From Seoul To Sydney, Meet Fashion’s Newest Industry Capitals
Photo Credit: Esquire
By: Ana Escalante
As COVID-19 spread across the globe, fashion markets came to a halt everywhere. With legacy design houses scrambling to make online formats and in-person viewings slowly resuming in New York and Paris this fall, this summer was seemingly bare for the traditional western fashion capitals of the world.
With the lack of a colorful SoHo summer or massive productions at the Grand Palais, the internet has been buzzing with talk of other rising fashion capitals stepping in to take the big guys’ place. Viral TikToks showing off the latest trends straight from Hong Kong exploded all over the internet while Instagram feeds were flooded with colorful, Danish-inspired fashion and decor.
Even though we can’t hop on a plane and fly across the world to get our fashion fix, that doesn’t mean we can’t live vicariously through the style gurus dominating the market in these rising style paradises.
Seoul
Seoul street style is anything but quiet. Young South Korean influencers and fashion students take to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza every spring and fall to show off their unique styles.
Colorful hair, PVC hot pants and neon utility jackets are a go-to for some, while many K-Pop artists and TV celebrities go for neutral, monochrome looks. Rather than in Milan or Paris, where influencer’s fits can start to blur together, every single outfit during Seoul Fashion Week does everything it can to stand out and showcase the wearer’s unique personality.
Shanghai
If street style is your thing, Shanghai is your new home. Who can forget this summer’s street style TikToks that completely took over social media? With Chinese influencers, celebrities and matching couples making the sidewalk their runway, it’s not hard to spot why so many people are looking towards the Asian market for outfit inspiration.
Last year, Chinese customers alone accounted for over the 90% growth of personal luxury goods, estimated at over $21 billion in sales. High fashion brands like Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton have all catered to the booming market, and it’s obvious in their #OOTDs.
Shanghai-style gurus filmed in videos are usually dressed head-to-toe in labels like Givenchy and Commes Des Garcons, often coordinating with photographers beforehand to gain exposure and go viral on Chinese apps like WeChat and Weibo. American TikTok influencers like Brittnay Xaiver have brought the trend to the states. Who knows? Maybe the Chinese catwalk videos will finally replace the age-old mirror selfie.
Denmark
With colorful, bright Danish decor popping over everyone’s’ feeds this summer, it’s not surprising that Danish fashion would trickle down into our style as well. There’s something special about Copenhagen Fashion Week: the patterned dresses with paired sneakers, the boxy, funky shades or the way everyone looks effortlessly chic riding a bike.
Brands like Ganni, Saks Potts and Stine Goya showed earlier this year at a “hybrid” edition of CPHFW, giving us a glimpse of what the future market may look like as influencers flock to the up-and-coming capital. Scandinavian style brands have gained a cult-like following, showing off their best-kept fashion secrets to millions of people worldwide. Tights under a silk dress? Yes. Chunky cardigans? Absolutely.
Sydney
Australian beach babe fashion has been influencers’ go-to for the last few years. The “Cool Girl” style, born from the same breed as the effortless Parisian Chic look, takes white linens, neutrals and teenie bikinis. Fast fashion websites like Verge Girl, Princess Polly Boutique and Showpo have crossed borders to become closet staples for young girls in the U.S., but what’s the status of streetwear down under?
This May, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week canceled it’s showings of Aussie brands, but if last season’s shows are an indication of the style in the outback, it’s fashion’s newest inspiration. Unlike well-established seasonal shows in traditional markets, Sydney’s fashion week, street style and designers don’t take themselves too seriously. There isn’t a rigorous design standard to meet and garments feel custom-made with love.
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