Seasonal or continuous?

What comes to mind when we hear the word "fashion"? We probably think of the great Italian fashion houses, the catwalks and haute couture shows with their extravagant and eccentric styles, together with the idea of seasonality and continuous renewal.

In recent years, the dynamism linked to stylistic proposals has undergone a further acceleration, thanks also to the development and diffusion of technology and the sharing of information in real time. The emblem of this evolution is represented by the figures of the influencers, whose choices manipulate and convey a large part of the demand of young consumers. We have witnessed, in short, the spread of a model of consumption strongly linked to the trends of the moment; the phenomenon, known as fast fashion, is capable of launching new garments on the market in a very short time, integrating the phases of design, production and distribution of the product, responding almost in real time to emerging trends.

But is it really all roses and flowers? In reality, the phenomenon generates deep doubts regarding the long-term sustainability of such a fast-paced supply chain.

A model capable of making available "just in time" low-priced collections, in fact, hides significant costs in terms of environmental and social impact, privileging the search for novelty over product quality.

An alternative to the model just described is represented by the so-called continuous collections, which prefer to focus on a coherent and distinctive language rather than following the fleeting trends imposed by characters of dubious stylistic competence.

In this case, the "novelty" is not the result of a spasmodic chase after the latest trend, but the result of careful research and continuous creative experimentation. This idea gives rise to lines that we can consider "evergreen", which are systematically enriched with new articles that are completely original and the result of the inventiveness of designers rather than the result of ad hoc commercial maneuvers destined to dissolve at the first gust of wind.

The degeneration of the concept of seasonality has led and continues to lead numerous operators in the sector to move towards continuity, abandoning the pull logic and starting again with a push policy; which of the two visions will prevail?

The Hamletic dilemma continues...