28-11-2012, 11:34 AM
Assignment On Fashion Capitals of the World
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Introduction:
Fashion Capital is a location which is influential in fashion and in which fashion is important. A fashion capital would be the home of many top designers, modeling agencies, and other allied industries (Retailers, manufactures etc.) and most importantly the consumers.It is decided each year by the amount of business generated and influence through media in fashion. Each year a list of cities based on rank is released stating the fashion capitals of the world.
Fashion Week:
A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, it lets the industry know what's "in" and what's "out" for the season. The most prominent fashion weeks are held in the fashion capitals Milan, London, New York, and Paris.
In 1943, the first New York Fashion Week was held, with one main purpose: to distract attention from French fashion during WWII, when workers in the fashion industry were unable to travel to Paris. This was an opportune moment - as for centuries designers in America were thought to be reliant on the French for inspiration. The fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert organized an event she called ‘Press Week’ to showcase American designers for fashion journalists, who had previously ignored their works. The Press Week was a success, and, as a result, magazines like Vogue (which were normally filled with French designs) began to feature more and more American innovations. Until 1994, shows were held in different locations, such as hotels, or lofts. Eventually, after a structural accident at a Michael Kors show, the event moved to Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library, where it remained until 2010, when the shows relocated to Lincoln Center.
However, long before Lambert, there were fashion shows throughout America. In 1903, an NYC shop, called Ehrich Brothers, put on what is thought to have been the country’s first fashion show, to lure middle-class females into the store. By 1910, many big department stores were holding shows of their own. It is likely that American retailers saw that they were called 'fashion parades' in Paris couture salons and decided to use the idea. These parades were an effective way to promote stores, and improved their status. By the 1920s, the fashion show had been used by retailers up and down the country. They were staged, and often held in the shop’s restaurant during lunch or teatime. These shows were usually more theatrical than those of today, heavily based upon a single theme, and accompanied with a narrative commentary. The shows were hugely popular, enticing crowds in their thousands – crowds so large, that stores in New York in the fifties had to obtain a license to have live models.
Fashion Weeks in Fashion Capitals:
New York, London, Milan and Paris each host a fashion week twice a year with New York kicking off each season and the other cities following in the aforementioned order. There are two major seasons per year - Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer. For Women swear, the Autumn/Winter shows always start in New York in February. Spring/Summer shows start in September in London. Menswear Autumn/Winter shows start in January in Milan for typically less than a week followed by another short week in Paris. Menswear Spring/Summer shows are done in June. Women swear Haute Couture shows typically happen in Paris a week after the Menswear Paris shows.
Over the past few years,more and more designers have shown inter-seasonal collections between the traditional Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer seasons. These collections are usually more commercial than the main season collections and help shorten the customer's wait for new season clothes. The inter-seasonal collections are Resort/Cruise (before Spring/Summer) and Pre-Fall (before Autumn/Winter). There is no fixed schedule for these shows in any of the major fashion capitals but they typically happen three months after the main season shows. Some designers show their inter-seasonal collections outside their home city. For example, Karl Lagerfeld has shown his Resort and Pre-Fall collections for Chanel in cities such as Moscow, Los Angeles and Monte Carlo instead of Paris. Many designers also put on presentations as opposed to traditional shows during Resort and Pre-Fall either to cut down costs or because they feel the clothes can be better understood in this medium.
New York:
New York City has been recognized as a top fashion capital known for its chic street and business wears and its designers. The city is known for good entertainments in musicals, interesting tour sites and various museums.
New York City is known for a big cosmopolitan population, liberalism, and business central worldwide. The busy and cosmopolitan society brought the qualities of the city to make it as a fashion capital.The city has produced many great designers, mostly known for the street and daily wears. Two of the most famous designers from New York are Donna Karen for DKNY and Calvin Klein. Their fashion houses became worldwide famous for their chic casual and formal wears for all the people.
New York City isn't just the fashion design capital of the U.S.;it is the fashion capital for the world after surpassing Milan last year.Its little wonder that top designers like Calvin Klein, Norma Kamali, and Donna Karan went to fashion school in New York City. Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Tom Ford, and Anna Sui opted for NYC fashion design school educations
Paris:
Paris is the most influential fashion capital of all in the world. The city is also known for great architecture and food. It became the top fashion capital due to its history of the fashion fanatic royalties.
The city produced many famous designers and fashion houses which gained tremendous popularity all over the world. Paris is now the essential city to visit and learn fashion for the people with big dreams in the fashion industry. Karl Lagerfeld for The House of Chanel and Marc Jacobs of Louis Vuitton are one of the most top designers that made the brands more popular.
Paris the first fashion capital of the world became a fashion capital because of its beautiful boutiques, the couture houses , and top designers everything happens in Paris one of the starting places for the fashion industries were millions of students for art and fashion come to be inspired by the culture and the schools. Paris the wonderful city of love and wonders, with the Eiffel tower, the Arche de Triophme and Place De La Concorde. Paris is unique in it own way with historical
Milan:
Milan is the business, fashion and design capital of Italy, with numerous fashion and trade fairs in the Rho` district of the city. It is also Italy's second largest and richest city. The city is split into 9 zones and full of beautiful architecture, lively nightlife and many museums and exhibitions.
Milan is the second largest city in Italy. Known for its beautiful architecture like theDuomo(cathedral) and huge shopping centers like the galleria VittorriEmanuele with a glass roof top that everyone enjoys. Milan is one of the fashion capitals for its great city showing window displays of top fashion designers clothes and accessories along the streets. But most of all Milan is home to some of the most famous Italian fashion designers. The city has produced many luxury brands from various designers and became one of the fashion destinations of the world. Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace have created a mega fashion empires from their fashion houses they created.
Milan's fashion history has evolved greatly throughout the years. Milan began as a center of fashion in the Middle-Ages and Renaissance, as in Venice and Florence, the making of luxury goods was an industry of such importance that in the 16th century the city gave its name to the English word “milaner” or “millaner”, meaning fine wares like jewelry, cloth, hats and luxury apparel. By the 19th century, a later variant, “millinery”, had come to mean one who made or sold hats.
London:
London is known for great architectural marvels, and urban gathering places, such as Leicester Square, (where they hold world film premiers).
London fashion is known for classic, casual and formal luxury clothing for people all around. Christopher Bailey of Burberry, and Alexander McQueen, London's McQ's founder has created London to spark as one of the classic and thrilling fashion capital. One of the most famous locations in London is King’s Road which had been seen as one of the most important fashion location in the whole of Europe.
British fashion with different styles that travel the world .Most fashion houses anddesigners are located in London England .London fashion is considered the pinnacle ofmen’s fashion. The style very elegant, not over exaggerated, but subtle. London is a great place to travel with history revolving in it the English renaissance, industrial revolution, and gothic revival. London is the largest aviation hub in the world. Trademark places like the tower of London, place of west minister, and royal botanic garden .Also known for its fashion museums. A lot of famous designers are from London like Alexander McQueen, Christopher Bailey, Vivienne Westwood .Two designers that are famous from London are John Galliano and Stella McCartney.
Tokyo:
Tokyo is the first Asian city to be recognized as a fashion capital.The young people have very radical styles, from punk gothic to chic street styles, which has inspired many people around the world.
The name "Shibuya" is also used to refer to the central business district of Shibuya Ward, which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo's busiest railway stations. Shibuya is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.
Ginza is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. It is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world (a kin to New York City's Fifth Avenue). Many upscale western-fashion clothing flagship stores are located here. Prominent is Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci. ‘Harajuku’ is known for its street fashion.