Unpredictable weather forces fashion retailers to change course.

Hot winters, heavy rains and drought: across Europe, the weather becomes less predictable each month, with disastrous consequences for health and food security. This trend extends to other aspects of our daily lives.

Fashion is one of the sectors most affected by climate change.

When shoppers vacillate between winter coats and summer t-shirts, their behavior becomes more unpredictable. Seasons, which were previously clearly defined, are no longer amenable to movement.

Retailers find it more difficult to determine what to sell and when.

How does the weather affect clothing sales?

Last winter was the second warmest in Europe. In some areas, such as Spain and France, there are droughts, but in others it rains heavily.

The sales season is determined by the regional authorities in Italy and usually starts in early July. In France, they are designated by prefecture and usually start at the end of June.

In Italy, fashion retailers OVS and Pianoforte Holding are hoping to postpone their summer sales until mid-July. As summers get longer, this could trend across Europe.

Can it slow down fast mode?

Faced with unpredictable weather, shoppers may be more inclined to invest in more versatile clothing.

This could force fast fashion retailers to abandon their ever-changing, seasonal models.. Transtemporal and heat-adaptable clothing with year-round appeal could become more common, reducing textile waste for both consumers and retailers.

Advanced data analytics systems that account for emerging weather patterns can also help retailers reduce dead stock, or can be used to help fast fashion models stay afloat.

Weather-sensitive ads, which change in real time based on local conditions, can help.

What is the real-time impact on sales?

Temperature differences can reduce sales of women’s clothing by around twelve million euros per degree hotter than the year before, according to the UK Meteorological Agency and the British Fashion Consortium’s 2018 “Weather to Shop” report.

Weather also has a big impact on the flow of people to physical and online stores. Data from Swedish marketing firm Tradedoubler shows that internet sales decline in sunny weather, as people prefer to visit stores in person, while the reverse is true in rainy weather.

Extreme weather conditions affect the entire supply chain. Last year’s devastating floods in Pakistan affected 33 million people and nearly 40% of the country’s annual cotton production, according to official figures. Unpredictable weather is also affecting supply chains in China, India and Brazil, among other countries.