A collection is a coherent assortment of style items. Manufacturers or designers create collections each season to showcase new trends for particular markets. The apparel industry bases many collections on seasons, such as winter collections and summer collections, as well as other themed collections, such as leather collections or cotton collections.

The main characteristics of collections are that they:

• Are introduced for one brand (manufacturer).
• Are time-bound. Generally, a collection is designed and marketed for one season or year.
• Are specifically designed for one or more markets.
• Have a multi-level structure. The collection structure defines the attributes of the base collection and any variations within the collection. The collection structure consists of multiple levels, such as themes, brands, and styles.
• Can contain the same style item that is present in other collections at the same time.
• Are used by sales orders, purchase orders, and shop floor management.

Upon completion of this topic, you will be able to define a collection template.