Fashion Week Shopping Tips
As Fashion Week takes New York City by storm, contemporary apparel buyers are lining up to get their first glimpse of which styles will dictate next year’s trends. This is the time of the year that shopping for wholesale fashion clothing can be fun. Viewing the latest collections from top designers and attending all the parties is a blast, but trying to plan out what to buy nine months in advance is often tricky.
Here are some tips to get a head start on buying before all the fashion magazines start showing these new looks. Planning future purchases is much easier when you use some of the “tricks of the trade”.
1. Keep an eye on lesser-known labels. Big-name designers often conform their ready-to-wear pieces to meet the demands of department store buyers. The true trendsetters, whose looks are copied by everyone else, usually begin with small labels because they can exercise more creative freedom. Choose a few of these designers and you will see them become next year’s trends in contemporary apparel.
2. Look for smaller, more toned-down versions of the “over the top” accessories shown on Fashion Week runways. While the enormous and flamboyant handbags, earrings and hair bows may not become the next trend, you will certainly see smaller versions of these as you shop for wholesale boutique clothing.
3. Stay away from lines that bear a celebrity name. Sure, athletes, actors and musicians carry a certain amount of cache at fashion shows, but they are rarely tuned into what type of contemporary apparel will really sell. That’s because they are entertainers, not designers.
4. Finally, remember that fashion trends don’t change as quickly as designers would like you to think. Some of the silhouettes from last year will still work next year, so hang on to some of the best-selling pieces you already have.
Fashion Week is one of the most highly-anticipated events in the fashion industry, and the runway fashions shown here will certainly influence many buyers and young designers. This is a time to pay close attention to what you see and spend some time imagining how these new looks will appeal to your customers. If you are unable to attend fashion week yourself, visit Fashion Spot LA, the leading off price apparel buyer.