We have four seasons: winter from November to January, spring from February to April, summer from May to July, and fall from August to October. But fashion? Fashion runs on its own clock—and it’s always ticking six months ahead.
If you’ve ever tuned into a Spring/Summer runway show from your couch in November, you’ve probably had that moment of confusion—it’s spring on your screen, but fall outside your window. That’s because the runway is always a few steps ahead. Fashion doesn’t dress for the moment. It predicts, dreams, and stages what’s next.
Let’s break it down.
Fashion’s Two Main Seasons:
- Spring/Summer (SS) (RTW): Shown in September (of the previous year)
- Fall/Winter (FW) (RTW): Shown in February
For example: Spring/Summer 2026 will be shown in September 2025, and will hit the stores around February or March 2026. What you see on the runway isn’t what you’ll wear tomorrow—it’s what will arrive in stores about six months later.
Why the delay? Logistics. After a show, brands need time for orders, production, and distribution. Retailers place orders. Factories begin work. Campaigns are shot. When the weather finally changes, the collections are ready.
Each brand typically gets one presentation slot per season at a major fashion week, and they choose the city that offers the strongest connection to their audience—whether in terms of market, media, or mood. For example: Dior shows in Paris, Gucci in Milan. To reach more clients or markets, many also host traveling presentations or trunk shows—curated, intimate re-showings in different cities for press, clients, or stylists. These keep the buzz alive and build relationships beyond the runway.
The big four fashion capitals are New York, London, Milan, and Paris. These cities set the tone & draw the crowds. But the fashion calendar has expanded far beyond them.
There are also pre-collections—Pre-Fall and Resort (or Cruise). These aren’t filler. They’re often the most wearable, commercially successful pieces. Resort collections are shown in May–June and typically hit stores around November–December. These shows are often hosted in stunning locations—Seoul, Mumbai, Capri. Just this past May, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton showcased their Cruise 2025/26 collections—and I still can’t stop thinking about them.
Haute Couture is its own world—shown in Paris each January and July. These are handcrafted, one-of-a-kind garments for private clients, not mass production.
Men’s Fashion Week happens in January and June, sometimes alongside Women’s, sometimes separate. And in between, we see capsules, collaborations, digital drops, and fashion weeks from Tokyo to Mumbai.
It’s crowded. And it’s shifting. Climate changes, fast fashion, and social media have blurred the lines. Brands drop collections monthly. Influencers wear unreleased looks. And trends move faster than ever.
Which brings up a real question: if collections are shown six months in advance, how do you keep the buzz alive until the clothes arrive? By then, fast fashion has copied the look, celebrities have worn it, and the moment may feel over. Does the trend survive the wait?
Some argue the six-month gap builds anticipation—that luxury thrives on delay, not immediacy. But others wonder if that delay is still a strength. With our screens moving faster than the seasons, attention is harder to hold. Brands now extend their storytelling—through editorials, behind-the-scenes content, celebrity placements, and more—to keep the momentum alive. In a world chasing instant gratification, fashion still clings to the slow burn.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet for 2025–26:
Spring/Summer 2026: shows in September 2025, in stores February–March 2026
Fall/Winter 2025: shows in February–March 2025, in stores August–September 2025
Resort 2026: shows in May–June 2025, in stores November–December 2025
Pre-Fall 2026: shows in December 2025–January 2026, in stores May–June 2026
Haute Couture: January 2025 & July 2025
Men’s Fashion Weeks: January & June 2025
If you want to stay updated with global fashion week dates, the CFDA Fashion Calendar and Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode are two of the most reliable sources to bookmark.
-Sakshi Agrawal
Noir et Blanc 