Come September and there’s something new in the air — you might call it the change of weather or the change of wardrobe but the change definitely marks a fresh beginning. For fashion glossies across the globe this is the time to go grand and showcase brand new festive trends for the upcoming holiday season.
September issue marks the beginning of the F/W season in the West and that’s the cycle that is followed across the globe, mentions Nishat Fatima, editor Harper’s Bazaar India. She says, “In India and abroad, the festive seasons begin after September and that’s when the new trends are introduced in the market. The F/W collection is usually luxurious as compared to the summer and resortwear. All major fashion magazines take out a special issue for this particular month to highlight the biggest trends and how to wear them throughout the season.”
Priya Rana, executive editor at Le City Deluxe India, gives an insight into planning, marketing and promoting a fashion campaign for a F/W issue. She says, “Worldwide the September issue is the most lauded and revered edition for fashion magazines. Abroad, fall marks the launch of all the important brand campaigns that inevitably take social media by storm. This year the campaigns are dominated by pop art as seen in the Kenzo and Tom Ford ads. Also Dior shot a campaign based on the ‘secret garden of Versailles’ theme to promote the Parisian-inspired trends for its F/W line. Whereas, in India due to the tropical climate, besides the bridal trends the focus also shifts to updating the wardrobe with luxe options for the coming festive season. However, I feel the Indian fashion market also needs iconic campaigns that include collaborations with big designers, models and photographers to create a buzz and elevate the status of the fashion industry.”
Speaking about this trend, designer Nachiket Barve quotes Coco Chanel, “Fashion is in the air, born upon the wind,” and elaborates, “This is the time when seasons change and spring fashion trends go through a transition to introduce winter fashion. In the West, the September issues are grand affairs as they feature all the important fashion campaigns. This year US Vogue magazine launched its 900-plus pages grand issue for September, with over 750 page ads, and it is a landmark in fashion world.”
Whereas, designer Madhu Jain says, “In terms of business, the F/W collection is very important for a designer and this is the time when they introduce the latest trends that they have to offer. In India also major purchasing of clothes happen around this time, so for designers the brand publicity and awareness plays a major role through print medium.”
However, Annou Iyer, fashion forecaster and publisher of RTW India magazine, mentions that September is the month when fashion cycle of a particular year comes full circle. She says, “By the end of September almost all the major fashion weeks across the fashion capitals of the world are over. The haute couture week in Paris gets over in July, the New York, Milan and London fashion events also get over by August, so one gets a lowdown on the big trends for the upcoming season. Also the biggest trade fair of fabrics called Premiere Vision takes place in Paris in September where all high-end brands do major business and buy raw material for their next collections.”