DALLAS, Aug 5, 2004/ FW/ --- DALLAS, Aug 5, 2004/ FW/ --- As European fashion houses close down for their summer vacation, American designers are getting ready for the New York Spring 2005 season.

Huh? Spring 2005? I see fall / winter fashion in store windows.

Yes, Virginia, what is available in stores right now are the fall / winter 2004 collections. It takes about six months for clothes to reach the store shelves from the time a fashion house presented the collection to both press and buyers.

From the drawing board to the runway, to actual production and shipping, the timetable is approximately 180 days.

So, what you are seeing right now in store windows was designed more or less 6 months ago!

Location: Bergdorf Goodman 745 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10019 Tel: (800)558-1855 Website: www.bergdorfgoodman.com

Location: Louis Vuitton One East 57th Street New York, NY 10022 Tel: (212) 758-8877 Fax: (212) 758-8882 Website: www.vuitton.com

Location: St. John Boutique 665 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10022 Tel: (212)755-5252 Website: www.stjohnknits.com

Carolina Herrera Valentino Bergdorf Goodman

J Mendel J Mendel Bergdorf Goodman

Donna Karan Gucci Louis Vuitton

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