In the days following the shows, buyers from the world’s top department stores and boutiques cycle through these appointment-only spaces, studying every look before placing their seasonal orders, building out what will eventually be sold in stores. But there is another layer to these appointments that most people don’t see.
These meetings are also reserved for a different kind of customer, often referred to as the VIC (Very Important Customer), whose purchasing history with a brand gives them early access to what the rest of the world will discover months later. They don’t wait to see what’s in stores—instead they choose directly from the source. That’s where I come in.
As a personal shopper working with clients across different time zones, I’m inside these showrooms photographing and filming everything in detail. The way the fabric falls, the exact tone of color, the finish of a button and the way a garment sits on the body. Within minutes, every look is sent out. A WhatsApp message, a voice note, a quick upload of content to my lookbook platform, and clients review each piece almost instantly, asking questions and confirming decisions within hours. It’s surprisingly seamless, as if they were right there in the room with me. And from there, things move fast.
At houses like Dior, pre-orders typically need to be confirmed within 24 to 48 hours of the show. Miss that window and the piece may be gone. Other brands allow a little more time, maybe a week or occasionally two, but the pace is always the same: immediate. A 50 percent deposit secures the item and sets production in motion. Then, months later once it’s ready, the balance is paid and the piece is delivered, usually ahead of store delivery so the client can enjoy it before anyone else. Other houses like Chanel work slightly differently, often allocating through a VIC pre-request system, producing only those items specifically ordered by clients. The principle remains the same across all brands and its access is reserved for a very small circle.
The final result is always so exciting to watch unfold, with wardrobes fully imagined and confirmed months in advance. Without fittings or even seeing the pieces in person, clients are building entire looks for future vacations, galas and moments that haven’t happened yet. By the time the collections arrive in-store, they have already moved onto planning the next season before this current one has landed.
