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Top 10 Most-Attended Fashion Events

You know how they say fashion is life? That fashion is what makes life colourful, flamboyant and interesting? Well, that assumption is very accurate given how people from all over the world will pay lots of money and spend a lot just to stand out in their choice of fashion while attending some of the most popular fashion events in the world. You can鈥檛 mention fashion and fail to hear 鈥渢he big 4.鈥� These are some of the largest fashion events in the world. Fashion designers from all walks of life gather just to showcase their designs and even connect and network with other designers. Among the big 4 fashion events, here鈥檚 a list of the most attended fashion events

1. New York Fashion Week (NYFW)

New York Fashion Week, September 2016, street style fashion- Author; Peter T from Brooklyn, NY, USA-

New York Fashion Week, held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan that typically spans between 7 to 9 days. During this event, international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general public. New York fashion week is one of the four major fashion weeks in the world, that are collectively known as the “Big 4.” The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) came together and created the modern notion of a centralized “New York Fashion Week” in 1993, although cities like London were already using their city’s name in conjunction with the words fashion week in the 1980s.

NYFW is based on a much older series of events called “Press Week”, founded in 1943. On a global scale, most business and sales-oriented shows and some haute couture shows take place in New York City. New York Fashion Week’s annual economic impact on New York City was estimated at US$887 million in 2016. This shows how much profit and investment actually goes into planning the whole thing. But then again given how the turnout is usually good, you can only imagine the profit that is usually made. No wonder, it has been in the game for this long and still continues to be relevant. During NYFW, the world鈥檚 biggest fashion brands attend this event. These include big names in the fashion industry such as  Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Brooks Brothers, Alexander Wang, and many more. 

Just to give a bit of historical background, NYFW started in the early 1940s and it became the pioneer of fashion events worldwide. Before the Second World War, Paris was the epicentre and the say when it came to fashion matters. Then during the war, the German invasion of France opened up a huge gap in the fashion industry that American designers rushed to fill. The Fashion Calendar appeared in 1945 to avoid clashing shows, and NYFW began taking the shape it holds today. Up until the early 1990s, the event鈥檚 growth was so big that it spilled over and soon it became a bit hard to handle. It turned out that staggering around with flamboyant clothing which is quite a challenge to move around in from venue to venue, was not the most efficient approach.

So what happens next? The industry decided to construct two white tents in Bryant Park for most shows to take place. Flash forward to today, when most occur in Tribeca鈥檚 Spring Studios, as well as off-site venues. Over the years, NYFW has literally been the site and platform of change. It has seen the rise of celebrity-filled front-row seats, street style, and blogging. Additionally, it鈥檚 on NYFW鈥檚 agenda that our Fashinnovation (a word coined to refer to fashion innovation) Worldwide Talks sets foot. Since 2018, Fashinnovation has provided a space for fashion and technology leaders to gather, connect, and create solutions for the industry鈥檚 issues.

2. London Fashion Week (LFW)

London Fashion Week – Roberta Einer’s catwalk show- Author; Himiller- Wikimedia

London Fashion Week is the youngest and basically the shortest of the Big Four. It lasts for 5 days and always happens right after NYFW. Well known to have a fearless and over-the-top imaginative mood, the prestigious English fashion event started in 1983, with the creation of the British Fashion Council (BFC). However, its rebellious roots go way back. Mary Quant鈥檚 1960s miniskirt, Vivienne Westwood鈥檚 subversive punk and Alexander McQueen鈥檚 dark imagination cemented such a reputation. Over time, the trend caught on and that鈥檚 why during this fashion week, there鈥檚 literally nothing you won鈥檛 see. British fashion icons like Princess Diana, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss helped make LFW the essential and phenomenal event it is today. Nowadays, the event highlights both established brands such as Burberry, as well as newer talents. For instance, this season of LFW saw more than 100 designers across a hybrid schedule including HARRI, Emilia Wickstead, RIXO, Simone Rocha, Eudon Choi and more. It was running from 6^th to 13^th October and 100s of brands including Browns, Adidas and Raeburn were present.

