Spring fashion month has officially come to an end. And while we continue to relish in our favorite designers’ new creations and predict what their continuations will be in February for their fall collections, if the collections at the four major fashion weeks—New York, London, Milan and Paris—have shown us anything, it’s how different they each are, and how each is just as important to fashion.
New York Fashion week is usually what starts out fashion Month with American staples like Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Carolina Herrera, and Tommy Hilfiger debuting their latest collections. However, this is also the Fashion Week where new designers and up-and-comers are most prevalent, with European fashion brands often having a lot of history, and therefore newer brands have a harder time breaking through. Recent examples of sought-after New York designers making waves are Brandon Maxwell, Christian Siriano, Christian Cowan, Sergio Hudson, Christopher John Rogers, Alice + Olivia and Markarian. This is also the fashion week that sets the most trends. Being the first, it shows us what trends are in, what trends are here to stay, what trends are coming back and what trends are out. This fashion week is also highly influenced by the LGBTQ+ community making it the most genderless fashion week of the four.
London Fashion Week is all about edge and avante-garde, with iconic edgy designers like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen being staples. Jenny Packham, Stella McCartney and David Koma are also designers who show how to give any aesthetic—from gothic glam to glittery etherealism to business chic to futuristic sophistication—a British edge. This makes perfect sense since the British are known for rebellious aesthetics like 60s Mod, 70s punk, 80s New Wave and 90s Heroin chic. This fashion week shows consumers how to style the latest trends in the edgiest, most inventive way possible. Basically, London shows us what trends are actually cool.
Milan Fashion Week is all about the bold and vibrant. Italian fashion is known for being louder and more maximalist than other cities but with a touch of sophistication that makes it admired and timeless. Versace, Prada, Valentino, Gucci, Fendi are the big Italian fashion houses, with Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Dolce & Gabbana also being important labels. Consumers look at Milan Fashion Week for experimentation. They often style their looks in a way we have never seen before, which inspires consumers to have unabashed fun with their collections.
If a trend that we have seen in New York, London and Milan is on the runway at Paris Fashion Week, then it is official. Paris Fashion Week is basically the reigning monarchy of fashion. Paris has always been the pinnacle of fashion, so if a trend gets Parisian designers’ stamp of approval, then it’s a done deal. The trend is here to stay, at least until next season’s collections come out. Paris fashion is all about classics. After all, there is a reason sophisticated fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent and Hermes—the big four—are French, with Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Celine, Balenciaga, Miu Miu, and Jean Paul Gaultier also being important French fashion houses. However, if the big four embrace the trend, then it is official. Paris Fashion Week often shows consumers what trends are actually worth purchasing. If it’s on their runways, then it’s bound to be all the rage for a good chunk of time. After all, Paris fashion is all about elegance, timelessness and quality.
Each Fashion Week has an important role in the fashion industry. New York is our first impression. London makes sure it’s cool. Milan shows us just how much fun we can have with it. And Paris gives it its seal of approval. Just like anything in fashion, it’s cyclical and just as beautiful and fun.