Fashion brands know the lengthy process of creating designs that match the latest trends, figuring out how to manufacture the products, and shipping them to retailers around the world. Both consumers and businesses are becoming tired and burnt out. Would it be a good idea to return to the longer, seemingly out-of-style fashion seasons?
Fashion brands know the lengthy process of creating designs that match the latest trends, figuring out how to manufacture the products, and shipping them to retailers around the world, then repeating the process every month or every year.
Both consumers and businesses are becoming tired and burnt out. Would it be a good idea to return to the longer, seemingly out-of-style fashion seasons?
We believe so. Fashion brands and their customers will both benefit from a return to fewer but longer fashion seasons.
Fast fashion has pushed the industry into a quicker cycle of seasons and even broken regular seasons down into micro seasons.
It’s a shame because longer seasons for fashion are better for maintaining brands and keeping sane. Longer seasons allow brands to do the necessary research and create new designs. If the industry returns to longer seasons, you won’t need to sprint every month to determine what designs and trends look best.
You may be concerned that, in terms of trends and longer seasons, your designs will quickly become obsolete. When you spend more time researching macro-trends and figuring out design ideas, your products will last longer.
You won’t need to coordinate as many logistics, such as shipping and distribution, since your brand will not be releasing new products each month. Your products will be produced with more care, and you can charge a higher price for them. You may be tempted to move your manufacturing to countries with larger skilled craftsman industries, which can deliver a better product and have a more stable and reliable brand-manufacturer relationship.
Finally, each new product that your brand produces requires a thorough quality assessment. The more products you pay each month, the greater your chance of making mistakes and wasting material. Your QA office will have more time to review and assess your products.
Impact of Longer Fashion Seasons on Consumers
It’s hard to understand what consumers think, but fast trends and shorter seasons can also frustrate them. Nobody wants to constantly have to update their closet for trends that are quickly out of fashion. Also, no one wants to buy a product they can only wear a couple of times before it becomes outdated or falls apart. It then becomes unused and useless in the closet. Spending a little more on durable items that can be worn for a longer period and will hold up to the daily wear and tear is advisable for consumers.
By offering longer fashion seasons, you also give your products a chance to sit on a rack and sell out completely, reducing the risk of deadstock and lost profits. Your consumers will also have more time to become aware of your seasonal products and to try them out.
Offering longer fashion seasons signals to your customers that you are confident in the durability of your product and its ability to be worn as part of an everyday outfit.
Shifts in production due to longer fashion seasons
What changes would you see in your entire production process if fashion seasons were to be extended? It means your brand can breathe and focus more on each stage.
You won’t have to burn through manufacturers or search for ones who can quickly change their product capabilities. You can source from areas with skilled artisans who are able to not only design your products but also make them durable and well-made. They may have the ability to sew and cut more complicated patterns, which will benefit your brand.
You can also source and select better and more diverse materials, which would have been harder to obtain in mass during shorter, faster fashion seasons. You can charge more for your product as the consumer will be able to wear it more often.
Finally, the longer seasons mean that logistics and shipping don’t have to be planned and managed on a regular basis. It will be easier to track down lost or delayed shipments by choosing the fastest and most affordable carrier.
Fashion brands and consumers alike will benefit from longer seasons. They can enjoy a more extended lifecycle of products and styles, eliminate the hassle of trends and fads, and spend their fashion dollars wisely.
