collections.
• Designers and brands that choose to hold in-season events could utilize their marketing, merchandizing, PR teams and external entertainment partners to execute the show based on the designer’s original ideas / vision.
• Some designers and wholesalers also suggested that the preview for buyers and long-lead press could happen after New York Fashion Week to avoid running both in parallel and have the potential added benefit of later delivery. However, it was also noted that this would push the buy behind European Fashion Weeks, which could raise concerns around the remaining Open-To-Buy for U.S. brands.

Is it realistic to think the collection previews for trade will remain secret with no leak?

Wholesalers and editors seemed to be willing to withhold images and think through the optimal timing with designers to maximize opportunities and impact for all. A few images may leak, but the impact of that is far lower than the entire collection being made public. Designers may also want to provide a limited number of “teaser” images that give a glimpse of what is to come to digital and social media.

Is New York Fashion Week going to become only a marketing and commercial event?

No. One of the common misconceptions around the concept of a “consumer-relevant” event is that consumers will be invited to the shows, and only shoppable items will be presented on stage. “Consumer-relevant” to our industry participants means scheduling communication at the right time with the right messages that fit the brand DNA. The event could still be a very creative and insider event with all the key influencers. This provides an opportunity to reinstate the focus on product and story-telling via more intimate presentations while protecting a designer’s original designs and reducing consumer fatigue of trends and designs.

Will it disadvantage brands with smaller budget?

One of the objectives of this study is to understand alternatives to the current model to alleviate pressures for young and emerging designers to have traditional, costly runway shows. The CFDA will take an active role in helping emerging designers determine the best model for their brands.

Only brands that have the budget and strategic interest for it will do the in-season event. An in-season event does not have to equal an expensive runway show; designers can explore opportunities to leverage technology and develop impactful events at a lower cost.

This also presents a stronger likelihood for partnership and sponsorship opportunities tied to consumer relevancy. The CFDA will explore specific opportunities to promote younger designers during New York Fashion Week in the upcoming years.

For designers experimenting with the new models, when would be the best time to transition? Several designers already announced plans to hold in-season events during the September Collections. We expect the number of designers testing new concepts to rise in the next 2-3 years.

The CFDA has developed some tools to help designers think about the transition with key considerations and tactical ideas / options to explore. We will support and follow designers experimenting with new ideas and encourage them to share appropriate feedback and tips with the community for our collective learning.

What if some designers and brands do not want to move to this new model?

The objective of this study is to provide guidelines for designers wishing to explore a change. The shift is not mandated, and the CFDA encourages designers to think about the best possible solution tailored to their brand DNA. The CFDA will continue to support all U.S. designers regardless of their decisions and manage the Fashion Calendar accordingly.

How will the CFDA manage the different formats of shows / events in the Fashion Calendar?

The CFDA will continue to own the Fashion Calendar and accommodate all types of shows and events. When registering, designers will be asked about the type of events / formats they are considering and the CFDA will develop a simple system to clearly distinguish the different types of events and help the press and buyers navigate the week.

Will Milan, Paris and London also move in the same direction?
This study was focused mostly on the U.S., but the CFDA initiated discussions with some international organizations facing similar challenges and considerations today. The CFDA will continue to foster this dialogue with the international community and will share findings with the British Fashion Council, la Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and La Fédération Française de la Couture, du Prêt-à-Porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode, understanding they are also conducting their own studies on the topic

What are the next steps on delivery timing? How will CFDA help?

This study has initiated a public and industry-wide discussion on the topic of delivery cycles with a clear call for action. There is a strong recognition of the increasing demand in our market for “buy now, wear now” merchandise. The dialogue needs to occur between brands and wholesalers / retailers to gradually adjust deliveries to the season. The CFDA will initially facilitate such discussions by bringing key stakeholders together through specific workshops / panel discussions over the upcoming year.