It’s February again, and we all know what that means. With fashion weeks all around the world just around the corner, it’s time to get packing – the runway is waiting for you!
Below you’ll find tips about the big four fashion week destinations – plus for anyone who needs more, keep your eyes peeled! We’ll soon be publishing a few ideas for places you can check out to chic out your wardrobe a bit closer to home.
New York : Feb 9-17
New York isn’t just the location of the first fashion week of 2017, it’s also the first city to have an official annual fashion week. Starting in 1943, the event, originally called ‘Press Week’, has showcased many of the world’s top lines including the likes of Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, and Marc Jacobs. Centred around the famous Garment District, between 5th-9th Avenue and 34th-42nd streets, New York’s fashion industry is looked up to for its simplicity, with clean-cut urban styles its calling card. And with revered institutions like Vogue Magazine basing their operations in the Big Apple, NYC is simply a must for any lover of fashion.
Where to stay?
To best enjoy your week of fashion in New York, why not stay at the iconic Knickerbocker Hotel? A Manhattan institution since 1906, its location right off Times Square means you’ll be right in the thick of the action, only a few blocks from the world-renowned department store Macy’s. With the subway just downstairs, you can easily get to the galleries of Chelsea or the boutiques of Brooklyn in a few minutes. And if you’re exhausted after a long day of shopping, return home for a classic martini from the very bar where it was said to have been first served.
London : Feb 17-21
London is host to the 2nd fashion week of 2017, but it’s a relative newcomer to the scene when compared with the likes of New York and Milan. Having hosted its first official fashion week in 1983, London has nonetheless moved quickly to gain a place amongst the so-called ‘Big 4’ of fashion. And with such influential designers as Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, and Vivienne Westwood amongst the many names associated with the British fashion scene, this should come as no great surprise.
London fashion is known for its experimentalism, and from Shoreditch to Bond Street, you’ll find a slew of styles ranging from the down-and-dirty to upscale designer chic. Want to find the piece your next collection is missing? Head to Portobello Road on Saturday morning for a world-famous London experience – the second-hand clothes market.
Where to stay?
While in London, location is the key – and you can’t do better than the Soho Hotel. Here you’ll be within walking distance of Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, and all the shopping you can handle. At the end of the day, indulge in the treatments offered by the hotel’s spa facility, so you’ll be fresh and ready for the next day’s fashion events.
Milan : Feb 22-28
When speaking about fashion, it’s hard not to think of Milan. In fact, Italian style has been the envy of Europe since as early as the 11th century, and not much has changed since then.
Milan oozes luxury, and its fashion houses cannot be easily discounted: Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Valentino, Prada – the names themselves suggest the utmost in class and style – haute couture indeed.
Milan’s fashion district is known as the quadrilatero della moda. Here, you’ll find the the city’s most prestigious shopping streets, including Via Monte Napoleone, Via della Spiga, and Corso Venezia.
Milan is also home to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest and most luxuriant shopping malls. Located between Il Duomo and the opera house, La Scala, this beautiful arcade recently gained attention when it replaced its McDonalds franchise with a SECOND Prada shop. Need we say more?
Where to stay?
To make sure your stay in Milan is a true fashionista experience, it doesn’t get better than the Armani Hotel. Located in the heart of the fashion district, your entire experience here has been handcrafted by Giorgio Armani himself – you’ll even have a Lifestyle Manager personally overseeing your stay. Che bello!
Paris : Feb 28-March 8
Although Paris is the last of the Big 4 to hold its Fashion Week, it’s perhaps the most eagerly anticipated of them all. France has been synonymous with fashion for so long, even the vocabulary we use to discuss haberdashery in English reflects a Gallic influence: la mode, haute couture, prêt-a-porter – and the list goes on.
And although the first Paris fashion week was not officially established until 1973, similar events have been de rigueur since the 1700s.
France is world-renowned for its fashion houses and designers including Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, and Jean-Paul Gaultier, and a walk down the famous Champs-Élysées will leave you oh-la-la-ing at all the styles on offer.
Where to stay?
For a first-class Parisian fashion experience, stay at the Maison Champs Elysées – just off the famed avenue with all its shops, and directly across from the Quai D’Orsay if you’d like some Monet with your Givenchy.
Now, we know not everyone can make it to Europe or America for fashion week, but you don’t need to miss out! Tokyo Fashion week starts on March 20, and if you check back on KAYAK soon, we’ll have a list of stylish cities in the Eastern Hemisphere where you can head to get prepared!
