Alexander Wang becomes the latest designer to ditch traditional fashion calendar

Alexander Wang is shifting his Spring/Summer 2019 show from September 2018 to June, in further disruption to the traditional fashion week calendar.

The US designer is set to trial a new strategy that will see him present his ready-to-wear collections in June and December, reports Women's Wear Daily (WWD). Currently, womenswear fashion week shows in New York, London, Paris and Milan take place from February through March, and from September through October.

"I am very much looking forward to showing in June in New York," Wang told WWD. He added: "Our shows will reinforce our brand's DNA to our global customers and fans while we continue to be focused in our product offering. This new cadence will allow us to speak to our global customer in different conversations that are not limited to just fashion week twice a year."

According to the site, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) is considering adapting the structure of its New York Fashion Week event to encompass two different "fashion seasons" that would allow for designers wanting to take a more flexible approach to their presentations.

Wang is the latest in a long line of designers to abandon the traditional seasonal fashion calendar. The rise of the ‘see-now-buy-now' model has seen British house Burberry and US labels Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade and Michael Kors replace the conventional schedule with catwalk shows showing collections that shoppers can get their hands on immediately, while major brands such as Calvin Klein and Coach ditched separate menswear and womenswear presentations for co-ed shows last year. Meanwhile other designers, including Anya Hindmarch and Vivian Westwood, recently announced plans to suspend catwalk shows completely, in favor of other events of digital screenings.