Even if you sell direct to consumer (have a web store), it is good to follow the fashion calendar to make sure your collections are ready to sell each shopping season.

It would be a disaster to start selling something new when all the other stores are putting items out on sale. For example, fall merchandise goes on sale just before winter, so it wouldn't make sense to try to have anything new at full price for sale during this time. It would be better to either sell full price merchandise during the regular fall season, or simply wait to sell it in winter.

Here is a brief outline of deadlines you can use for the fashion calendar. This calendar will help you understand what stores and consumers expect of clothing lines.

FASHION DELIVERY CALENDAR

FALL COLLECTIONS (AW)
DELIVERY 1: JULY 1 - JULY 30
DELIVERY 2: AUGUST 1 - AUGUST 30

WINTER COLLECTIONS (RESORT)
ONE DELIVERY: OCTOBER 15 - NOVEMBER 25

SPRING COLLECTIONS (SS)
DELIVERY 1: FEBRUARY 1 - FEBRUARY 28
DELIVERY 2: MARCH 1 - MARCH 30

SUMMER COLLECTIONS (PRE-FALL)
ONE DELIVERY: MAY 15 - JUNE 15

*SOME LINES DESIGN FOUR COLLECTIONS A YEAR, WHILE OTHERS DESIGN TWO. THIS IS ENTIRELY YOUR CHOICE.

If you are going to do wholesale, it is important to make sure you honor the market calendar as well. Each region is different, so it is good to look up specific market weeks for exact dates, but here is a rough outline of deadlines: