【Time lag until runway reaches the market】
What happens before a collection is "translated into a sellable form"
【What is happening now in Paris】
Currently, in Paris, the men's Paris Fashion Week (Fall/Winter 2026-2027) is taking place from January 20 to 25.
Immediately after, Paris Haute Couture (Spring/Summer 2026) will be held from January 26 to 29.
The looks presented here are immediately distributed worldwide as photographs and videos. However, there is an intentional time difference before the "same clothes" appear in stores.
This time lag is not a delay but a rational process within the industry and a translation process to maintain brand value.
【1 The time lag is not "slow," but a period necessary for wholesale transactions】
Runway shows are not only for consumers. Historically, fashion weeks have functioned as a place for "order-taking" and "editing." Buyers review products at showrooms before and after the show, place orders, and production is organized based on those quantities. This is the basic structure assuming wholesale distribution.
In this model, lead time from order to delivery is essential. Arranging materials, securing production slots, sewing, inspection, and logistics all add up, creating a gap of several months between the show and store launch. It is generally explained that fashion weeks occur 6 to 8 months before store launch, followed by buying and production processes.
What is important here is that this time lag acts as a safety device to prevent overproduction based on misjudged demand. Excess inventory leads to discounts, which undermine the brand's pricing credibility. Therefore, the sequence of order-taking and production has been established.
【2 In Paris, "show" and "order-taking site" operate simultaneously】
In the current men's Paris Fashion Week, alongside the runway, showroom sessions for buyers are also systematically held. According to the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), the showroom sessions for Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027 are held at the Palais de Tokyo from January 21 to 25, with digital versions using platforms like Le New Black available at the same time.
In other words, what is visible from outside is the show, but inside, the "translation for selling" is progressing simultaneously.
The show presents the worldview and direction. The showroom establishes SKUs and confirms orders. Only when these two work together does the runway connect to the market.
【3 Where does "translation" occur?】
The translation process that turns a collection into a "sellable form" mainly occurs in three stages.
First stage: Editing as a product
It is rare for all looks from the runway to be displayed in stores with the same thickness. Variations in color, materials, price ranges, and sizing. Brands perform "store-appropriate editing" and convert these into SKUs.
Second stage: Retail editing (buying)
Buyers do not purchase the entire intent of the brand but edit according to their own customers and store context. As a result, even within the same maison and season, the "best-selling face" varies by store. Buying involves not only aesthetic judgment but also inventory and turnover management. The scene of buying in showrooms has been depicted as practical work in front of racks because of this real-world aspect.
Third stage: Mass production and delivery
Only after the order volume is finalized does the priority of production get determined. Items with difficult material procurement, heavy manufacturing processes, or long lead times may be adjusted for commercial deployment. This is the point where the "dream of the runway" meets the "reality of the market."
【4 The second line was a "dedicated translation lane"】
From the 1990s to the 2010s, many designers had secondary (diffusion) lines. These were not just lower-priced versions but lanes for translating the mood and proportions presented in the main line into "forms that work in a broader market."
Later, as in the case of Marc by Marc Jacobs being integrated into the main line, the role of diffusion lines was reorganized. The background for this integration includes the restructuring of brand hierarchies and distribution channels.
The reason for this reorganization is that, as the focus shifts from wholesale to direct-to-consumer (DTC) and digital channels, it becomes more efficient to "translate within the main brand" rather than "having a separate label for translation."
【5 Late 2010s: Reaction against speed and "See Now, Buy Now" experiments】
The issue of time lag became apparent after shows started spreading instantly via social media. For consumers who want to buy immediately after seeing, waiting half a year for store launch is too slow. The symbolic experiment born from this was "See now, buy now" in 2016. The simultaneous announcements by Burberry and Tom Ford were widely reported at the time.
However, this model is operationally complex, and success is not unanimous. McKinsey has cautiously evaluated that, while experiments expanded, challenges remained, and Tom Ford later reverted to the previous model.
To eliminate the time lag, brands need to bear inventory risk upfront, which becomes more burdensome for luxury brands due to constraints in manufacturing, materials, and labor costs. This was the point of conflict between the "ideal speed" and the "reality of manufacturing."
【6 The "most sellable" form actually moves before the main runway】
Today, luxury brands do not generate sales solely from two major runway shows per year. Instead, intermediate collections like resort and pre-fall are considered commercially significant.
Pre-fall, in particular, is said to "remain in stores longer and be strong in actual sales," with Vogue noting that 70% of Mytheresa's buying budget goes to pre-fall collections.
The key point here is the division of labor between the "symbolic presentation" of the runway and the "commercial design" of pre-collections. The discussion of time lag is actually built on this division.
【7 Media as "translators" that can shorten or extend the time lag】
In the past, media primarily provided commentary after the show. However, since social media, media now also "determine the meaning of products in advance."
Early reviews can accelerate demand, buzz can boost orders, and collections that are difficult to interpret may take longer to market. The time lag is influenced not only by physical processes but also by the speed of meaning circulation.
Recently, DTC and pre-order models have expanded, making the relationship between orders and production more flexible. Vogue notes that, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, pre-orders and DTC have become options to avoid overproduction.
As a result, just "waiting six months" is no longer the only correct approach, but luxury brands still do not completely abandon the time lag because they need time to preserve rarity and craftsmanship.
【8 Summary: The time lag is not a "delay," but a process to organize value】
Paris runway shows are not only the announcement of finished products but also the starting point of translation.
The show presents the worldview, the showroom confirms orders, buying translates into the sales floor, and production and logistics turn into physical items. The time lag is the period necessary for these processes to occur without compromising value.
And what is happening now in Paris is not only "clothing announcements."
It is also about how quickly and in what form these clothes are translated and where they land in the market. The design of this process is happening simultaneously behind the scenes of the show.
