Dizzying demands on fashion houses are forcing designers into an elaborate dance, as creative directors swap seats and steering wheels at the whim of the increasingly discerning market, says Divya Bala 

With consumers demanding see-now-buy-now wearability and designers defying seasons (see: Vetements rejection of fashion month cycles, Raf Simon's exit from Dior - "When you do six shows a year, there's no time for the whole process," he told The Business of Fashion and Burberry and Paul Smith merging men's and women's presentations, et al.) the entire fashion system is in a state of flux. The creative director - the guardian and anchor of the brand - is even more important than ever.

Here, in the gallery above Buro charts the recent appointments, exits and the rumours surrounding fashion's finest. Consider this your trusty guide to the next frantic four weeks of A/W '16.

Musical chairs: who’s designing what this fashion week