May/June 2018 Newsletter - The Clothing Seasons - Explained! May 30 2018

Summer in January and Winter in July? Let us explain.

One of the most frequent questions we get from customers is why the clothing seasons don't always represent what is going with the time of year or the weather outside. It's a natural question of which you have our sympathies, as there are certain times of the year when it makes no sense at all. 

Traditionally the Clothing Industry used to work closer to reality. There were two 'Main' seasons - Spring/Summer (SS) and Autumn/Winter (AW). SS deliveries would be around March/April and likewise AW deliveries September/October. Then somewhere in the mists of time, the Multiples and Department Stores wanted items earlier. And earlier. And earlier. And earlier. Then 'Pre-Collections' appeared, which meant SS could be in November and AW in May. That is not a typo error.

Illogical from either a consumer lead and business lead perspective, this gave the Independent businesses like ourselves a bit of headache. This meant taking some stock in much earlier than what would be considered sensible and booking even further ahead. With Crystal Balls in short supply, never underestimate the risk involved for your local Independent, because experience is the key in getting it right. Getting it wrong is not an option. 

Below is what the seasons are in our Industry, with usual ordering time for us between six and twelve months before delivery in most cases.

 

Jan/Feb/March - Spring/Summer 

April - Spring/Summer & High Summer

May - High Summer & Pre Autumn/Winter

June - Pre Autumn/Winter

July/Aug/Sept - Autumn/Winter

Oct - Autumn/Winter

Nov/Dec - Pre Spring/Summer

 

We do our level best at catering for all items and all times and some of our customer base rely on us having 'out of season' items, but as our guide shows if you want a pair of shorts in August for example, or a Winter coat in February, it may get tricky so we always advise to 'plan ahead' on key seasonal purchases. 

In our next blog, we will bring you some shots of SS19 Collections from our brand portfolio and all the latest news and we thank all our customers both in store and online for their continued and loyal support, which is very much appreciated. 

If you have any queries or thoughts on the above, please contact us at info@jandbmenswear.com