With 2016 over, it’s time to reflect on the year that was. For couturiers and designers, the year hopefully saw ample opportunity to slip on the haute couture hat. For fashionistas, hopefully it meant lots of runway events and exciting fashion afterparties. Not the case? Then start planning for 2017! Let this year be the year that you put fashion at the forefront and plan your year around the hottest fashion events. Go on, treat yourself!
The 2017 fashion calendar
Fashion weeks are worldwide and have the primary aim of initiating the two major seasons – Autumn (Fall for those in the industry) and Spring. They present the opportunity for designers to showcase their new Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer collections for the fashion press, retail buyers, and others who influence the world.
Fashion weeks are held several months in advance of the season to allow the press and buyers a chance to preview the designs and arrange purchases. There are primarily two kinds of shows: womenswear and menswear. There are also shows particular to each location, such as “haute couture” in Paris and “bridal” in New York.
Womenswear shows are held in February and September/October, while Menswear shows are held in January and June/July. The first shows began in New York in 1943 as a way to gain attention for American designers, but today they are held globally. That said, there are four you need to know about: New York, London, Milan and Paris.
1. New York
Men’s Fashion Week: 30 January-2 February and 10-13 July
Women’s Fashion Week: 9-17 February and 7-14 September
New York Fashion Weeks for 2017 kick off on 30 January for four days of men’s fashion. A centralised calendar of citywide events is kept by the Council of Fashion Designers for America, which consists of more than 500 leading fashion womenswear, menswear, jewellery and accessory designers.
New York Fashion Week is held at a variety of city locations including Skylight Moynihan Station, Skylight Clarkson Sq, MADE Studios and The Shop @ NYFW. Admission to the shows is typically in the form of accreditation, with specific events by invitation only. Many of the events are held in warehouses in the chilly meatpacking district, so rug up for the Fall shows.
Big names include Tom Ford, DKNY, Alexander Wang and Oscar de la Renta and highlight events include those put on by ASC Productions and SMGlobal Catwalk, which are generally open to the public.
New York International Bridal Week: 22 April – 24 April
New York International Bridal Week at The Piers is the world’s premiere Bridal trade show, attracting the very best bridal designers and manufacturers from around the globe. The impressive Exhibitor roster, paired with world class features, makes Bridal Week a must for anyone interested in bridal, special occasion, mother of the bride, bridesmaid and flower girl creations, not to mention headpieces, veils and other bridal accessories.
2. London
London Fashion Week: 17-21 February
London Fashion Festival: 15-19th September
Men’s Fashion Week: 6-19 February
The British Fashion Council (BFC) announced in October it will move its two bi-annual events, London Fashion Week and London Fashion Week Festival, to join London Fashion Week Men’s at The Store Studios located at 180 Strand, WC2. As part of the move, the public will be given the opportunity to celebrate fashion over a period of ten days, twice a year. This also enables those in the industry to engage with consumers and high-net worth individuals through digital engagement and events right across the city.
The main focus of London Fashion Week is a ticketed event at The Store Studios where over 150 international and British brands will showcase their wares. The move to The Store Studios fulfils the BFC’s desire to create a stylish fashion hub in the heart of the city. The space is currently the home of Men’s Fashion Week and has also hosted shows by Louis Vuitton, Christopher Kane, Roksanda and Thomas Trait.
Tickets for London Fashion Week Festival are now on sale.
3. Milan
Men’s Fashion Week: 14-17 January and 17-20 June
Women’s Fashion Week 2017: 22-28 February and 20-27 September
Milan Fashion Week is partially organised by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion), a non-for-profit organisation that coordinates and promotes the development of Italian fashion. It includes more than 40 shows each season (though it’s more likely around 80 shows) and transforms the city into a spectacular fashion wonderland by selecting the most elegant and influential palaces to become the stage for design. Example locations are the Palazzo Reale, Palazzo Serbelloni and the Arco della Pace. These outdoor venues offer more space, appreciation of the city’s history, and the opportunity for the public to be part of the shows.
During Milan Fashion Week, the city’s cobblestoned streets turn into veritable catwalks, filled with VIPs and fashion lovers from all over the world. As fashion shows go, it’s a non-stop celebration of design, meaning there’s plenty of opportunity to get up close and personal with your favourite designers. Famous participants include Gucci, Prada, Versace and Moschino.
