How to translate Fashion Week publicity and excitement into quick sales has been a logistical problem plaguing the fashion industry for some time. By their very nature, fashion shows are showcases of clothing that has yet to be manufactured, but with almost every show imaginable streaming online and images up on Style.com within hours, they also provide a huge public window on new collections, and the public is not that good at waiting. Taking a note from pre-order pioneers Moda Operandi, Neiman Marcus now allows shoppers to pick from a tightly edited selection of pieces straight off the runway, which then ship as soon as they become available.
This is the second season that Neiman Marcus has offered this option, and although the pickings are a tad slim (perhaps a not-so-tightly-edited approach will follow in the future when the power of the pre-order is more widely appreciated), some information about Fall 2013 trends can be gleaned from the handbag offerings. First, I hope you liked Fall 2012’s oxblood mania, because it’s not going anywhere. Second, I hope you still like leopard, because it, too appears to be here for the duration. Check out the best handbags of the bunch below, or head over to Neiman Marcus to shop the entire pre-order selection, including clothes and shoes.