Early Tuesday morning, the Council of Fashion Designers of America gathered to debate the state of the fashion system, essentially questioning whether or not the fashion industry’s cycle makes sense anymore. CFDA president, Diane Von Furstenburg, basically said that the issue to be discussed was the modern relevance of Fashion Week. Has Fashion Week, in the age of the Internet, essentially become irrelevant, because showing clothes at least 6 months in advance of the season does nothing but confuse consumers, cause early markdowns, and create endless opportunities for knockoffs?

Because slideshows of runway shows are made available immediately after they take place, consumers know what looks to anticipate and want, while designers dress celebrities in clothes not yet available to the public. Then, clothes arrive in stores before the season begins, only to be discounted by the time they are actually in season! As a result, the industry is losing money because there is too much supply and not enough demand.

I mean, should we be buying coats in August? Because by the time fall rolls around and we go to buy a coat (if we haven’t already), we’re looking for ones on sale, and the designers who spent all their money on runway shows aren’t making profit.

Donna Karan suggested that maybe runway shows, instead of being as much as 10 months in advance, should correspond to the season, and Anna Wintour asked if they could make a rule that would restrict when retailers can go on sale (which is illegal, but Wintour protested, “We have friends in the White House now!”)

Although no conclusion was reached, DVF reached out for help in making the right move.

What do you have to say, ladies? Should fashion cater to the industry, as it is now, or to us, the consumers?

–Venus