The back-to-school season has just begun, and magazine editorial departments are requesting brand submissions for the winter holidays. Smart fashion brand owners should start thinking about the gift-giving season now and curate products that are ideal for gifting. Early preparation is key to reducing stress, getting ahead, and standing out. The most important tactic for a successful holiday season is securing coverage.

I asked our PR and growth experts: What do fashion brands need to do to prepare for the winter holiday season? How can fashion brands get into gift guides and utilize affiliate programs to their advantage? What makes a good gift item from a fashion collection? How can fashion brands compete with others in the same boat as them?

Here are the experts' insights.

• Get high-quality, seasonally-designed product images
• "Holiday exclusive" pieces available only November-December
• Present unique stories to editors and influencers, and offer exclusive deals
• Combine style with usability items
• Objects that address an issue in everyday life
• Brands need to have holiday-specific product bundles and inventory confirmed
• It is no longer optional to have affiliate links set up through the major networks
• Make the assets available at a moment's notice

Get high-quality, seasonally-designed product images

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"The first step is to get high-quality, seasonally-designed product images and write catchy yet concise descriptions. Your product descriptions should focus on what make your products unique from competitors, whether it’s your particular fabric blend or colorways. Then, gather a media list of contacts from local, regional, and national lifestyle publications. Holiday gift guide pitching starts right now! Be sure to link to product images and be clear and straightforward about why your items would be a great inclusion. More universal pieces (like “one size” items an accessories) typically perform best."

"Holiday exclusive" pieces available only November-December

Winnie Sun, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Sun Group Wealth Partners

"As someone who built Sun Group Wealth Partners from the ground up and works with high-net-worth families, I've seen how fashion brands succeed during holidays—it's all about understanding buyer psychology during gift-giving season. The wealthy families I advise don't just buy products; they invest in brands that solve emotional problems.

The biggest mistake fashion brands make is focusing on their products instead of the gift-giver's anxiety. When my clients shop for holidays, they're terrified of giving the wrong gift and looking thoughtless. Smart fashion brands create "confidence packages" that remove this fear entirely—think styling consultations bundled with purchases, or detailed size exchange policies that extend through February.

I've watched luxury brands absolutely crush holiday sales by targeting the gift-giver's timeline stress, not fashion trends. One brand my clients love offers "emergency gift services" where they'll deliver and wrap purchases within 4 hours of ordering. Their December revenue hit 40% of their annual sales because they solved the real problem—last-minute panic shopping.

The brands that win create exclusivity through scarcity, not accessibility. When Fashion Week happens, I see which brands my social media followers actually purchase versus just admire. The successful ones launch "holiday exclusive" pieces available only November-December, making gift recipients feel truly special rather than getting something anyone could buy year-round."

Present unique stories to editors and influencers, and offer exclusive deals

Peter Murphy, Founder & CEO at TrackSpikes.co

"In order to be ready, fashion brands should have good quality product images and catchy descriptions that will emphasize the holiday mood. Supply and ensuring that the stocking is done as well as ensuring that there is an effective logistics is the key to demand. To access gift guides and make use of affiliate programs, the brands can present their unique stories to the editors and influencers, and offer exclusive deals. Affiliate programs can be established that are well-incentivized to spur sales. A good gift item must be trendy, multi-functional and of good quality. The brands need to be distinct in their identity, provide superior customer service and also connect with the customers through social media."

Combine style with usability items

Doug Crawford, Founder at Best-Trade-Schools.net

"As a way to plan for the winter holiday season, fashion brands ought to begin by creating a curation of products that will be ideal to gift as presents consider special, eye-catching accessories and practical clothes. The best product shots and descriptions should be used to make these items shine in holiday gift lists and online sites. The timing of things is important as the sooner everything is in readiness the better since you can get the media attention before the competition.

To get into gift guides it is important to establish relationships with the editors long beforehand. Make your products the ideal gift, focusing on their exclusivity, functionality and emotional worth. Affiliate programs also allow brands to make commissions to influencers or platforms that promote their brands, generate awareness and make sales.

A great gift item from a fashion collection combines style with usability items like cozy scarves, statement handbags, or luxurious loungewear. These products are intimate and considerate and since they are simple to present.

To compete, fashion brands have to concentrate on the story. Make plain what makes your brand different and develop a great story on the design, sustainability or craftsmanship of your products can make your pieces shine in a saturated market."

Objects that address an issue in everyday life

Caspar Matthews, Director at Electcomm Group Electrical & Data

"The error most of us make is believing that a compelling product is sufficient to get the attention of an editor. The fact is that editors get lost in choices. What is striking is a presentation that does not need any additional effort on their part. A brand must be ready with a nice press packet which shall consist of at least five medium close-ups of products on neutral grounds, two lifestyle shots of products in action and copy which can simply be cut and put into print. By having descriptions at less than 50 words and then a clear price point, say $120 or $200, this means that editors do not need to rewrite to add the item.

When it comes to that, the definition of what constitutes a good gift item, high-fashion items do not necessarily always win. Objects that address an issue in everyday life are of all sizes, and have a price within typical levels of giving money, such as the range of 50, 100 and 200 dollars is preferable. As an example, a scarf of sustainable wool that arrives in a gift box has much more chances of being taken over a statement jacket that has to be tailored. It is about reducing hurdles in the way of the buyer and the editor.