3. Milan Fashion Week

Roberto Cavalli during Milan Fashion Week- Author; Christopher Macsurak-

Milan Fashion Week, just like the others we鈥檝e talked about so far is another fashion event that now takes place in Milan. It is held Semi-annually, with the autumn/winter event happening in February/March of each year, and the spring/summer event happening in September/October of each year. Milan fashion week is one of the most important fashion events worldwide. It is well known for its sex appeal and extravaganza. This is the most daring fashion event there is and though conservative societies may be offended by it, Milan fashion week brings out the sensuality of it all. A bit of historical background. Milan Fashion Week was established in 1958 and since then, it has been taking place semi-annually with a women’s and a men鈥檚 fashion week. MFW was created by, Giovanni Battista Giorgini who was inspired by the works of  Eleanor Lambert.

It all actually began with a series of fashion shows at Palazzo Pitti, in Florence. It is thanks to him, that the fashion event gained international legitimacy. Yet Milan fought to establish itself as Italy鈥檚 sartorial capital. That is an industrial capital that is known for its manufacturing and talents. Think Armani and Versace. With determination, Milan ultimately outshone Florence and that鈥檚 how fashion show events moved to Milan and in 1976, the first Fashion Week took place. Since then, MFW has been delivering glamour and shock to the masses. In the 90s, the event became the epicentre of the supermodel phenomenon, the effects of which still linger in the industry. Additionally, with designers such as Miuccia Prada and Jeremy Scott for Moschino, Milan Fashion Week has established itself as the leader of both sartorial whimsy and sexual charm.

4. Paris fashion week (PFW)

Magdalena Frackowiak at Paris Fashion Week in 2011- Author; Simon Ackerman-

Paris Fashion Week is another major fashion event that never lacks attendees. It is a bi-annual event that takes place in the famous romantic city of Paris. Set in February and September, Paris fashion week brings out the newest designs and works from some of the biggest brands in the world. Think of big names like Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Nina Ricci, Valentino, and many more. Those are literally the pioneers of fashion so it鈥檚 a big deal that their brands are always showcased in this event. The fashion event is famous for its refined craftsmanship and showcases collections from brands that work with the four seasons.  February takes care of the Spring to Summer collections and September takes care of the Fall to Winter collections. 

Though Paris Fashion Week officially premiered in 1973, the city鈥檚 fame as a fashion capital goes all the way back to the early 20th century. During that time, Paul Poiret would combine business and socializing through grand balls. Attendees would be expected to dress to the nines. Later, in 1945, the Chamber Syndicale de la Haute Couture demanded that houses present at least 35 night and day looks each season. The French element of the Big Four was thus the first to showcase collections of Haute Couture, ready-to-wear, and menswear together. It wasn鈥檛 until the 1970s however that the F茅d茅ration Fran莽aise de la Couture came about, bringing the first PFW with it. Since then, the event has constantly gained fame for its grandeur, with designers presenting their collections in increasingly lavish sets. Paris Fashion Week has now come to inhabit a place in-between fantasy and reality.

So where did this tradition originate from? Fashion showings were being held in Paris as early as the 1700s. Some earlier showings were presented on mannequins which made it difficult for clients to see fashion pieces fully since they lacked the mobility of a model. These early showings were only to clients purchasing items and were shown on mannequins. In the 1800s, showings began to change. Charles Frederick Worth, noted for haute couture, began showing multiple pieces together and of a higher design. These designs were showcased to get the customer’s attention in buying the pieces. Jeanne Paquin was the first designer to make her showings public and Paul Poiret is the first to host parties after his events. In the mid-1800s, Pauline von Metternich, an Austrian Princess and wife to the Ambassador of Paris, saw one of Worth’s sketches and employed him to make her a gown. He gained much recognition through his powerful clients and opened his own haute couture house in Paris in 1858, which sold luxury fashion to upper-class women.

