Hi, style is season less now

Restrictive rules? We’ll pass…

iI don’t know about you, but for me, it all feels like a blur. And by “it all” I mean, of course, the space-time continuum. But also the way fashion has evolved to keep up with the times, instead of staying ahead.

Bear with me here. The whole fashion industry has worked forever, as you likely know, around “seasons” of collections – and it’s “shown” those collections at Fashion Week, to buyers and editors like me, about six months ahead of time so we can make all our plans.

But even before COVID-19 halted clothing production, virtualised runway shows and kept us in tracksuits 24/7, things were starting to change.

Shoppers wanted to wear a trend as soon as they saw it, not wait six months for it to be “in”. Style stars started blending seasonal clothes on the street, wearing boots and knitted vests in warm weather and layered slip dresses and sandals with socks in the cold.

It may seem small, but this shift is actually kind of major. We grew up hearing that certain hues and textures had a time and a place. As I got my start in the industry, following those rules made sense, and the ability to preview collections months ahead of time did seem great. But the world moves too fast for that now. Plus, the concept of “what to wear when” just feels… off, in this post-apocalyptic landscape. The only thing that should really matter when getting dressed for winter versus summer is whether or not you’II feel warm enough.

Another new thing that feels totally right: being able to wear items year-round means less spending for you and less waste for the environment. Sure, there will always be quick fads, but go ahead and wear that neon skirt this autumn instead of switching to checks. You’ll decide what you want to wear, whenever you damn well please. And doesn’t that power feel nice?

“The concept of ‘what to wear when’ now just feels off”