Fashion week is over, now it's time for business

As Paris fashion week comes to a close and the international elite ebb out of the city of lights, back to their jobs to shape the new season, it is the showrooms where 'real' business is done and fashion's worker bees are hustling to sell their collections. This is fashion's bottom line, where hundreds of millions of euros are written in just a few short days.

Fashion week front rows are reserved for press, celebrities, Instagram marketing opportunities and buying directors who need to show face and represent their stores, but it is in the showrooms where deals are sealed and the tangible action takes place.

Some buyers skip fashion week altogether and don't arrive until the end, when the adrenaline rush of a month long event subsides and the catwalk lights have all but dimmed.

The final days of PFW determine the season direction

On the final days of Paris Fashion Week the most important industry leaders present their collections, like Phoebe Philo at Celine, Demna Gvasalia at Balenciaga and Nicolas Ghesquiere at Louis Vuitton. Many buyers wait to allocate their budgets until they have seen all the shows to make sound judgments as to what will be on trend next season.

Smaller stores especially have to be critical in what they buy. Their customers rely on their expertise to curate the best selection for them. They also need to ensure their business remains buoyant for the next six months, carefully balancing the commercial with the aspirational. No boutique wants to end up with a full stockroom come sale time. Informed decisions are best left when one has a clear view of the season.

A prime example is Dutch designer Ronald van der Kemp, who opts for a sales strategy to show at the end of fashion week when buyers are less rushed and less inclined to dash from show to show and appointment to appointment. Instead they take the time to view, to be informed and ultimately to buy.

As any salesperson will tell you, focused buyers are the easiest to work with. They study the key looks, consider pricing, work out range plans and store merchandising possibilities. They are led in part by sell thrus of what has worked in previous seasons but don't let the data dictate their gut instincts. They consider the customer voice, the zeitgeist, what they buy from other brands, and the bigger picture of what is happening in the industry. All these aspects inform their purchasing power which hopefully will result in confirming an order with a decent budget for the brand.

Photo credit: Ronald van der Kemp Paris AW17 showroom, source: FashionUnited