Competition is inevitable, but most brands underrate the power of word of mouth. When they do not overcomplicate with the heavy branding or over-listed collections, when they simply send five products with evident assets, with the simple pricing and the affiliates behind them, they will be in a much better position. Editors reward brands that make the process smooth as in a season where deadlines are tight; convenience of use counts."

Brands need to have holiday-specific product bundles and inventory confirmed

Sahil Kakkar, CEO & Founder at RankWatch

"If I were advising fashion brands right now, I would start with timing. September is not early. It is already late if you want to be part of December gift guides. Brands need to have holiday-specific product bundles, price points that stay under $100, and inventory confirmed. Not “in production” or “coming soon.” Editors and gift guide writers will skip anything that is not immediately available with clean delivery timelines.

Every submission must include high-resolution photos on a white background, styled lifestyle photos, a one-paragraph product blurb, full retail price, direct purchase link, and affiliate availability. If you cannot provide a link through major platforms like ShareASale, Rakuten, or LTK, you will likely not be included. Many writers are now required to link through an affiliate platform, so this part is non-negotiable.

The products that get featured are giftable without needing a backstory. Think gloves with hidden pockets, silk eye masks with embroidery, or recycled fabric tote bags in custom prints. Packaging matters. If it looks messy, editors will not risk their name on it. And lastly, skip mass email pitches. Personal, direct emails with proper formatting and subject lines like “Gift Guide: $80 Quilted Belt Bag with 15% Margin” get opened. The rest get deleted."

It is no longer optional to have affiliate links set up through the major networks

Riley Westbrook, Co-founder & Creative Director at Valor Coffee

"In fashion, the holiday season should be planned well in advance of December's arrival. For brands waiting until fall to prepare, they're already behind the competition. The best thing to have is to have a library of powerful images well ahead of time. That includes not just the regular product shots on white background but styled images that give a sense of how the item fits into a gifting moment. A sweater on a hanger predicts a different story than that same sweater packaged in a wrapped box with ribbon. Shoppers and editors relate to it more, and thus it's more likely to make it into a gift guide.

Product descriptions should go beyond materials and sizing, and emphasize gifting value. To say that a leather wallet is genuine leather with four card slots, would be an understatement, but in fact would be a timeless piece that lasts 10 years and could be given as an investment gift for under $150. This kind of positioning reminds editors that the product falls into the holiday context of thoughtful long-lasting gifting.

Affiliate programs are now significant as most editorial outlets are now focused on products that offer a direct revenue link. In today's world, if a brand wants to get covered, it is no longer optional to have affiliate links set up through networks like ShareASale or Rakuten. Brands that don't prepare this piece often miss out even if their product is the ideal fit with the feature. Having a reliable sales tracking system and the ability to include high resolution images with affiliate links makes the editor's job easier and improves the chances of being included.

It's not through inventing something totally new that you win the competition but by being more deliberate with the presentation. Two scarves may have a similar look, but one brand will get more placements because the brand has clear messaging and assets that make an editor's job easier. A good collection gift would fall between $50 and $200 and would be something that feels heavy and has something about it that makes it personal. That could be a distinctive liner within a jacket or a monogram choice that provides an element of thoughtfulness. These touches transform a gift from a daily item."

Make the assets available at a moment's notice

Adam Yong, SEO Consultant & Founder at BrandPeek

"It helps to think of editorial teams as valued customers. They need assets to be available at a moment's notice. That means that every brand should have high-resolution images of the product on white background as well as on lifestyle; short product descriptions of about 50 to 60 words and longer product descriptions of about 150 words for different placements. Everything well labeled makes it easier for editors handling hundreds of submissions a day to find files easily. If a brand is able to offer all within two clicks, the likelihood of it being chosen increases manifold.

Affiliate training is neglected. Many editorial sites only sell products that run through affiliate networks because it is an obvious revenue stream for those sites. Brands that are already advertised on sites such as ShareASale or Impact with commission rates of 10 to 20 percent automatically become easier for editors to prioritize. It isn't about devaluing the product, it is about providing editors with an incentive to consider the brand as part of their coverage. If this structure is not in place, the most beautiful collection may be overlooked.

As to what characterizes a good gift item, this seems to contradict the presumption that a bigger or more costly item would be better. The best gifting pieces are multipurpose, easy to size and priced from $50 to $150. Classic accessories like scarves, belts or jewelry work better than niche or trendy accessories. A winter coat might be a beautiful gift, but it's difficult to perform when you limit the audience to those who have $500 and a need for precise sizing. Products that are both practical and luxurious have a greater longevity in gift guides.

Competition is unavoidable, but the brands that stand out take all the friction out for editors. A clean product pitch with images, affiliate links and a few sentences of copy is something the editor doesn't even need to think twice about. Instead of forcing to sell ten products from a portfolio, picking two or three hero products with a great story will have a larger impact. Editors expect things they can file away with no further clarification. The brands that make coverage easy are the ones that always see coverage."

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