It’s not just New York, Milan and Paris. The new global trends in fashion
The fashion week map stretches from Europe to Asia. A widespread and dynamic constellation: not merely calendars of events, but platforms that reflect a region.
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For decades, the geography of fashion seemed set in stone, with its rituals centred on the four capitals: New York, London, Milan and Paris. These have always been the events capable of setting trends and shaping visions, the arena where the major fashion houses and independent designers vying for recognition go head to head. But for some time now, the system has been far more complex. Alongside the official calendar, a constellation of cities has emerged that do not necessarily seek to imitate the fashion capitals, but rather to forge their own identity. In Europe alone, Copenhagen has made sustainability an operational requirement, whilst Berlin, after various ups and downs, is working to connect talent and creative languages. Whilst Tbilisi uses its post-Soviet history as a creative lever, Lisbon is building a new international identity centred on manufacturing and the rediscovery of craftsmanship. Beyond Europe’s borders, the landscape is even more complex: Mumbai brings a centuries-old heritage of craftsmanship into the contemporary world; Shanghai is developing an increasingly independent aesthetic; São Paulo links fashion, identity and society; whilst Lagos is creating a pan-African ecosystem; and Seoul, thanks to the global influence of K-culture, has become one of the leading barometers of trends aimed at the younger generations. Each city is forging a different model and, above all, an exportable identity. The real change, therefore, is not merely geographical, but concerns the very way in which we understand the meaning of fashion week: no longer simply days packed with catwalk shows and presentations, but a platform capable of telling a region’s story, supporting an industry, creating communities and producing culture. Today, to understand where fashion is heading, it is worth following this new map.
EUROPE: EXPERIMENTATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND UNDERGROUND VITALITY
If there is one fashion week that has transformed sustainability from a mere statement into a criterion for participation, it is Copenhagen Fashion Week. Since 2020, the event has introduced environmental and social requirements for participating brands, making responsibility a structural element of the system. The result is an international showcase where Nordic aesthetics, innovation, sustainable materials and new production models coexist. Among the new destinations, it is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after by buyers looking for a minimalist yet highly sophisticated style. It is a centralised model: a steering committee, an official calendar featuring around forty or fifty brands, a programme for new talent that selects and supports emerging names, and a recognisable visual identity characterised by minimalism, gender-fluid tailoring, and certified or recycled materials. Among the most interesting names are Stine Goya, who has built her own design language around colour, and Henrik Vibskov, a multidisciplinary designer who has always taken fashion beyond the catwalk, into the realms of installation, set design, costume and performance. Copenhagen thus demonstrates that even a system based on rules and standards can leave room for experimentation.
In Berlin, however, the fashion scene is not confined to a single location. Fashion Week unfolds through a network of shows, presentations, showrooms, exhibitions, talks and parties spread across the city, with the Fashion Council Germany and the Berlin Senate committed to supporting emerging talent and new formats. It is a more curatorial model, where fashion engages with culture, architecture, cinema, music and nightlife. “Fashion Week has gained enormous visibility and significance in recent years, and it is fascinating to see how many creative talents are making their mark here, returning season after season,” explains Michael Biel, State Secretary for Economic Affairs. “Berlin is attracting more and more new brands and designers. The convergence of established voices, fresh perspectives and a growing international presence demonstrates its potential as a fashion capital: this is the direction in which we want to continue investing.”
Christiane Arp of the Fashion Council Germany adds: “Our formats – fashion shows, presentations and talks – are interwoven, enabling us to support German talent and those working in Germany through direct dialogue with the public. And I am particularly pleased that, once again this year, many brands led by women are taking part: what is still merely an aspiration elsewhere is already a reality at Berlin Fashion Week.”
