Two collections a year: why that rhythm still works.

Two seasonal collections a year and a basics range that runs all year: that is how In The Mood Collection, Ed and Moni de Bever's home-textile brand, worked. That rhythm comes from practice: a collection has to be ordered, made, shipped and put on the shelf before the season starts.

Why that rhythm suits textiles and pet products:

Lead time forces it. For India, Pakistan and China there are three months of production plus roughly a month at sea between sample approval and delivery. If you want to change something halfway through the season, you are too late. So you plan a season ahead, or you place that part with a European manufacturer who delivers in four to six weeks.

Shelves are reset every season. A garden centre, pet shop or homeware store resets its shelves each season. That is also how the collections are presented: as one complete range for the season, not as separate items spread across the year.

Buying happens ahead of the season. A winter fleece bed doesn't sell in July. A retailer building the autumn range in spring is buying against demand that doesn't exist yet. That is exactly why the choice has to be right at that point.

The basics range is the third part: items without a season, such as a plain black basket, a neutral throw or an orthopaedic bed. They stay in stock all year and don't have to follow the collection cycle. How big that share is varies from shop to shop.

A collection that works needs both: seasonal lines and year-round basics.