The Invitation Is Now the First Look

The season now starts before anyone walks. A show invite used to be a card; now it is an object, made to be filmed as it comes out of its box. Those opening-the-package clips carry a show far past the people in the seats, so the invitation has become a planned part of how a collection is promoted, not just a courtesy. For readers who keep track of every season from New York to Los Angeles, the record now begins with what arrives by mail.

With reporting from WWD.