Shoppers may think “fall fashion” arrives when the leaves turn, but merchandisers know the selling clock runs six months ahead. According to the retail-industry’s 4-5-4 calendar, the fall season officially begins the first week of August and runs 13 weeks. Yet wholesale orders for those goods are typically written between January and March so factories can cut, sew, and ship on time.
What that means for buyers:
- Pre-season shows (Jan – Jul) = place bulk orders for Autumn/Winter collections, negotiate exclusives, and lock in delivery windows.
- In-season shows (Aug – Oct) = chase “immediates,” holiday top-ups, and newness to keep the floor fresh through Q4.
Below is a two-phase roadmap of U.S. apparel trade shows that matter for Fall 2025—and exactly when you need to attend each one.
Pre-Fall 2025 Shows (Jan – Jul): Where Fall Really Starts
| Show | Details | Why It Matters |
| Texworld & Apparel Sourcing NYC — Winter | Jan 21-23 • Javits Center, NYC | Textile mega-show to source AW 25/26 fabrics, trims, and private-label production. Ideal for brands mapping color cards before CADs are final. |
| Atlanta Apparel — February Market | Feb 4-7 • AmericasMart, Atlanta, GA | First U.S. apparel market of the year; 3,000+ lines span juniors to children’s. Great for early Autumn/Winter orders with Southeast reps. |
MAGIC Las Vegas | Feb 10-12 • LVCC, Las Vegas, NV | High-energy trend hub where major retailers write Fall ’25 orders across women’s, young contemporary, footwear, and accessories. |
| COTERIE New York | Feb 18-20 • Javits Center, NYC | Premium & advanced-contemporary womenswear; department stores finalize upscale outerwear and occasion looks for September floorsets. |
| Première Vision New York | Jul 15-16 • Tribeca 360°, NYC | Last chance to realign fabric, color, and sustainability stories before final PO cut-offs. |
Lead-Time Rule-of-Thumb: Place core Fall POs 24-30 weeks before launch; reserve 10-15 % of OTB for in-season opportunistic buys.
In-Season & Last-Chance Shows (Aug – Oct 2025)
| Show | Details | Why It Matters |
| Chicago Collective – Men’s Edition | Aug 2-5 • THE MART, Chicago, IL | Tailored menswear, outerwear, and heritage brands; tighten size runs before Labor Day markdowns. |
| Chicago Collective – Women’s Edition | Aug 24-26• THE MART, Chicago, IL | Hundreds of the finest brands in women’s classic and contemporary apparel, lifestyle, accessories & footwear. |
| Atlanta Apparel – August Market | Aug 5-8 • AmericasMart, Atlanta, GA | Holiday-centric immediates, giftable accessories, and resort deliveries. |
| TRENDZ – August | Aug 24-26 • Palm Beach CC, West Palm Beach, FL | Resort-ready assortments for boutiques and Caribbean accounts; low MOQs. |
| Surf Expo – Fall Edition | Sept 4-6 • Orange County CC, Orlando, FL | Swim, surf & coastal lifestyle lines that land pre-holiday cruise season. |
| COTERIE New York | Sept 14-16 • Javits Center, NYC | Premium women’s immediates + early Spring ’26 previews. |
| MAGIC Nashville | Oct 2-3 • Music City Center, Nashville, TN | Two-day cash-and-carry event for Southeast independents filling holiday gaps. |
| TRENDZ – August | Oct 4-6 • Palm Beach CC, West Palm Beach, FL | Final Florida buy-window before tourist high season; ideal for resort reorder programs. |
| Atlanta Apparel – October Market | Oct 14-17 • AmericasMart, Atlanta, GA | Last large-scale opportunity to order ASAP goods that ship within 2–4 weeks. |
| EDIT SwimShow | Oct 28-29 • Miami Beach CC, Miami, FL | Curated swim/resort edit geared to southern retailers and cruise-line concessionaires. |
Putting It All Together With ApparelMagic
- Pre-Show Line Plan: Build Fall ’25 style/SKU targets inside ApparelMagic so reps can import assortments straight to your workbook.
- Mobile Order Capture: Use the iPad app on the show floor—orders sync instantly to live inventory, preventing over-buying.
- Vendor Scorecards: After each event, run Sell-Through vs. Commitment reports to see which shows and suppliers delivered ROI.
- Replenishment Automation: Set low-stock alerts so your team can place October reorders before size-breaks appear online.
Key Takeaway
If you only shop “Fall” shows in September, you’re already behind the eight-ball. The most successful wholesalers and retailers lock in their Fall/Winter assortments by mid-February, then use August-to-October markets for fine-tuning and immediates.
Map your 2025 calendar now, integrate it with ApparelMagic’s buying and inventory tools, and turn every trade-show badge swipe into margin you can count on.
