It is a slow trickle so far for what is being released for 2016 Pre-fall. That is, other design houses have yet to release their collections. Given the economic news and indicators, it may prove interesting to see who is choosing...or has the wherewithal...to continue the volume of output that four collections per year now demands.

So far this year we have seen a few major exits from those at the helms of prominent labels. Be it by choice (Raf Simons of Dior, Alexander Wang of Balenciaga) or by request (Alber Elbaz of Lanvin, Tom Mora of J. Crew) the fact is that the demands of the business are central as is the pressure that each house has to continue being profitable in the face of less than encouraging news; unfortunately, employment shakeups tend to precede fiscal ones.

During the early 90s, some houses started to fold as the economic picture worsened. The glut of houses that appeared produced high priced garments, all competing for a segment of the population in a higher tax bracket. These houses fed off the feverish and hedonistic greed that was celebrated at the time, and were looking to capitalize on the wave of conspicuous consumption that was, unbeknownsed to many, increasingly propped up with credit. The new entrants supersaturated the already crowded market that could not sustain the kind of consumption it grew under.

Profits dipped, houses fell and labels that expanded had to claw back to survive. While this was happening, the general public also halted this frenzy of spending. The party was over, and many were left stuck with the bill for keeping up with an image that was unsustainable. It was vulgar to be as flashy and formal, and the artificial gloss had outworn its appeal. Instead, a casual and sporty looks took over, and grunge became the statement that proclaimed our change in mindset regarding what mattered and about being real. It was rebellious in challenging what had been established in the prior decade.

We are in a different place to a degree. We are somewhere living the dichotomy between the celebration of excess and consumption and the acceptance that there is a time and a place for that excess. Right now the bulk of the population isn't feeling as prosperous and our connected world lets us know in real time. Closing mines, reductions in manufacturing, the negative effects of OPEC 's influence on the price of oil, and key indexes as indicators for areas such as housing and retail showing drops in profit margins mix with excitement over crowdfunding, budding entrepreneurships and emerging developments creating new consumption classes in the international sphere. Are we doing well or heading to a huge crash? How much is hype for either point of view? Who do we believe and where are we headed? And do we sit back and relinquish control or do we stand defiant and own what we stand to inherit?

We have pride that is our polish and stoic humility that is our dressing down. The mix of gloss and casual and the cleverness in high design with the grit in street and sport elements become the lexicon for this blended conflict that is found in the collection shown by MM6 Maison Margiela. It is also that spirit that is found in the other collections so far. There is polish yet it's laid back without being invisible. There is deliberate laissez-faire in that newness as we straddle the day wondering just what our future will be and our appropriateness, if only because too many have been there before while accepting that we still have a place and purpose.

Perhaps pre-fall will be the cusp that tells us not so much the future as much as the dividing line that either betrays our optimism or sustains it. But regardless of where we go, we are taking ownership as we get there; we are present and still step forward. It will be interesting to see how many other collections share this view and to what degree as they bring their added thoughts to the pre-fall dialogue.