Currently recruiting brands for
Spring Summer 2023
We are seeing a rush of last minute SS23 orders, where retailers realise that they will be open this summer and are understocked. If you have stock and are able to deliver quickly please get in touch with us as soon as possible. This could easily turn out to be the best wholesale season since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Winter Sun 2023/4
Winter Sun 2023/4 is well under way and this is a way that Brands who have not sold their SS23 stock can effectively double their selling season at very little incremental cost.
Autumn Winter 2023/4
With strong sales for SS23 to build on, most retailers are planning to invest substantial amounts in consolidating their positions in AW 23/4.
Spring Summer 2024
We see the late flourish of SS23 orders as a reason to be optimistic about wholesale sales for SS24: and will start taking pre-orders for SS24 from July 2023 onwards.
Against fast-fashion
A Seasonal Guide
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.
Spring/Summer, forward B2B wholesale orders are taken for three to six months depending on how much time a brand needs to produce these items, starting in September the year before. After Brands close their order books for forward orders they go into production and, depending on the brand, they can continue taking orders which they will deliver from stock.
Buyers buy for the seasons based on what their customers want to wear
Autumn/Winter Brands generally start taking orders in January. The main ordering months are January, February and March with some brands continuing to take forward orders in April May and June. The exact point that a brand will generally close its forward order book depends on a number of factors, the main one being how long they need to produce and deliver. Most Autumn/Winter need to be delivered in September, and assuming it takes a brand three months to manufacture and deliver the items, this means that the brand must close its order book in June. Usually brands will go into production with extra quantities that they can take into stock, and if they do hold stock they can continue taking orders and reorders throughout the season.
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 generally for delivery in October or November: and the Pre Fall collections that are generally delivered in July or August.
This is a slow fashion approach that stops over production and reduces risks
This system or stores pre-ordering what they need a number of months in advance is the sensible and sustainable way to grow a fashion brand, as it prevents overstocking, maximises sales and reduces risks for all parties to a minimum.
Compacted order/delivery timescales since Covid-19
As a direct consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen the times between order and delivery become much less.
This is simply because retailers do not want to take large inventories into stock months in advance incase something happens that means they will not be open or will be unable to sell them. This effect in compounded by many retailers having to manage their cash-flow more carefully as credit is not offered as easily to retailers since the pandemic. This effects retailers more in some parts of the world than others, and there are markets, such as those in the Middle East where this is not really a problem that we are experiencing.
SS23
Spring Summer 2023
Late Orders
April/May/June
For AW21 we saw many late orders and we expect SS23 to be the same. This is because many buyers are waiting to see the status of the Covid-19 pandemic before confirming a large portion of their budget as it was this time in 2020 when the pandemic started. However, most stores will be fully open in 2023 and we already a sense of optimism amongst buyers.
Order from Stock
July/Aug/Sept
Although this is the time when products are being delivered, there are usually opportunities, where a retailer has been let down by another brand or changed their forecasts. This can be an opportunistic time for emerging brands to take surprise orders.
Pre Fall 23
Pre Fall 2023
Late Orders
April/May/June
Many pre-fall orders for 2021 were late and this turned out to be a significant opportunity. 2023 is a time of great optimism amongst retailers.
Order from Stock
July/Aug/Sept
We are very reluctant to advise brands to carry stock in any circumstances, but any stock that is not sold pre-fall can be sold in as an AW23 collection.
AW23/4
Autumn Winter 2023/4
Orders
April/May/June
With compacted order to delivery timescales becoming common since Covid, there are still many opportunities for AW23/4 orders.
Late Orders
July/Aug/Sept
Many Autumn Winter orders for 2021 were late and this turned out to be a significant opportunity.
Over the last two years many retailers have cleared their stock and will plan for more active sales and higher demand on the run up to Christmas.
Orders from Stock
Oct/Nov/Dec
Here the opportunity is to sell from stock.
We believe that this could be the biggest season since Covid, and given that many retailers have depleted their stock over the last two years there could be a last minute serge in wholesale demand.
Higher demand on the run up to Christmas always puts a strain on supply, so smaller brands with more localised production are in a very strong position.
Resort 23/4
Resort 2023/4
Orders
April/May/June
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.
Late Orders
July/Aug/Sept
Many Autumn Winter orders for 2021 were late and this turned out to be a significant opportunity.
Over the last two years many retailers have cleared their stock and will plan for more active sales and higher demand on the run up to Christmas.
Deliver
Oct/Nov/Dec
Many winter sun resorts do not open until November, and generally they require delivery by that time or as soon as possible thereafter.
SS24
Spring Summer 2024
Pre-Launch
April/May/June
Pre-marketing is vital to creating a strong launch.
It is vital to get on a buyer’s radar as early as possible before the seasonal collection is launched, because this way a buyer can build a new brand into their merchandising strategy, and seeing the products becomes a relaxed exercise between companies that are already familiar with each other.
Launch
July/Aug/Sept
Most of the pre-orders for SS24 are placed between September and November 2023 – September historically being the month when the major Fashion Weeks take place in New York, London, Paris and Milan.
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.
Orders
Oct/Nov/Dec
Many of the more organised stores with higher budgets usually place orders for Spring Summer in October/November/December of the previous year.
How we engage with brands
SSAW.io wants to attract and represent the best brands. We believe that we have a unique proposition, a level of clarity on how to sell to leading online and offline stores that is second to none, literally thousands of buyer contacts in many leading retailers worldwide and a robust delivery framework.
There is a lot of background information on this website. However, we believe that sales is about building relationships. If you run a forward thinking, high quality, sustainable and innovative brand, then the next step is to book an online meeting with us. During this initial discovery session, we will try to understand the unique characteristics of your brand and explain how we work, answering any questions and mutually deciding if we are a good fit. If, and only if both parties want to proceed, we will then make a detailed proposal.
A sense of urgency is often useful when it comes to making sales and appointments can be made 24 hours a day, so please use the button below to see our availability and to schedule a Partner Discovery Meeting at a mutually convenient time.
We are looking forward to meeting you, learning more about your brand and explaining how we work, the sooner the better!
SSAW.io specialise in the fashion industry, working with a large community of brands, qualified business buyers, agents and distributors.
Our proposition and services includes: