From Paris to New York via London and Antwerp, an overview of these fashionable settings, each more breathtaking than the next, which attract fashion enthusiasts from all over the world for the time of skilfully staged exhibitions, given to sold out. Andy Warhol once said “ fashion is more art than art itself ” and who are we to contradict it? Fashion and art have always gone hand in hand. From concept to conception, creation and finally presentation – every step is part of a process in search of true artistic expression.
Do you obsessively collect Vogue magazines and daydream about strutting the catwalk? Have you set up Google Alerts for your favorite designers and spend your weekends browsing for bargains in vintage stores? Do your top travel destinations read like a list of the fashion capitals of the world? If you dream of dressing your passport in the finest collection of stamps, discover the most renowned, exciting and promising cosmopolitan cities in the world.
The most beautiful fashion museums
The most important fashion and costume museums in the world represent an important source of inspiration for the art of fashion that never ceases to renew itself. Season after season, fashion continues to dictate its own trends that are cyclically loved, hated, copied and finally shelved by its followers. The museums of fashion and costume represent, more and more, an important source of inspiration and research for this art that never ceases to renew itself.
The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
For our first trip among the best fashion museums, head to the “Big Apple”! And more exactly the MET, which notably hosts the “Met Gala”, one of the most extravagant and opulent events in the fashion world! Each year, textiles are skillfully manipulated and creation is taken to dizzying extremes, both visually and conceptually. Months of thought and planning are necessary for every outfit. Visit the Costume Institute to see over 33,000 pieces from 7 different countries, dating from the 15th century to the present day!
The Victoria and Albert Museum (London)
Famous for being the world’s premier art and design museum, the V&A is the perfect place to enjoy the most sophisticated exhibits among fashion museums. Previously hosting the exhibition “Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty, Wedding Dresses (1775-2014), The Glamor of Italian Fashion (1945-2014)”, the museum has something for everyone! This fall 2020, you will be transported to Kyoto to discover the history of the kimono through the “Kyoto to Catwalk” exhibition. You can also take a trip back in time, thanks to the “Bags: Inside out” exhibition, dedicated to the history of the bag. Otherwise, go to room 40 and learn about the history and fascinating evolution of fashion. In addition, the gallery has free access!
The Fashion Museum Bath (Bath)
The Fashion Museum in Bath was established in 1963 on the initiative of Doris Langley Moore, who donated her extensive clothing collection to the city. Today, the museum has more than 100,000 creations. Here the visitor has the opportunity to appreciate some of the most iconic trends in fashion of all time. For example, the boots of Queen Victoria (1850) or the pleated pink tulle dress by Giambattista Valli, worn by Kendall Jenner on the occasion of the Cannes Film Festival 2019. Tourists and fashion experts flock from elsewhere in this museum to enjoy its incredible collection.
The Bata Shoe Museum (Toronto)
The Bata Shoe Museum is the place to be for all shoe obsessed! In 1979, the museum owes its creation to an original anecdote: Ms. Bata’s shoe collection, which is too vast, can no longer be housed under its own roof. Today, far from being a simple shoe exhibition, the main objective of the Bata Shoe Museum is “to create an international shoe research center “. This resulted in the publication of academic articles such as “The Typology of Native Footwear” and “Spirit of Siberia: Traditional Native Life, Clothing and Footwear. “. If you are a true shoe fanatic, this fashion museum will be a dream destination.
The Simone Handbag Museum (Seoul)
This museum is not only located in the exciting fashion hub of Seoul, but it’s also shaped like a handbag! If this futuristic architecture isn’t your thing, don’t worry, as the museum has over 300 beautifully crafted bags. Some even date from 1550! Although it only has two floors, the museum has something to inspire you … and also pushes you to reflect on the importance of handbags for the expression of femininity throughout history, as had desired the founder of the museum.
The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (Los Angeles)
Located in Los Angeles, FIDM is an active center for textiles, fashion and costumes. With over 15,000 carefully chosen pieces, the museum spans over 200 years of history. Its location allows it to benefit from the services of the Hollywood “Costume Department” and each year, this fashion museum hosts the “Art of Motion Picture Costume Design”, in other words an event celebrating the creation of costumes for the cinema.
The Kyoto Costume Institute (Kyoto)
The main objective of the KCI is to hold flagship pieces of Western fashion in order to examine and show how the dress of the West has influenced the whole world. The central idea is as follows. Fashion reflects the world around us and can ultimately be used to understand our own existence… Much of the work of the team at this institution involves collaborations with other fashion museums. A visit that promises to be as informative as it is touching, especially when you will learn how the Western style was inspired by Japanese fashion today.
The Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York)
Known for its modern and exciting exhibits such as “A Queer History of Fashion: From the Closet to the Catwalk” (the London Fashion Award-winning exhibit ), FIT offers a glimpse into 250 years of fashion. The exhibits on offer change every six months. The main floor is dedicated to the creations of school students. So you are guaranteed to always see ideas at the forefront of fashion!
The Ferragamo Museo (Florence)
Another fashion museum for all shoe lovers: the Ferragamo Museo! This small but important museum in Florence is dedicated to Salvatore Ferragamo. He owns more than 10,000 shoes, created by the designer himself, from 1920 until his death in 1970. Today, the institution clearly emphasizes the sustainable aspect of the brand. You can admire the pair of hand-crafted rainbow heels entirely made with sustainable materials and processes.