5. MET Gala

Kendall Jenner at the 2021 Met Gala red carpet- Author; VOGUE Taiwan-

The Met Gala, or Met Ball, formally called the Costume Institute Gala or the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. Whether you are into fashion or not, I鈥檓 pretty sure you have heard of MET Gala. That is how over the top and popular it is. MET Gala is popularly regarded as the world’s most prestigious fashion event, and an invitation is highly sought after. Celebrities from various professional spheres, including fashion, film, television, theatre, music, business, sports, social media, and politics, are invited to the gala, which is usually organized by the fashion magazine Vogue.

The gala is held annually on the first Monday of May. It usually marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Many of its attendees are depicted on the covers and pages of Vogue. Each year’s event celebrates the specific theme of that year’s Costume Institute exhibition, which basically sets the tone for the formal attire of the night. Guests are typically expected to curate their fashion choice to match the theme of the exhibit. British-American journalist Anna Wintour, who is the editor-in-chief of Vogue, has chaired or co-chaired the Met Gala since 1995. What makes this event interesting is that it is all about glamour, fashion, celebrities, and beautiful clothes on a red carpet. The iconic fashion event is also known as the Met Ball. It is an annual fundraising gala for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art鈥檚 Costume Institute, in NYC.

Let鈥檚 go back in time to understand where this event came from. MET Gala鈥檚 first edition took place in 1948. Exclusively focused on raising funds for the museum, the event was significantly less public than it currently is. In the 1970s however, the infamous Vogue editor Diana Vreeland took it upon herself to innovate. That鈥檚 how celebrities began to make it into the Met Ball鈥檚 guest list. Nevertheless, significant changes didn鈥檛 come until Anna Wintour took hold of the Met Gala in 1995. Named Vogue鈥檚 editor-in-chief in 1988, Wintour is responsible for fashion鈥檚 obsession with public figures. That鈥檚 when celebrities began appearing on magazine covers more often than models did, and the Met Ball became a place of celebrity sight-seeing. The event grew so much that now it is one of the most expected fashion events in the world where it places fashion as contemporary art.

6. Tokyo Fashion Week (TFW)

Tokyo Fashion Week 2010 collections- Author; Tokyographer-

East Asian fashion is incredible, and unique, and has been gaining more and more spotlight and success. Hosted usually by the Japan Fashion Week Organization, Tokyo Fashion Week show the best of Japanese street style, luxury clothing, and trends. This event has had to face a very particular challenge for most of its existence. Until now, coverage of the event mostly focused on what happens on the streets in terms of fashion, instead of what goes on the runway. The problem with only focusing on street style fashion is that it was stunting the growth of Japanese designers. Furthermore, Western commentators usually handle Tokyo’s urban fashion with a touch of Orientalism, upholding the trope of 鈥渨acky Japan鈥� which leads to a bit of stereotyping. The industry is trying to incorporate more runway fashion but it still hasn鈥檛 caught on.

Nonetheless, TFW continues to increase in size and importance. This fashion event takes place bi-annually, held in March and October. It has seen impressive growth since 2005. Now, TFW is focused more on becoming the fifth element of the Big Four thus creating then the 鈥淏ig Five鈥�. I think it is promising. With consistency and determination, this fashion event has the potential of making the list. This year, Tokyo Fashion Week kicked off a round of shows in Asia. Unlike their European counterparts who preferred minimalism this season, stylish showgoers in the Japanese capital were hitting the streets in eye-popping neon and bold prints. There were lots of layering and plays on dimension throughout the week from Tokyo鈥檚 newsmaking brands which made it quite an interesting event.

7. Shanghai Fashion Week (SFW)

CHINESE POETRY ON THE DART TO CELEBRATE THE NEW CHINESE YEAR- Author; William Murphy-

Shanghai Fashion Week, just like the others we鈥檝e talked about thus far, takes place twice a year. As Vogue summarizes it, 鈥渢he future of fashion shows is changing, and Shanghai is at the centre of that.鈥�  So, to understand what we should expect in the future, you must take a close look at SFW. SFW is part of the Shanghai International Fashion Culture Festival, which usually lasts for an entire month. The first edition of SFW took place in 2001 and the Ministry of Commerce was a great supporter of the event. Now, the Shanghai Municipal Government presents it. The event embraces business and culture all in one single place thus making it quite a unique approach when you compare it to other European fashion weeks.

The current organizer of Shanghai Fashion Week is Shanghai Textile Group, which is at the centre of the textile and clothing network in China. In cooperation with many consulates of other countries in Shanghai, SFW also invites many international designers to come and present their latest work. It’s also a promising venue and platform for those designers who are targeting China. As part of Fashion Week, Mode Shanghai puts on the Fashion Trade show, offering an expansive window into China’s vast geography of regions and markets, while providing a channel for export sales of international brands and China’s emerging designers. In 2013, Mode Shanghai collaborated with ENK International, the leading fashion apparel trade show producer headquartered in New York City.

8. Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards

Tati Gabrielle attends the cfda fashion awards in new york- Author; Aure10lien78-

The CFDA Fashion Awards are considered the Oscars of Fashion. This fashion event is organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and it takes place in the Big Apple. The main agenda of this event is to honour the excellence of fashion designs from America. The first awards given by the Association were in 1984 with a Lifetime Achievement Award to stylist James Galanos. Subsequently, different award categories were defined and then standardized towards the end of the 1990s. This year, CFDA launched a new, multi-faceted initiative to create opportunities for historically underrepresented and unsupported communities in fashion known as IMPACT. The council stated that the Black Lives Matter movement inspired this platform. The initiative basically takes action and creates sustainable change against the social and economic marginalization of Black people. IMPACT addresses the decades-long system of exclusion of Black talent in the industry. Their goal is to create a blueprint for other industries to follow.

9. Pitti Immagine Uomo

Men’s wear design showcase- Author; S Pakhrin-

Last but not least we have Pitti Immagine Uomo. Even though we are talking about it towards the end of our list, this Italian event is the one that opens the fashion calendar every year. It鈥檚 the curtain raiser of all fashion events. Pitti Uomo, translated into English is simply Pitti Men. It’s one of the world’s most important platforms for launching new projects in men’s fashion and is held twice a year in Florence, at the Fortezza de Basso. The first-ever edition was held in 1972. Pitti Uomo highlights men鈥檚 clothing and accessories collections from the best international designers twice a year. It鈥檚 the reference for buyers worldwide who want to ensure the Made in Italy quality never goes out of the market. Pitti Immagine Uomo began back in the 1950s when Florentine artisan tailors began growing on the internal scene. Pitti Uomo was called First Italian High Fashion Show and was dedicated exclusively to men鈥檚 fashion.

10. Berlin Fashion Week (BFW)

Berlin Fashion Week, Perret Schaad, 2013- Author; Patrick Raczek-

Last on our list we have Berlin Fashion Week. This is a fashion event held twice annually (in January and July) in Berlin, Germany. Since its establishment in July 2007, BFW has gained great international attention for its many creative young designers who are flourishing in the fashion capital of Berlin. Since July 2011, the event has taken place partly in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Mercedes-Benz is the main sponsor of the fashion week. Since the Spring/Summer 2012 season, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week features young international talents in an exclusive show in cooperation with Elle. Fashion entrepreneurs can vie in the Start your Fashion Business competition. Thus giving young fashion designers an opportunity to explore and showcase their talents. Another important event for young designers is the Designer for Tomorrow Award, which is held every summer season. A jury, which famous designer Marc Jacobs belongs to, chooses a winner who will be able to present his or her own show in the next winter season.