Five seasonal merchandise programmes
Four seasons and a school year, each with its own dates, its own products and its own deadline that cannot move.
Five seasonal programmes are described here. Spring is the lightest and the easiest to plan, with a deadline that sits in February. Summer is the difficult one, because the deadline is fixed by the holiday period and the products that work in July are limited. Autumn carries the largest volume and the heaviest logistics, with the year end programmes running into it.
Winter is short on production time and long on lead times, because anything made in northern Italy for a December delivery has to be made in September. The back to school programme is a separate rhythm with its own deadline in July and a different buyer.
The dates matter more than the products. Each page gives the working backwards schedule for that season, which is the only way to know whether a delivery date is achievable at all.
Five seasons
One page per season, with the working backwards schedule that decides whether the date holds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should we plan?
Four months for spring and summer, six for autumn and winter, because production slots fill first.
Which season has the tightest deadline?
Summer, because the delivery window closes before the production window opens.
Can we run a year-round programme instead?
Yes, and the annual contract page describes how the price is held across the year.
Tell us the season and the date
Send the delivery date and the audience. We reply with the working backwards schedule for that season and what can still be produced in time.