Last Updated on September 28, 2011
Carolina Herrera, Pre-Fall 2011
The problem with Pre-Fall 2011 is that you want to wear these clothes now. Ironically, when the time comes for them to be worn, they'll already be out of fashion. We'll be mad about Fall/Winter 2011/2012 then, just like Pre-Fall 2011 has now replaced Spring/Summer 2011. Did I mention that officially we haven't even plunged into winter 2010 yet?
What is the point of releasing collections so far in advance? It's "to allow the press and buyers a chance to preview fashion designs for the following season. [...] also to allow time for retailers to arrange to purchase or incorporate the designers into their retail marketing." (Wikipedia)
In essence, this is the only way the fashion industry can work. It can't be changed unless you establish a completely different system (which I think will happen at some point, but not very soon).
I fit into the current system as a fashion blogger, but not as a consumer.
I like writing about Fall/Winter collections in spring (just after they've been released) because I'm excited about the clothes, concepts and inspirations. Waiting to cover F/W collections until it actually gets cold would bore me. However, I feel that thinking about what I'll wear next fall and winter when we're just getting out of winter is a little too much. It doesn't allow you to fully focus on the present.
Then again, maybe I'm just old-fashioned (pun intended).
Yup, I agree, it's more than too much. I felt weird about writting about SS2011 in the beginning of the autumn, but writting about pre-fall.. They kinda get over the line there. Great text btw, I love it :)
XoXo
Venoma
http://www.venomafashionfreak.blogspot.com
Thanks dear! :) Long time no see, btw. I don't think writing about collections months in advance is that bad, if you're into it you have to do it sooner or later anyway.
It always cracks me up when fashion magazines do features on items from the actual season though - at first glance it's like "lol you guys are so behind", but in fact I do like that approach.
...and how many times can we ''sleep on'' a piece of apparel, before it hits the shelves.
Exactly, if you want to buy something fashion-y that's really in demand, that option vanishes into thin air. If you don't get it immediately, by the time you're ready it'll be sold out.
Before we never saw these prefall and resort collections. It's too much information. I like how Tom Ford did not release images of his collection until it was going to be available in stores. I lose track. I don't look at the collections until their actual seasons, it's too much information overload.
I've always loved your blog because of that. Sometimes I read your posts and realize I have a little trouble recalling the collection, although it's supposed to be worn right now.
Don't want to be a party pooper. But I feel that for the last two or three years not a lot has changed. S/S and then A/W the next season something else and the third time around it repeats itself. I'm buying things for s/s 2011 from net-a-porter this days, and I think i was buying almost the same things in s/s 2009.
Or maybe it's just that time of a year when everything looks the same :).
I feel the same more or less. Some of the current trends have been trends for literally years, which puzzles me (fashion repeats itself, but there's always room for more innovative repetitions or even something we haven't seen before). To me, it's always only particular collections that stand out (like Prada S/S11) while the overall impression is just decent.
Yeah I agree that it's info overload, I don't even look at the collections as something wearable because it's so far off, I look at them with some blogger curiosity as something conceptual but I don't think, ok what would I wear from this collection
Great question and one that warrants a whole dissertation. Why, indeed! I believe this is one aspect of fashion that is completely out of date and will change soon enough along with the evolution of the runway show. Being a fashion journalist, too, I get so confused when I look in fashion magazines (geared to the consumer) and see looks that I saw on the runway six months previously. Bloggers are bridging the gap between consumer and industry so we may have a say in this shift as well.
Yes it's true, but I will talk about layers and cold until February I swear! Ahah! No, I'm kidding, but I didn't notice much fuss about prefall actually these days! WE're all still about faux fur jackets and boots! ;D
Your article stresses a good point. In fact, that is the dilemma we faced for our website (http://www.designerdenimjeansfashion.com). But we decided to feature season collections around 1-2 months before it hits stores.
Here's an excerpt from our Overview
"While most fashion magazines feature designer’s collections more or less six months ahead, the clothing line presented is practically not available yet to the public. It’s great to know ahead of time what the next “in” thing is but if you can’t get a hold of it now then it would be useless at that time.
So DDJF, brings in the current collections yet give it 1-2 months before it hits the stores up until its ongoing season. This makes people appreciate the clothing line more when they know that they have access to the apparel once they go online or try it on the store. The current season, the ongoing weather, the type of collections presented, the thematic designs of style and the special jeanswear on hand will encourage fashionistas to get involved right away."
Thus, we cater a tad towards the consumer side.