So Last Season

Brave Active Co.

The traditional buying calendar has been taking blows ever since 2016, when leading designers like Tom Ford and Burberry eschewed their usual runway shows for live-streamed, “see now, buy now” events. The initial buzz around the concept quickly fizzled — Tom Ford’s foray into the model lasted one season; Burberry kept it going for a bit, evolving with limited-edition drops — and the six-months-ahead calendar reigned supreme.

Since then, a lot of factors have been thrown into the mix. First, of course, was the COVID-19 pandemic, which slowed production and replaced fashion week with a mash of digitally streamed performances. And in the years since, a social media hungry Gen Z consumer has sped up trend cycles to a dizzying result, with micro-trends galore (Mob Wife Aesthetic, Coastal Grandmother, Eclectic Grandpa, Quiet Luxury…). We’ve also seen an increase in the pre-order, a move to drum up sales when excitement is hot and avoid excess inventory.

In the children’s industry, brands like PAIGELAUREN have shifted to a “see now, buy now” model entirely. “For baby and toddler-focused brands like PAIGELAUREN, the ‘see-now, buy-now’ model is more than just a retail innovation — it’s a way to create a more personalized, responsive, and accessible shopping experience,” offers the brand’s founder, Paige Lauren, of her eponymous company. “By quickly meeting demand, reducing overstock, and making collections available globally in real-time, brands can foster loyalty and keep up with the evolving needs of parents and children in a fast-paced, trend-driven market.”

It also helps that PAIGELAUREN’s buttery-soft loungewear sets are basically season-less, something that gives the children’s industry an edge. “The model capitalizes on the increasing desire for instant gratification, the ability to track real-time demand, and the need for a more dynamic, customer-focused approach in the rapidly changing baby and toddler fashion space,” she adds. “This agility is essential in maintaining relevance and meeting the expectations of today’s digital-savvy, trend-conscious parents.”

PAIGELAUREN

Jodi Gallaer, founder of children’s footwear e-tailer JustShoesforKids.com, has seen a similar trend in footwear. “As far as the buying calendar goes, we have seen a lot of movement towards more casual footwear, even for special events…Mostly we have seen a lot of sneakers,” she says. But even with more casual, three-season styles, Gallaer still buys most of her inventory 6 months in advance. “I fill in as needed, but I want to have the best merchandise for my customers, and I know that if I wait to buy in season that a lot of the styles will not be available,” she explains. “So I want to make sure that I have what my customer wants. It makes the assortment more unique that way. Buying is probably my favorite part of the job.”

Lien Vets has experienced this phenomenon from both sides, as founder of the LA-based, multi-brand Noella Showroom and new athleisure brand Brave Active Co. Vets says that while in Europe, retailers tend to keep the traditional calendar more strictly, in the U.S., buying closer to the season can be advantageous for smaller retailers. “Retailers need to budget and plan ahead, but buying closer to season is preferable for smaller retailers,” she confirms. “It also depends on the products the retailer is buying.” Vets says to consider the following: How quickly can the brand produce? Do they keep stock? Is the product produced overseas, locally, or handmade? Are they trend-driven or timeless? How big is the brand?

The key, she says, is to leave room for immediates to provide added flexibility: “If sales are great, you buy more in season. If a trend pops up, or if you see something that would be great for your customer, you can jump on it.”

Vets’s new brand, Brave Active Co., is a good example of this newfound agility. “We have a DTC model with some wholesale mixed in right now,” she explains. “We’re new to the market and don’t adhere to the traditional calendar, as the product lends itself to all seasons, depending on where you live. As we grow and develop more product SKUs, such as jackets for instance, we’ll be bound by the season more.”

Christina Connelly, founder of New York–based children’s boutique Tutti, and winner of the Earnshaw’s Kids 2024 Retailer of the Year, agrees that the best strategy is to adhere to the traditional buying calendar, while leaving room for buying within the season. “You can forecast the trends and have an idea, but we buy a lot in-season as well,” she says, adding, “What’s trending right at this moment?”