Ralph Lauren thinks the traditional fashion calendar is "over".
Ralph Lauren
The 76-year-old legendary designer is planning to follow the likes of Tom Ford, Tommy Hilfiger, and Burberry's Christopher Bailey, in making his collection available to buy as soon as his New York Fashion Week runway show is over on Wednesday (14.09.16), and thinks it is important the fashion world adapts to changing technology.
He said: "Showing clothes, then delivering them six months later... it's over.
"With the Internet, social media... you have to change."
Ralph isn't fazed by the huge change to his business model because he has always been open to adapting and evolving.
He told Vogue.com: "I've always looked at the business as an evolution. We're never standing still, and we're never chasing anyone. Everything is a new chapter.
"I've been through it before, when nothing moves. When everything is available, how do you do specialness? How do you create magic?"
And the veteran designer admits one of the problems fashion faces these days is that it is just one element of how people express themselves these days so they want more from the industry.
He said: "Where you see most of the excitement now is in food.
"Restaurants, where to go, what's healthy: That's the sensibility that's happening. There are more diverse ideas about living. The world is into experience, so you've got to give experience."
Ralph had initially planned to keep his see now, buy now, plan for the 45-piece fall collection under wraps until the show, which will take place outdoors in front of his women's flagship store on Madison Avenue.
He told WWD:"See now, buy now gives you the ability to be right there where the action is.
"We wanted to do this without telling anybody. We think it's the right thing to do."
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