If there's one thing fashion has completely outgrown, it's the idea of showing a clothing collection months before it arrives in stores. Social media has changed the way we interact with fashion and it just doesn't make any sense to see a photo on Instagram and then wait months to buy something from it. That separation between seeing the clothes and buying them needs to change and the CFDA is exploring new ways to address the issue. According to WWD, the CFDA has brought in consulting group to float the idea of rearranging the fashion schedule and making events like New York Fashion Week more consumer-friendly.
The basic idea: have buyers see the collection up-close a few months in advance, make their selections and then have designers show in-season collections on the runway as they arrive in stores. A direct outcome that may come along with the change would be an increase in full-price sales. Buying full-price is much better for stores than from the sales rack. We all wait so long to buy clothing on steep discount because we've been patient enough already. But if you get really hyped about a piece you just saw on the runway, you may impulse buy rather than wait for it to hit sale. The idea has merit, but we'd have to wait to see if it actually works for consumers. The consensus among industry insiders is that something has to change though. Maybe the schedule is the first step. Of course, this is all still very preliminary. But it's an intriguing idea nonetheless.
