FASHION BRAND ADVISOR

The wholesale season
work-back planner

Fix your showroom date, and every phase below fills in with real dates. Tick off the operational work as you go, then print or save the whole plan to hand to whoever runs each part.

The Wholesale Season Work-Back Planner

Pick your showroom date above to turn each step into real dates. Month 0 is the showroom; each step is roughly one month.

Season progress0% · 0 of 28 done

The season at a glance

Develop & price6–3 months out
Sample & shoot3–1 months out
Book & promote2–0 months out
ShowroomMonth 0
Confirm & fundMonth 0 to 1
ProduceMonth 1 to 3
Deliver & reorderMonth 3 onward
6–3 months out

Develop & price

6 to 3 months before showroom

Edit the collection and make the numbers work. This is where the season is won or lost.

DeliverableA locked, costed line plan with wholesale, RRP and MOQ per style.
Watch-outIf the maths doesn't work at wholesale, fix it now, not in the showroom.
3–1 months out

Sample & shoot

3 to 1 months before showroom

Turn the plan into pieces buyers can see and a linesheet they can order from.

DeliverableSamples in hand; lookbook and linesheet live on your B2B portal.
Watch-outLate samples mean nothing to sell, and this is the deadline that ends most seasons.
2–0 months out

Book & promote

2 to 0 months before showroom

The showroom day is the finish line of a month of outreach, not the work itself.

DeliverableBooked appointments, a promoted collection, a planned set.
Watch-outBrands that treat the showroom as the whole job stand in a quiet room.
Month 0

Showroom / sell-in

Showroom month (month 0)

Present, gather feedback, take orders, and read the room honestly.

DeliverableAn order sheet and a feedback log.
Watch-outBuyers who love it may still not buy, because budgets are fixed. Don't over-read a slow room.
Month 0 to 1

Confirm & fund

Month 0 to 1 (just after)

Turn interest into a confirmed, funded order book.

DeliverableA confirmed order book, deposits banked, production PO raised.
Watch-outProduce to orders and a realistic buffer, not to hope.
Month 1 to 3

Produce

Month 1 to 3

Manufacture to order, collect the balance, and get ready to repeat.

DeliverableGoods QC'd and ready; balances collected.
Watch-outThis is the cash gap. You are funding production before the balance lands.
Month 3 onward

Deliver & reorder

From month 3 onward

Ship on time, chase the reorders, and learn for next season.

DeliverableDelivered orders, reorders fulfilled, a season debrief.
Watch-outNo reorder readiness leaves your best revenue on the table.

The two cash checkpoints

Wholesale is usually paid in two parts. This is just one common scenario, not a rule, so check with your representatives what the exact terms are.

30%
Deposit · month 0 to 1

Comes in when orders are confirmed. Funds the start of production.

70%
Balance · before shipping

Paid before the goods leave. Releases the order to the buyer.

Your cash is tightest during Produce. You are funding manufacturing before the balance lands, so map that gap before you commit to a season.

Placing month 0 on a real calendar

Follow the traditional global fashion calendar: AW/FW shows run February–March, followed by SS shows in September–October. The Big Four run New York → London → Milan → Paris in each main season. Showrooms and wholesale appointments typically run alongside and immediately after the shows, extending the commercial selling and buying window beyond the runway dates.

Important: These are industry-standard windows, not fixed deadlines. Exact showroom, buying and order-book dates vary by brand, showroom and market. Always confirm dates directly with the relevant brand/showroom representative. Their calendar can be up to around a month earlier than the standard industry window.