September is Fashion's 'It' Month

The warm days of summer yield to the brisk coolness of fall. Students and instructors head back to school. Fashion showcases the collections we will be wearing next spring. These are the events that happen in September, but for fashion, this month is pivotal to the industry.

Fashion Designers Don't Sleep in September

This may be an exaggeration; however, it indicates the hectic nature of the fashion industry for designers during September. September is when fashion designers in the major fashion markets of New York, London, Milan and Paris begin displaying their ready-to-wear collections for the following spring/summer fashion season.

Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week typically kicks off the month with London, Milan and Paris showing after. Paris is usually the last of the major markets to show in September. For the 2011 spring/summer ready-to-wear, the fashion calendar is as follows:

- Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week; September 9-16

- London (Fashion Fringe) Fashion Week; September 17-22

- Milan Fashion Week; September 22-28

- Paris (Mode a Paris) Fashion Week; September 29 -October 7

Most designers show at only one of the major weeks. However, designers within the international market may show at two or three of the fashion weeks. For those who design for multiple lines and fashion houses, September is a very busy month.

Fashion Editors and Fashion Journalists Have Hectic Septembers

The biggest issue of a fashion magazine is the September issue. Check out how Vogue magazine becomes a glossy, fashion novel for the September issue. Unlike with fashion designers, fashion editors and journalist compile the fall September issues a couple of months early. Larger than usual fashion layouts, fall trend reports and major advertising are all bundled into one issue for September to spark consumer interest in purchasing the latest fall fashions and beauty products. Even though the mega September issues of fashion magazines are not put together during the month, these issues have a huge impact on the retail side of the fashion industry.

The September frenzy comes into play during the spring/summer fashion weeks. Fashion editors have to choose carefully which designers' shows they will make an appearance at. Because the different fashion weeks are literally back-to-back, a fashion editor may not get to stay for the duration of any particular one. With very influential fashion editors such as American Vogue's Anna Wintour, this could mean the designer line-ups may be rearranged to fit an editor's schedule, as was the case with Milan Fashion Week for fall/winter 2010/11. Since fashion editors know that the public is waiting for their reviews of these events, designers and show promoters want to make sure editors such as Wintour can see the crème de la crème at each event.

Final Thoughts on the Fashionable September

September is the busiest month in fashion and more than likely always will be. After New York Fashion Week, some international designers like Marc Jacobs have tweeted their hopes that the rest of month will be less hectic. They know it is wishful thinking because Marc Jacobs has to design for Louis Vuitton as well later in the month. Despite all of the hustle and bustle that comes with September it is unlikely these designers, editors and journalist would trade their professions in for anything else in the world.

Sources

Fashion Shows fashion Week Schedule Calendar - http://www.gayot.com/lifestyle/fashion/fashionshows.html

Net-a-porter - Website mixes shopping with fashion magazine - http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/02/technology/net_a_porter.fortune/