Know your fashion

A Beginners Guide

Fashion Weeks and Collections terminology explained

Finding it hard to cope up with the so many fashion weeks and fashion terminology? It sure is pretty crazy and confusing. So, here is all that you fashionistas ought to know about the fashion weeks and related fashion vocabulary. 

Fashion Weeks:

There are two main fashion weeks. Autumn/Winter (or Fall/Winter or Fall) and Spring/Summer (or Spring) which are shown across four destinations - New York, London, Milan and Paris. Autumn/Winter collections begin in February in New York and end in Paris in March. The Spring/ Summer collections are shown in September-October. They begin in New York in September and end in Paris in October. These shows are timed ahead of the actual season so that buyers can place their orders and have them arrive at their stores just in time for the actual season. Also, it gives fashion magazines time to gauge the seasonal must haves.The Autumn/Winter (or Fall) collections hit stores late summertime around August-September right in time for the back to school shopping while the Spring/ Summer collections hit stores in February-March when its cold. So, the fashion year technically begins in Spring. Thus, the fashion year is essentially divided into two seasons Fall/Winter from July to December and Spring/Summer from January to June with Fashion Weeks occurring in February (Fall) and September (Spring) . 

Some other important fashion weeks in the world are held in Amsterdam, Bangalore, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Dubai, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Madrid, Rio, São Paulo, Shangai, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto.

There are also some genre specific fashion weeks. Some of the more important ones include Miami Fashion Week (swimwear), Rio Summer (swimwear), Prêt-a-Porter (ready-to-wear) Fashion Week, Couture (one-of-a-kind designer original) Fashion Week and Bridal Fashion Week. Moreover, there are country wise fashion weeks. 

Remember: The fashion weeks begin in New York and end in Paris, always. And the order is also always the same: New York, London, Milan and Paris. These are called the Big Four. Each one of these is known for its unique style - New York for sportswear; London for edgy, avant-garde design; Milan for its over-the-top yet stylish looks; and Paris for haute couture.

Do read:

10 facts about the fashion week that every fashionista must know.

The six month gap between the two fashion weeks has given rise to in between seasons, Resort and pre-Fall collections (explained further) which are highly motivated by commercial gains. These are soon becoming a permanent addition to the fashion calendar. 

Related Terminology:

• RTW (Ready to Wear): Aka "Prêt-a-Porter". These are the main collections shown during the fashion weeks. It is made in standard sizes. 
• Haute Couture: Shown twice a year. The Spring couture is shown in January and the Fall couture is shown in July. Unlike ready-to-wear, which is made in standard sizes, couture is made for a unique client and the garments can cost more than your house. Designers can do things with couture that they can’t do with ready-to-wear because then the prices get too expensive. A real couture house is approved and regulated by the Chambre Syndicale in Paris.

pre-Fall and Resort (or Cruise) collections:

The pre-Fall collections are showcased between December and January while the Resort collections are shown in May and June. The pre-Fall collections hit stores in May while the Resort collections hit stores during October-November.The Resort collection bridges the gap between Autumn/Winter (hits stores in September) and Spring/Summer (hits stores in February) and the pre-Fall collection bridges that gap between Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. Therefore, these are referred to as the "seasons between the seasons". These are small scale presentations and are motivated by commercial interests. These commercial collections are targeted towards a specific audience. The Resort collections are for the wealthier customers who tend to spend their winters away (holidaying) in warmer places (thus, the name Resort. Also, it involves a lot of swim wear, beach wear, cruising which explains the name Cruise). Hence, these clothes are often lighter and more colorful.  Pre-Fall collections are targeted towards the loyal customers and wealthy fashionistas providing them with more options (since, these collections are commercial or in other words, all season wearable). Pre-Fall collections are also seen as a barometer for predicting Fall/Winter trends. For these shows, most designers opt for look books and presentations rather than a full runway show (exceptions include Chanel).