Do I Need a Jacket? Climate Change and the Contradictions of Seasonless Fashion

by Ann-Kathrin Harbusch

Image by Ann-Kathrin Harbusch

“Do I need a jacket?“ is a question we ask ourselves almost every day. When we were children, our parents told us to simply look out of the window to decide what to wear. Today, even if you look outside, you have no idea what the weather will be like in the next hour. This uncertainty reflects how climate change has blurred the seasons over the years. We now wonder whether we really need a warm winter coat for the upcoming season or if last spring’s jean jacket will be enough. Or perhaps we should just buy another jacket, since it can be worn all year long.

This article explores how climate change influences the traditional fashion seasons, examines the industry’s promotion of seasonless clothing and critically evaluates whether the shift reduces consumption or is just another marketing strategy. I argue that while climate change is reshaping fashion seasons, treating seasonless fashion as the solution is misguided. Without structural changes in production and a shift in consumers’ mindsets, seasonless fashion risks becoming just another method of greenwashing.

Impact of Climate Change on Fashion Seasons

The concept of fashion seasons was historically rooted in (European) weather patterns, which no longer align with today’s global climate reality (Kansara, 2020). Beyond gradual warming, climate patterns have become increasingly unpredictable. Sudden heatwaves in autumn or unexpected cold weather in spring disrupt predictable seasonal dressing. According to Planalytics’ vice president of Marketing, David Frieberg, no other external variable has as big of an impact on store sales as the weather (Kent, 2023). As a result, the traditional spring/summer and fall/winter calendar loses its relevance, since customers can no longer anticipate what to expect from upcoming seasons.

Seasonless Fashion as a Response to Climate Change

In response, brands have begun experimenting with seasonless strategies.

Mango, for example, has adapted its collections by including more seasonally-transitional garments, such as trench coats and by incorporating more technical fabrics (Pons, 2024). In addition, brands like Lululemon adjust their marketing strategies depending on regional climates. What is sold as a lightweight windbreaker in western countries is promoted as a sun-protective layer in China (Ap, 2023). These models illustrate how companies adjust to a shifting climate but they also reveal how rebranding allows companies to market the same product in multiple ways without necessarily reducing overall production.

Role of Consumer Mindsets

Consumer behavior ultimately determines whether seasonless fashion reduces or stimulates consumption. Julie Gilhart, an executive of the Tomorrow Group, argues that even if consumers don’t consciously think about climate change while shopping, they still may be more drawn to transitional garments that are suitable for unpredictable weather (Kent, 2023). This suggests that seasonless or transitional fashion is often less a conscious response to climate change and more an opportunity for brands to capitalize on uncertainty. “Always wearable” garments risk justifying more purchases, as consumers no longer face the seasonal limits.

In conclusion, we may keep asking ourselves, “Do I need a jacket?” but the fashion industry should instead ask, “Do we need to keep making so many of them?” It makes sense to adapt fashion to shifting weather patterns, yet this alone will not solve the problem it claims to address. Ultimately, it is consumer behavior that determines the impact. Without a real shift in mindsets toward buying less, even seasonless fashion may accelerate rather than reduce consumption.

Bibliography:

Ap, T. (2023, July 28). How Global Warming Is Changing Fashion and Beauty Record temperatures around the globe will transform the way we dress and groom ourselves, Retrieved September 22, 2025 from https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/how-global-warming-is-changing-fashion-and-beauty/

Kansara, V. (2020, May 01). Why Fashion 'Seasons' Are Obsolete, Retrieved September 21, 2025 from https://www.businessoffashion.com/briefings/retail/why-fashion-seasons-are-obsolete/

Kent, S. (2023, January 27). How Hotter Weather Is Creating Uncertainty for Fashion Brands. Climate change is making shopping behavior harder to predict, adding to inventory management challenges for brands and retailers. Retrieved September 21, 2025 from https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/climate-change-weather-consumer-spending-seasonless/

Pons, C. (2024, March 13). Mango adapts as climate change makes fashion less seasonal. Retrieved September 22, 2025 from https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/mango-adapts-climate-change-makes-fashion-less-seasonal-2024-03-12/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

Bio:

Ann-Kathrin Harbusch graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion and Design Management from the AMD Academy of Fashion and Design in Munich. Alongside her studies, she worked in global content marketing, which allowed her to gain valuable industry insights. She is now continuing her academic journey with a Master’s degree in Fashion Management at the AMD Academy of Fashion and Design in Düsseldorf.