Against fast-fashion: a seasonal guide
to what you can sell
We are against fast fashion and our curations policy emphasizes quality and sustainability. However, buyers buy for the seasons based on what their customers want to wear.
SSAW stands for Spring Summer Autumn Winter and is the classic euphemism for the way the fashion industry has done business for centuries. According to our business model, samples are produced for each collection about a year before the pieces will be available in retail stores.
For SS22, forward B2B wholesale orders will be taken for three to six months depending on how much time a brand needs to produce these items, starting in July or August 2021. Brands can also choose if they want to continue selling AW21 subject to their production timescales and stock levels. The two main seasons are supported with two other seasonal collections, the Resort or Cruise collections that are sold to the public for luxury winter-sun: and the Pre Fall collections. This is the sensible and sustainable way to grow a fashion brand as it prevents overstocking, maximises sales and reduces risks to a minimum.
Here is a brief summary of seasonal activity.
AW21
Autumn Winter 2021
Late Orders
July/Aug/Sept
Many Autumn Winter orders for 2020 were late and this turned out to be a significant opportunity.
Over the last few months many retailers have cleared their stock and many will be planning for more active sales and higher demand on the run up to Christmas.
Deliver
Aug/Sept/Oct
There are usually opportunities where a retailer has been let down by another brand or changed their forecasts.
Resort 21/22
Resort 2021/22
Late Orders
July/Aug/Sept
Due to travel restrictions in Europe, winter sun locations are growing in importance. For visitors to these locations part of the excitement is some retail therapy, and their upmarket clientele is looking for luxury products that they cannot find at home.
Deliver
Aug/Sept/Oct
Many winter sun resorts do not open until November, and generally they require delivery by that time.
SS22
Spring Summer 2022
Orders
July/Aug/Sept
The more organised stores with higher budgets usually place orders for Spring Summer in July, August and September – September historically being the month when the major Fashion Weeks take place in New York, London, Paris and Milan.
Late Orders
Oct/Nov/Dec
Having orders from retailers in a timely fashion makes scheduling production a relaxed process. It also gives a brand big savings, as good deals are more likely to be negotiated with factories or ateliers, and raw materials can be bought in bulk, significantly lowering costs.
Produce
Jan/Feb/March
The best retailers will start the season as early as possible and extend it for as long as possible. These are the retailers that a brand should be aiming to work with as they offer the greatest sales potential.
Deliver
April/May/June
Generally this is the time for products to be delivered to the retailers. However, retailers typically place re-orders at this time if products are selling well, or make new orders where they are let down by other brands.
Pre Fall
22
Pre Fall 2022
Pre Marketing
Oct/Nov/Dec
Many fashion brands mistakenly believe that the sales cycle starts with showing products to the buyer at a trade show, whereas this is a very risky way of doing business and leaves a lot depending on chance meetings! A better approach is to profile and qualify the buyers that a brand want to meet, and book appointments in advance.
Meeting qualified buyers should not be the start of a sales cycle, but where deals are closed and orders placed.
Orders
Jan/Feb/March
Having orders from retailers in a timely fashion makes scheduling production a relaxed process. It also gives a brand big savings, as good deals are more likely to be negotiated with factories or ateliers, and raw materials can be bought in bulk, significantly lowering costs.
Produce
April/May/June
The best retailers will start the season as early as possible and extend it for as long as possible. These are the retailers that a brand should be aiming to work with as they offer the greatest sales potential.
Deliver
July/Aug/Sept
Generally this is the time for products to be delivered to the retailers. However, retailers typically place re-orders at this time if products are selling well, or make new orders where they are let down by other brands.
SSAW.io specialise in the fashion industry, working with a large community of brands, qualified business buyers, agents and distributors.
Our proposition and services include:
