Dutch initiatives set an example for transforming the fashion calendar

The pace of the dominant fashion calendar no longer seems to set the norm. From seasonal collections to product drops and more timeless designs instead of following trends are considered solutions for a more sustainable system. Major international labels such as Filippa K and By Malene Birger have been playing with "trendless" clothing for some time now, but nevertheless launch new collections every season. Dutch initiatives such as LILAY YUZGULEN, IKIGAI LABELS, Mumster, CAES and SÓUN are examples of future-proof solutions within the fashion world.

From seasonal collections to "product drops"

Product drops as a replacement for seasonal collections? If it’s up to designers Lilay Yuzgulen and Helen de Kluiver of LILAY YUZGULEN and CAES respectively, it is. Their brands deviate from the traditional fashion calendar, which dictates a minimum of four collections per year. According to both designers, this minimum is no longer of this time. Fashion label CAES prefers to focus on "editions", two of which have been launched already. An edition includes an ensemble of timeless pieces, suitable for any occasion and to wear for numerous years. The same applies to the product drops by Yuzgulen. Her first drop, the FAYE handbag, is also a trend-transcending design. Future items will follow when the time is right, not when the fashion world insists. Based on this ideology, the brand is at odds with the fashion calendar, which dictates a higher turnover rate.

Bag label SÓUN also develops timeless designs. Founder Anne-Fleur Simon combines Italian craftsmanship with residual materials from fishing. Salmon skin turns out to be a perfect basis for luxurious bags. Moreover, it is a residual material that would otherwise be thrown away.

Are trends a thing of the past?

If it is up to these designers, trends no longer predominate within fashion. Less focus on trends automatically results in a more sustainable system. This also applies to the online platform IKIGAI LABELS, which was founded to make sustainable brands with timeless solutions visible and accessible to a large audience. The same goes for the sustainable fashion movement Mumster: by developing impactful campaigns for sustainable fashion brands, they strive for a future-proof fashion industry independent of trends and products that become outdated after one season. The aim of both organizations is to convey to a large audience that fashion is much more than just a set of trends. 

And, so it is: the ultimate recipe for a sustainable future lies in maintaining a stylish wardrobe, without resorting to the latest trends every season. A tough challenge for both consumers and designers, but certainly not an impossible one.

Written by Emma Vloeimans