4. Paris
Men’s Fashion Week: 18-22 January and 21-25 June
Paris Fashion Week Fall 2017: 28 February – 8 March
Paris Fashion Week Spring 2018: 28 September – 5 October
Fashion shows have been held in Paris since the early 1700’s, however back then, designs were showcased on mannequins. From the late 1800’s, this began to change, with Charles Frederick Worth’s haute couture and the first official Paris Fashion Week being held in 1945, two years after America first trialled showing fashions to the press. In 1973, Fashion Week was held at the Palace of Versaille as a fundraiser for the palace. So spectacular was the event that it cemented Paris as the talking point of the fashion world. The idea that Parisians are the leaders of fashion is still very much alive today and as such, Paris Fashion Week attracts the industry’s most elite and the largest collection of big celebrity names.
Normally about 100 shows in total span the city, ranging from top fashion houses to lesser-known names and rising stars of fashion. The big boys – Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy etc – exhibit their collections in iconic Parisian locations such as the Grand Palais or the Eiffel Tower. Other runways are usually set up in nightclubs and warehouses.
Haute Couture: 22-26 January and 2-6 July
For four days, twice a year, Paris is home to Haute Couture. The term haute couture is protected in France, and very few fashion houses meet the criteria. These collections are held separately from Fashion Week, which focuses more on pret-a-porter,or “ready-to-wear”, designs. By definition, Haute Couture is fashion that is constructed by hand from start to finish, made from high quality, expensive and often unusual fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail. Haute Couture is the creme-de-la-creme of fashion shows.
Other fashion show around the world
If you’re looking at making 2017 a year that centres on fashion, the “Big Four” are musts. New York, London, Milan and Paris are the most influential cities in the world when it comes to fashion and whether you score a coveted ticket to a premium event or not, simply being in the presence of other fashionistas during the fashion week seasons will have you inspired.
Not sure it’s possible to get to one of the Big Four? Then why not try:
Arab Fashion Week, Dubai: 8-13 March
Hosted twice a year in March and October, Arab Fashion Week is fast catching up to its bigger counterparts.
Arab Fashion Week represents 22 Arab countries but offers international brands from all over the world. The selection of designers is not based on nationality but on the typology of product which should fit the ‘ready-couture’ standards. Dubai is the perfect backdrop, offering magnificent skyscrapers and the world’s most luxurious brands.
Mercedes Benz Sydney Fashion Week: 14-19 May
The Australian government is backing the country’s fashion industry, which employs 220,000 Australians directly and puts $12 billion back into the economy every year. In 2014, The Australian Fashion Chamber was developed, which supports emerging talent and ensures the Australian fashion industry remains internationally competitive.
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week schedules seven days of runway shows from Australia’s very best talent. It celebrates the country’s creativity and there’s always something new and fresh to explore. Resort wear is a big theme and the move to a resort schedule has made Sydney Fashion Week the best it’s ever been.
Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Week: 1-19 March
Established in 1997, the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Week stimulates and celebrates the Australian fashion industry while providing employment, networking and professional development opportunities. World-class runway shows feature Australia’s established and emerging designers, as well as live entertainment, beauty workshops, industry seminars, forums, VIP parties and more. Held in March every year, this glamorous event calls Melbourne’s Docklands home.
New Zealand Fashion Week: 28th August – 1st October
Started in 2001, New Zealand Fashion Week forms the backbone of the New Zealand fashion and beauty industry. Showcasing local, national and international designers, the event has grown from a more trade-oriented show to having all the glitz and glam of an established fashion weekend. With over 30,000 annual attendees, the weekend showcases amazing fashion from designers like Alana Cooper, Carena West, FRENCH83, and Hello Stranger. New Zealand is home to some amazing creatives who specialise in using unique and different materials, making for a very interesting show.
Hit up the after parties
Many after-parties and events are open to the public, with free pre-registration. Didn’t RSVP? Dress your best and show up anyway. You might just make your way onto the list!
Fashion Week isn’t Fashion Week without a whole host of glamorous parties, from Cartier’s Kickoff party to Harper Bazaar’s Icons Party. In New York alone Alexander Wang hosts an epic celebrity-filled one, while Tory Burch hosts a more casual affair in her home. Here in Australia, Sydney’s Fashion Week always opens with a killer party, as does Melbourne’s Fashion Week.
Can’t make it to any shows?
HEED Fashion is your go-to app for the latest fashion trends and style advice as well as exclusive access to shows, designers, stylists and models. It covers fashion weeks all over the world and provides access to fashion industry Q&As, videos, exclusive shopping opportunities and professional style advice. If you can’t make the runway shows, HEED is the next best thing.
With so many options there are no excuses not to make 2017 a fashion-focused year.