September marks the start of the fashion calendar — just look at Vogue’s biblically sized issue that launches this time each year. We’re bee-lining for the last quarter of the year, and sales see an incredible uptick as we approach the festive season; fashion’s most lucrative period. Regarded as the most important month in the year for the industry, setting the tone for the year ahead, it is best to think of September as fashion’s New Year AKA Fashion Month. From now, brands and designers will be buzzing, sharing collections in major cities around the world, leaning into exposure and the freshness of a new season.
We can expect to see the usual FROW (front row) suspects, from buyers who will be planning their retail strategies for spring/summer, carefully selecting pieces that align with emerging trends and consumer demand. Stylists will be closely monitoring the runway shows, whether in person or online, also to identify key trends and must-have pieces that they can incorporate into their editorial work or for their personal clients. Everyone is using Fashion Month as an opportunity to gather inspiration, discover new designers, and build relationships with brands — it’s the biggest (albeit quite compartmentalised) global networking affair for the industry.
Editors will attend the shows to gather content for future issues, which can include feature stories, trend reports, and style guides. This period is crucial for planning editorial calendars, selecting cover stories, and deciding which designers and collections to highlight in their publications. Magazine folk also meet with designers, PR teams, and even influencers to secure exclusive interviews, photo shoots, and collaborations that will align with their readership and set the editorial tone for the season ahead.
Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2007, via @gaultier_forever IG
Kate Moss for Alexander McQueen S_S1998, via @90sfashionboard IG
We’re familiar with the ‘Big Four’ — New York, London, Milan and Paris — but there’s so much more to celebrate around the world. We have a round up below that takes us across four continents, with shows leading right up until the end of October. We’ve never had more access to shows than we do now through social media — so jot these down, and enjoy the new season!
1 – 7 Sep Dubai Fashion Week
2 – 6 Sep Amsterdam Fashion Week
2 – 7 Sep Tokyo Rakuten Fashion Week
3 – 7 Sep Seoul Fashion Week
4 – 11 Sep New York Fashion Week
9 – 14 Sep Vienna Fashion Week
12 – 17 Sep London Fashion Week
17 – 23 Sep Milan Fashion Week
23 Sep -1 Oct Paris Fashion Week
26 – 28 Sept South African Fashion Week
9 – 19 Oct Shanghai Fashion Week
10 – 13 Oct Lisboa Fashion Week
11 – 13 Oct Tbilisi Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
14 – 17 Oct Barcelona 808 Fashion Week
15 – 18 Oct Mexico Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
16 – 21 Oct São Paulo Fashion Week
17 – 21 Oct Riyadh Fashion Week
23 – 27 Oct Lagos Fashion Week
For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za
