It's ironic that the production of one of life's basic needs -- clothing -- seems to operates on such a complicated calendar.
The schedule of fashion has come under scrutiny over the last several seasons, as designers, buyers and editors seek to wrest control and configure a more realistic set-up, which, in addition to the introduction of woolen overcoats in July and bikinis in February, includes the streamlining of various shoulder collections like cruise, resort, pre-spring and pre-fall.
WWD issued a terse sigh of exasperation today:
As we round the corner on the seventh — count them, seven — consecutive week of pre-fall, the collective feeling, at least on the editorial and retail end, is “enough’s enough.”
Will 2011 be the year that the industry gets its pre-collection (as in pre-fall and resort) act together, preferably in the form of a proper schedule that spans no longer than three weeks? CFDA? Chambre Syndicale? Camera Moda? Anyone listening?"
At the same time, today Rochas unveils its pre-fall collection to buyers as both a strategic move to revamp the brand -- "the demand was there from the buyers," said creative director Marco Zanini -- and, from a purely design standpoint, a natural progression. "I took the chance to experiment with several shapes that I will propose and develop for the [fall] runway collection ... It's like an ongoing sentence for me," said Zanini. "With pre-fall, I developed a look that is a consequence of my spring-summer collection."
