FASHION IN FLUX
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, better known as CFDA, earlier this year reported that the future of fashion is dependent on the reduced gaps between fashion shows and retail drops, as a quicker delivery is imperative to feed customers’ insatiable hunger for the newest and the latest. Alongside Tom Ford and Tommy Hilfiger, Burberry is at the forefront of the change. The British house will now hold just two shows a year, collections of which will be available for purchase online and in stores immediately after. “The rise of social media and consumers’ need for instant gratification creates a lot of energy around our shows,” said Emilia Cho, PR and VIP relations manager for Southeast Asia at Burberry. “Consumers shouldn’t have to wait months before they are able to buy and wear something they’re excited about on the runway.” As with most radical ideas, this one is met with equal parts approval and resistance from key players. “Such is the brave new world,” said Tjin Lee, CEO of Mercury Group and founder of Singapore Fashion Week. “The digital revolution has vastly altered the way we shop. Our attention spans are shorter. There is no more Christmas. We have become spoiled children—we want what we want, when we want it.” Even Karl Lagerfeld, who defends the more traditional structure (one which brands such as Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Gucci will continue to adhere to by presenting next season’s collections
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months in advance) and opposes the see-now, buy-now model, cannot deny the new reality. He expressed to The Business of Fashion, “The world is changing—not always for the best— but we have to follow.”