What Are Fashion Weeks Really About?
What Are Fashion Weeks Really About? Did you know they all started at Private Salons and moved to Global Stages…
Fashion weeks are the mega games of the style industry lately. They are the canvas for each designer’s ideas and vision. They are the storyteller of each designer’s journeys from inspirations to design and style. Runways aren’t just about new looks, they’re where designers translate their inspirations.
Origins in the 20th Century: Early fashion shows were private salons, reserved for clients and press. In the 1920s and 1930s, Paris became the epicenter of fashion innovation. Designers like Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Madeleine Vionnet transformed the industry with their visions. Fashion presentations during this era were exclusive events with concerns over design replication, these shows were closely guarded, and photography was strictly prohibited—a stark contrast to today’s media-rich fashion weeks.
The roots of this approach go even further back. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, designers like Charles Worth and Paul Poiret in Paris, and Lady Duff-Gordon (Lucile) in London, experimented with showing garments “in motion.” Poiret, known for his flowing, opulent designs, combined commerce with social spectacle, hosting events such as his 1911 Thousand and Second Night party, where attendees saw lampshade dresses and harem trousers come to life on the dance floor.
The post-World War II era marked a pivotal shift. In 1945, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture established regulations requiring couture houses to present at least 35 day and evening pieces per season. Each garment had to be made-to-measure, focusing on craftsmanship and exclusivity. This move not only standardised haute couture presentations but also laid the groundwork for the structured fashion weeks we recognise today.
And in 1943, New York’s “Press Week,” launched by Eleanor Lambert, created a wartime platform to spotlight American designers when Paris was largely inaccessible.
The Big Four Take Shape
By the 19th century, industrialisation and innovations like Singer’s sewing machine began transforming fashion. This innovation marked the beginning of mass-produced fashion, shifting style from bespoke tailoring to ready-to-wear. At the same time, certain cities began to contribute to fashion as global fashion capitals.
Paris – The Birthplace of Haute Couture Paris rose to prominence as the fashion capital under the influence of the royal court in the 17th century. In 1858, Charles Frederick Worth set up the first haute couture house, setting the standard for luxury fashion. The Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture formalised Parisian fashion in 1868, and by the 20th century, designers like Coco Chanel and Christian Dior had made Paris synonymous with elegance, innovation, and global influence. From Christian Dior Couture ’s 1947 New Look to CHANEL ’s beach-themed runway at the Grand Palais, the city’s shows are legendary with a bit of a surrealism, yet a magnet for creativity.
London – Bespoke Taloring and Subculture Influence. London’s fashion legacy is intertwined with Savile Row, a street in Mayfair renowned for its bespoke tailoring. Established in the 1730s as part of the Burlington Estate, Savile Row became a fashionable address for military officers and states-people. By the late 18th century, tailors began setting up shop in the surrounding area, drawn by the affluent clientele. London appeared as a fashion capital in the mid-20th century, driven by a spirit of youth culture, rebellion, and innovation. Designers like Mary Quant, Vivienne Westwood and alexandermcqueen brought street style, punk, and avant-garde design to global attention. Iconic shows by Alexander McQueen, like the 2001 Plato’s Atlantis collection, and Hussein Chalayan, who staged designs that moved with mechanical platforms, transformed fashion into performance art. London Fashion Week continues to celebrate daring, socially conscious, and avant-garde collections, marking the city as a hub of boldness and creativity.
Milan – Craftsmanship Meets Ready-to-Wear. Milan’s fashion roots trace back to its luxurious textiles and skilled artisans in the 16th century. By the 1950s and 60s, Milan became a hub for ready-to-wear fashion, eventually gaining international recognition through designers like Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Miuccia Prada. Today, Milan is well known for luxury ready-to-wear, leather goods, and modern tailoring, and hosts one of the key events in the fashion calendar: Milan Fashion Week. Milanese shows celebrate craftsmanship and refinement. Dolce & Gabbana ’s cinematic storytelling, Gucci ’s bold reinterpretations under Demna, and Prada Group ’s fusion of glamour with utilitarian elements exemplify Milan’s dynamic fashion landscape. These shows, alongside Bottega Veneta’s craftsmanship under Louise Trotter, Fendi ’s minimalist elegance, and Bellotti’s debut collection for Ji lSander’s minimalist roots while introducing a refreshed sense of structure and elegance highlight the city’s role in shaping global fashion trends.
New York – The Business of Fashion. New York’s rise came from its strong garment industry in the late 19th century. The first New York Fashion Week in 1943 (originally Press Week) showcased American designers as an alternative to Paris, emphasising practical, wearable fashion. Designers like Ralph Lauren , CalvinKlein and donnakaran helped bring New York to the forefront, and today the city is known for diversity and fast-moving trends. Recent standout shows from New York Fashion Week include KHAITE ’s darkly cinematic Fall 2025 collection, TELFAR ’s inclusive and boundary-pushing designs, and Proenza Schouler’s minimalist elegance under Rachel Scott.
Minimalist Hubs are Re-Shaping the Catwalks of Fashion
Tokyo and Copenhagen are transforming the vocabulary of modern fashion.
Tokyo Fashion Week shook the fashion world in the late 20th century. Visionaries like Issey Miyake , Rei Kawakubo, and Yohji Yamamoto introduced avant-garde silhouettes, deconstruction, and radical design philosophies that still ripple through global fashion today. Copenhagen Fashion Week brings Scandinavia’s minimalist, functional, and sustainable approach to the forefront. It’s a hub for eco-conscious fashion, proving that clean, purposeful design is the blueprint for the future of style.
Why Fashion Weeks Matter
Fashion weeks are more than a calendar. They are incubators for talent, commercial platforms, businesses, and cultural mirrors that reflect identity, politics, and innovation.
Understanding fashion weeks helps decode not just style trends but the cultural and economic currents behind them. They remain proof that fashion, at its core, is more about ideas.