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The Changing Rhythm of Luxury Fashion

The rhythms of fast fashion companies seem to be reverberating across RTW and luxury fashion and, in particular, fur fashion is feeling the impact.  The immediacy afforded by social media means fashion shows and presentations are live streamed and images are up on Instagram and Facebook within seconds.  “Fresh” and “new” has taken on new dimensions in the world of fashion as the consumer attention span grows shorter and shorter.

Luxury fashion. front row at fashion week

Front week at Fashion Week around the world looks entirely different than it did 10 years ago. Social media influencers have taken the place of traditional editorial

Luxury fashion. front row at fashion week

Luxury Fashion and style influence and blogger Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad

Fashion and style influence and blogger Chiara Ferragni, of The Blonde Salad, is a huge lifestyle influencer on Instagram

Luxury Fashion and style influence and blogger Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad

Luxury Fashion and style influencer Chiara Ferragni

rapper and luxury fashion connoisseur Nicki Minaj

Rapper Nicki Minaj continues to keep fur fashion at the forefront of her luxury connoisseur persona

rapper and luxury fashion connoisseur Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

New York socialite and luxury fashion style icon turned fashion model Olivia Palermo

New York socialite and luxury fashion style icon turned fashion model Olivia Palermo

Luxury Fashion is A Year-Round Trend

One of the manifestations of this has been the adoption of the “See Now Buy Now” business model that has driven many designers to rethink the seasonality of their collections.  Why show the sunny pastels and lightweight fabrics of spring in September as temperatures are about to drop and daylight will soon fade away?  Will the consumer even remember their favorite looks from the runways when it comes time to buy in 4 or 5 months?  Give the consumer something that they can purchase and wear immediately.   Cashmeres, woolens and even fur are now common in the “spring” shows that travel down the runways in September.  Some designers have seen success with this model, others not so much.  The tides continue to shift.

Luxury fashion Acne studios Resort 2018

Acne Studios Resort 2018

Luxury fashion Alena Akhmadullina Resort 2018

Alena Akhmadullina Resort 2018

Luxury fashion Dennis Basso Resort 2018

Dennis Basso Resort 2018

Luxury fashion Sally LaPointe Resort 2018

Sally La Pointe Resort 2018

Luxury fashionChanel Resort 2018

Chanel Cruise 2018

Luxury fashion Alexander McQueen Men's Spring 2018

Alexander McQueen Men’s Spring 2018

Luxury fashion Astrid Andersen Men's Spring 2018

Astrid Andersen Men’s Spring 2018

Luxury fashion Fendi Men's Spring 2018

Fendi Men’s Spring 2018

Another result is the disruption of the fashion calendar in its entirety as the “in-between” seasons grow in importance.   Pre-fall collections start rolling out in November, just a few weeks after the Spring/Summer presentations are complete. Schedules are not defined, and designers who seem to be on very different timetables are making it increasingly confusing  for buyers and consumers alike.  Cruise (resort),  traditionally the domain of more capsule collections is now dominated by full-fledged presentations and comes in June, practically at the same time as the European designers are presenting the spring menswear collections.  And by early July we’re already in fall haute couture.   If it seems like the parade of fashion is never ending, that’s because it isn’t.

luxury fashion Barbara Bui Pre-Fall 2017

Barbara Bui Pre-Fall 2017

luxury fashion Christian Siriano Pre-Fall 2017

Christian Siriano pre-fall 2017

luxury fashion Coach 1941 Pre-Fall 2017

Coach 1941 Pre-fall 2017

luxury fashion Dennis Basso Pre-Fall 2017

Dennis Basso Pre-Fall 2017

luxury fashion Fendi Pre-Fall 2017

Fendi Pre-Fall 2017

luxury fashion Givenchy Pre-Fall 2017

Givenchy Pre-Fall 2017

luxury fashion Miu Miu Pre-Fall 2017

Miu Miu Pre-Fall 2017

luxury fashion Phillip Plein Pre-Fall 2017

Phillip Plein Pre-Fall 2017

luxury fashion Sonia Rykiel Pre-Fall 2017

Sonia Rykiel Pre-Fall 2017

Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2018 Resort luxury fashion

Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2018 Resort

Elie Saab Bridal 2018 Spring/Summer luxury fashion

Elie Saab Bridal 2018 Spring/Summer

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2018 Resort

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2018 Resort

Valentino Spring/Summer 2018 Resort

Valentino Spring/Summer 2018 Resort

Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall 2017 luxury fashion

Elie Saab Couture Fall 2017

Azzedine Alaia Haute Couture Fall 2017 luxury fashion

Azzedine Alaia Couture Fall 2017

Alexandre Vauthier Haute Couture Fall 2017 luxury fashion

Alexandre Vauthier Couture Fall 2017

Ulyana Sergeenko Fall 2017 Haute Couture luxury fashion

Ulyana Sergeenko Fall 2017 Couture

Fendi Haute Couture Fall 2017 luxury fashion

Fendi Couture Fall 2017

A.F. Vandevorst Haute Couture Fall 2017 luxury fashion

A.F. Vandevorst Couture Fall 2017

For designers and brand marketers the pressure is intense.  For the rest of the world following closely on social media, it is a never-ending display of exciting new sartorial choices.  For fur, which continues to be a trademark of luxury fashion, this has meant an increasing presence on the runways and in look books year-round.  With new technologies and design innovations fur has been adapted to create outerwear and RTW looks for women and men that fits perfectly into each of the “seasons” that now comprise the crazy fashion calendar.  Look closely, as you are as likely to see that “must-have” fur jacket popping up in a spring collection as you are in the fall or cruise presentations.  Whatever the season, there is always something fresh and new and exciting in fur fashion.