Resort collection​s are a strong influence

Year round fashion demand is so great, that luxury fashion houses in a bid to satisfy ever more challenging consumers, are now creating more and more collections per year. Perhaps to detriment of designers often suffering from work

overload, these ‘in-between main season’ pieces, are gaining ever more attention from buyers and editors alike. 

Resort collections, which hit stores, during Christmas time, are proving ever more popular as styles consumers can wear both then and there and year round.

The name "resort" is a holdover from the days when brands would offer a few key pieces for their wealthy, travelling customers who'd escape cold climates at Christmastime, and up to now have conjured up ideas of floaty, print based kaftans. The modern definition, however, has evolved to be more of a code word for new, fresh merchandise, open to all.

Infact, resort collections now provide the main share of designer clothes that will end up on sale in British department stores. In fact, Selfridges estimates that between 65% and 70% of the department store's designer clothes come from resort and pre-collections rather than the twice yearly, more creative collections that are shown on the major catwalks.

Its appeal from a designer and a store point of view is also the fact that the wearable, straightforward aesthetic of resort collections means it stays full price on the shop floor for the longest season before being marked down, and therefore, maximizes profits.

Anita Barr, Womenswear buying director at Selfridges says, ‘"It is really vital to give constant newness for the customer, that there is something to fill the shop after the sale finishes,"

With the new resort presentations just over in New York, we can continue to see its strong and positive influence on the fashion industry. Head designer of YSL, Stefano Pilati, quipped, ‘These are pieces you can wear every day and not just to the Carribean!’

Photo: Jason Wu SS12 Resort