Fashion-capital

A fashion capital is a location which is influential in fashion and in which fashion is important. A fashion capital would be the home of many top designers, modeling agencies, and the like. It is decided by the amount of business generated and influence through media in fashion.Visiting Italy and indulging in Italian fashion and going on a shopping spree was the most fun filled part of my vacation in this charming country.
In general, there are 4 traditional fashion capitals: Milan, New York City, Paris, and London. Despite these being the stereoypical fashion capitals of the world, other cities, such as Los Angeles, Rome, Sydney, and Tokyohave been ranked very highly in the lists.
I happen to visit the fashion capital of the world at a time when the biggest designer stores here were offering the most attractive discounts.

Main Cities in fashion
Milan is considered the economic and true current media fashion capitals of the world. According to the Global Language Monitor, New York City came 1st for 5 consecutive years, yet in 2009, it was beaten by Milan. Despite the fact that these cities' fashion concentrates more on economic and media success, rather than beauty and elegance, both these cities have longstanding traditions of excellence and creativity in design, and have both been important historical centres of artistic fashion design for many years (especially Milanese fashion is regarded as being practical, but elegant and highly refined at the same time, concentrating more on stylish ready-to-wear clothes, rather than extravagant haute couture. This applies similarly for New York City. However, both cities also have upscale haute couture and high fashion shopping districts).So I began my shopping extravaganza at the Barberino Designer Outlet – Barberino del Mugello in Florence. This McArthur Glen Designer Outlet had over 100 stores with well-known brands offering between 30% and 70% reductions on clothing, accessories, sportswear, electronics and Lindt chocolate. I couldn’t ask for anything better as the biggest names in fashion -Dolce and Gabbana, Pinko, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Marlborough, Diesel and Guess were all available here under one roof
However, not from an economic point of view, Paris and London are considered the symbolic fashion centres of Europe and the world, due to them having long standing histories as centers of art and fashion, and being home to several highly prestigious fashion houses. Yet, in the Global Language Monitor, they were beaten by more economically successful cities, such as Milan and New York. Even though these cities are both highly successful, and have established positive international reputations worldwide, they are often known more for the prestige and elegance of their fashion designs, rather than practicality and economic success (London-based fashion designs are known for their extravagant quirkinesses, whilst Parisian designs are more known for their extremely elegant and formal clothes).
Speaking McArthur Glen I also visited another one of these outlets – Castel Romano, situated just south of the Roman province of Eur. The 110 stores flooded with prestigious labels of Roberto Cavalli, Salvatore Ferragamo and Valentino offering upto 70 % off was an actual treat for a shopaholic like me.

The other main centers of fashion in the world are Los Angeles, Rome, Sydney and Tokyo In recent years, however, the importance of the fashion industry has grown in many other cities around the globe, such as Hong Kong, Chicago, São Paulo and Sydney, which are in 7th, 8th and 9th place.
Other top fashion capitals include Barcelona, Las Vegas, Toronto,Shanghai, and Dubai .I definitely discovered that in many cases, the shopping outlets in Italy offer much more than well-known and designer goods at discounted prices. Largely situated in beautiful surroundings, within a stylish setting and offering an impressive selection of restaurants and pasticcerias, the average tourist will invariably leave one of the many shopping villages with far more than they bargained for.
Regions
For 2009, the Global Language Monitor describes these as the leading fashion cities in their respective regions:
- Asia and Oceania: Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Bangkok
- Europe: Milan, Paris, Rome, London, Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt.
- India: Mumbai and New Delhi
- Latin America: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Monterrey, Bogota
- Middle and Eastern Europe: Moscow, Krakow, and Prague.
- Middle East and Africa: Beirut, Dubai, Johannesburg, and Cape Town.
- North America: New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Dallas, Toronto, Montreal, and Atlanta.
However, the biggest treat for me was the Serravalle Designer Outlet, in Alessandria, this outlet comprising of 180 designer stores is also the biggest factory outlet in the whole of Europe. Situated on the borders of Piedmont, Lombardy and Liguria, This extensive and elegant shopping village is within one hour of Milan and Turin and just thirty minutes from the coast. It is also suitably close to the stylish towns of Cinque Terre and Portofino.
For 2008, the Global Language Monitor describes these as the leading fashion cities in their respective regions:
- Asia and Oceania: Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Busan and Bangkok.
- Europe: Rome, Paris, Milan, London, Berlin, Madrid, Stockholm, Barcelona, and Copenhagen.
- India: Mumbai and New Delhi.

- Latin America: Sao Paulo, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
- Middle and Eastern Europe: Moscow, Krakow, and Prague.
- Middle East and Africa: Dubai, Johannesburg, and Cape Town.
- North America: New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Toronto, and Montreal.
Visitors here can find luxury designer brands such as Bulgari, Roberto Cavalli, Salvatore Ferragamo and Dolce and Gabbana with men’s and women’s clothing at discounted prices. For sportswear, amongst other popular brands, there is Adidas, Nike, Puma and Reebok.
I also visited the The Mall, Leccio, Regello Firenze, believed to be the largest shopping outlet of Florence, and I am sure that visiting this mall would be any  fashionista’s dream with labels such as Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottego Veneto, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and La Perla being just some of the designers available here.
Whilst some of the luxury designer clothing and accessories here are reduced by up to 60%, The Mall can still be on the expensive side. However, visitors simply window shopping here are also in for a treat. The Mall enjoys a majestic setting in the Tuscan hills and there are a stylish cafes and bars to rest weary feet.

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Modern Westerners have a wide choice available in the selection of their clothes. What a person chooses to wear can reflect that person's personality or likes. When people who have cultural status start to wear new or different clothes a fashion trend may start. People who like or respect them may start to wear clothes of a similar style.
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Fashions may vary considerably within a society according to age, social class, generation, occupation, and geography as well as over time. If, for example, an older person dresses according to the fashion of young people, he or she may look ridiculous in the eyes of both young and older people. The terms fashionista or fashion victim refer to someone who slavishly follows the current fashions.
One can regard the system of sporting various fashions as a fashion language incorporating various fashion statements using a grammar of fashion. (Compare some of the work of Roland