Fashion needs a reset, but which button should it press? 

When Alessandro Michele released his manifesto for change to Gucci’s 40.5 million Instagram followers last week, a fashion industry debate entered the public forum. Since the coronavirus crisis set in, many in fashion have eyed an opportunity to improve the way in which collections are presented to the public, when clothes arrive in stores—and when they go on sale. In recent weeks, a number of distinct groups have petitioned proposals that could pose major changes to your future shopping habits. Here, Vogue rounds up the options:

#RewiringFashion 

Who is behind it?

Organised by The Business of Fashion, the proposal was created with designers Neil Barrett and Emilia Wickstead, Stefano Martinetto–owner of the fashion group Tomorrow Limited–and 61 founding signatories, from independent designers to CEOs and retailers on 14 May. It has since been signed by more than 1,800 members of the industry.

What would it mean for fashion shows?

#RewiringFashion wants fashion shows to take place just one month before the collections arrive in stores, effectively making the shows for the customers rather than for the industry. This way, you wouldn’t have to wait four or five months before you can get your hands on your most-wanted runway pieces. Fashion weeks would be genderless (doing away with separate women’s and men’s weeks) and scheduled for January/February and June. The initiative wants to terminate the public promotion of pre- collections, including the big brands’ cruise shows in exotic locations.

How would it affect the way we shop?

Cruise and pre-fall collections–the more commercial lines–would be sold to stores at the same time as the main collections. This means that pre-collections would arrive in stores in December/January and July/August, followed by main collections in February and September. This way, you could buy your winter coat when the weather is actually cold enough to wear it. The cut-price sales would be pushed to January and July, and there would be no more “in-season discounting” such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Chinese Singles Day.

What other impacts would it have for consumers?

For the brands, the pace of shows and deliveries could be eased, while the knock-off market wouldn’t have as much time to copy runway items. In order for magazine issues to coincide with in-store collection deliveries, long-lead press (such as magazines including British Vogue) would view and shoot collections months before the runway shows (or whichever way brands choose to present them) take place. This would reshape the dialogue between brands and the press, and the way consumers select and buy fashion.

Read the full proposal at Rewiringfashion.org.

Open Letter to the Fashion Industry

Who is behind it?

Dries Van Noten, who built his company from scratch and never believed in pre- collections, conceived the proposal with Andrew Keith of the Hong Kong-based department store Lane Crawford. The petition has been signed by designers, CEOs and retailers from the likes of Nordstrom, Chloé and Carolina Herrera since it was launched on 12 May.

What would it mean for fashion shows?

Unlike the #RewiringFashion proposal, fashion weeks would still take place six months before collections hit stores, giving you plenty of time to plan your season purchases. The open letter makes no mention of merging women’s and men’s fashion weeks, but their dates would be moved back to accommodate new store delivery dates (see below). All fashion weeks would likely happen in January/February and June/July. The initiative seeks to “renew and adapt fashion shows” but leaves this open to interpretation.

How would it affect the way we shop?

Like #RewiringFashion, items in stores would be aligned with the weather outside. You would be able to shop autumn/winter collections from August through to January and spring/summer collections from February through to July. Mid-season sales would probably get cancelled, while big sales would take place in January and July (instead of May and November). True to Van Noten’s spirit, the proposal makes no mention of pre- collections, which he traditionally incorporates into his main collections and offers to buyers through his showroom.

What other impacts would it have for consumers?

The open letter’s omittance of pre- collections is interesting. Rather than putting these commercial lines on a pedestal, we–as customers–wouldn’t necessarily see them until they hit stores. In that sense, pre- collections would reassume their originally-intended position as collections of “basics” inspired by the themes of the main collections.

Read the full proposal at forumletter.org

The Fashion Industry’s Reset

Who is behind it?

The proposal was authored by the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), which arranges New York Fashion Week, and the BFC (British Fashion Council), the organism behind London Fashion Week, and released on 21 May.

What would it mean for fashion shows?

A less in-depth proposal than #RewiringFashion and the Open Letter, the memo encourages brands to reduce the “stress levels” of fashion by focusing on just two annual shows. The message is this: pre- collections are for showrooms and shop floors, not to be promoted to the customer via a runway. The CFDA and the BFC are not proposing new dates for the existing fashion week calendar, but implore designers to stick to one of the four main fashion capitals.

How would it affect the way we shop?

In tune with other proposals, sustainability plays a major factor here. By reducing the number of shows that are promoted to customers–and increasing the shelf life of collections–we will be encouraged to buy less, but better.

What other impacts would it have for consumers?

If pre- collections aren’t actively presented or photographed to be featured in the runway galleries of magazine websites – or, indeed, in dedicated campaigns or editorials – they exist solely on shop floors. Ultimately, by refocussing on main collections only, it changes the way we experience, select and consume fashion on a seasonal basis.

Read the full memo at Britishfashioncouncil.co.uk.

Gucci, Saint Laurent and the power houses

Who is behind it?

While the biggest houses in fashion haven’t taken part in any of the existing proposals, Gucci and Saint Laurent–both owned by the Kering conglomerate–have announced individual plans for the future. In separate statements, they each expressed a desire to control their own pace.

What will it mean to fashion shows?

Gucci will reduce its annual number of shows from five to two. Those two shows will be genderless, while the cruise show is cancelled. With a €10 billion revenue, the brand is one of the biggest and most influential in the industry, making its decision an important indicator for the future of fashion week. Gucci will not be showing outside of the traditional fashion weeks, either. Instead, its artistic director Alessandro Michele wants to start an industry dialogue to determine new dates for the fashion calendar. Meanwhile, Saint Laurent has cancelled its show in September, with new plans to follow.

How will it affect the way we shop?

If more power houses follow in Gucci’s footsteps, our awareness of pre- collections will diminish. The main runway collections will serve as our overall inspiration for the season, while we will have to check in with stores more regularly to discover new pieces not featured on the runway. Michele has said he will abandon the idea of “spring/summer” and “autumn/winter” collections, replacing them with seasonless collections, which could change the notion that shopping has to be weather-oriented.

What other impacts would it have for consumers?

While two of Kering’s designers have made their preliminary moves, other conglomerate-owned brands remain silent. Big companies are likely awaiting how rules and regulations will change in the four fashion capitals in the wake of the pandemic.

This article originally appeared on Vogue.co.uk.

Also read:

How the Italian luxury fashion industry is responding to the coronavirus pandemic

Indian designers on the challenges of keeping brands afloat amidst the coronavirus pandemic

How the fashion industry is helping communities during the coronavirus outbreak