The Palais Galliera (Paris)
In the heart of the fashion capital, Paris, the museum has been permanently dedicated to fashion since 1977. With its exhibitions focusing as much on current creation as on French costume from the 18th century to the present day, you will find a very rich collection! The museum notably holds clothes that belonged to Marie-Antoinette. But also, it has the largest collection of clothing from the Age of Enlightenment. Even a dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s ! You will also be able to appreciate the creations of the biggest names in fashion. For example, those Dior, Gaultier, Givenchy and Saint Laurent!
The Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Paris
On October 3, 2017, the Yves Saint Laurent Paris museum opened its doors in the historic mansion at 5 avenue Marceau which currently houses the Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent Foundation. This brand new space, spread over 450m², hosts a retrospective tour presenting around fifty models accompanied by accessories, sketches, photographs and videos, as well as thematic exhibitions. The highlight of the visit are the former sewing salons and Yves Saint Laurent’s studio, which go back to the origins of the Parisian house founded in July 1961.
Scenography by Nathalie Crinière and decorated by Jacques Grange, loyal collaborators of the Foundation, and designed by the architectural firm Jean-Michel Rousseau, the Yves Saint Laurent Paris museum immerses the visitor in the original atmosphere of the haute couture house through exhibitions and events such as The Yves Saint Laurent’s dream Asia, teleported at the end of April to the Museum of Asian Arts in Nice.
The Christian Dior Museum in Granville
At the start of the 20th century, in the Villa Les Rhumbs built on the side of a cliff, Christian Dior experienced his first joys and sorrows. A beautiful typical Norman building tinged with pink and gray which has never ceased to inspire him: “My life, my style owe almost everything to its location and its architecture” he writes in his Memoirs. He made his childhood home a true source of creativity, just like his family, whose style and elegance he drew inspiration from to create couture dresses of extreme refinement which, even today, marvel. It is therefore natural that the Villa de Granville becomes the Christian Dior Museum at the end of the 90s, hosting sublime exhibitions dedicated to the history of the French fashion house, and its links with the personalities it has dressed, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly in the lead.
The Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria
Inaugurated in 2011 in Getaria, where the Spanish designer was born in 1895, the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum serves as a showcase for the couturier’s work. Distributed in the old Aldamar Palace and a modern annex designed by architect Julián Argilagos, the museum located a few kilometers from San Sebastian is divided into six rooms telling the story of the emblematic fashion house, in the eyes of a wealthy collection of haute couture creations, some of which belong to the Balenciaga Foundation, and inspirations from the designer.
The MoMu in Antwerp
Founded in 2002, the MoMu crystallizes what Belgian fashion does best. Currently closed for renovation and extension works which will end in 2020, the Antwerp Fashion Museum located at National estraat, with more than 30,000 pieces that will be exhibited permanently and in greater depth when it reopens, s he has forged a solid reputation by offering expertly shorthand exhibitions that have attracted all eyes.
The Gucci Garden in Florence
All the fantasy of Alessandro Michele for Gucci concentrated in a single space. This is the dream realized by the Italian house in January 2018 by opening the doors of its Gucci Garden, in the Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence. Lifted by Alessandro Michele in person, this museum entirely dedicated to the house hosts several exhibition rooms supervised by critic and curator Maria Luisa Frisa, as well as a boutique of exclusive products and a restaurant orchestrated by the best chef in the world, Massimo Bottura, just that.
The City of Lace and Fashion in Calais
Inaugurated in June 2009 in a former lace factory, the Boulart factory, founded in the 1870s, the Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode de Calais is dedicated to the history of lace and its production methods. Here, the fashion galleries present 3,220 creations from 1850 to the present day, while the tissue library offers 500,000 samples of designs and 30,000 pieces of lace.
We remember these exhibitions, Haute Couture which presented an exceptional series of haute couture and ready-to-wear dresses (from Chanel to Dior, including Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier and Margiela), delicate witnesses of the expertise of these lace houses with ancestral know-how which have known how to renew and embrace, as finely as possible, the desires of couturiers and fashions; or the Hubert de Givenchy retrospective which looked back on the history of the house in the light of emblematic creations (Bettina blouse, black dress by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, pink coat by Jackie Kennedy) of videos, sketches and irresistible anecdotes on the creator disappeared on March 10, 2018.
Fashion capitals to visit
There’s a reason there isn’t an English translation for the words: trendy. Paris is home to some of the world’s greatest fashion designers, including Coco Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Jean Paul Gaultier and Yves Saint Laurent. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg (or the Eiffel?) When it comes to French fashion.
Paris is known to be the city of fashion. The greatest couturiers like Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, or even Jean-Paul Gaultier, are from the land of Marianne, and this is no coincidence. France has been known for many years as one of the most artistic countries, and it is obvious that fashion is not to be outdone. Passionate about this art, are you passing through the capital? France Hotel Guide has selected the best museums and fashion boutiques in Paris for you.
Paris
Pull out your calendar, because there is no greater fashion capital in the world than Paris, and no better time to go than during Paris Fashion Week. Originally a form of guerrilla marketing for high fashion designers to display their latest trends, it has now grown into the trending event of the year. Attracting fashion buyers, media and glitter from all over the world, Paris Fashion Week focuses on the looks that will define the fashion world for the coming season. Although tickets are among the most elusive and sought after products in the fashion world, the ability to attend even the side events happening around this time makes Paris a destination like no other.
Where to shop in Paris
If you’d rather skip the show and head straight to the dressing room, Paris is full of spots to fuel your fancy vacation. The Champs-Élysées is a bustling street, but it’s also one of the best places to shop till you drop. Connecting the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, welcoming the most famous designers in the world.
If the 1.2 mile long stretch makes you want more, or if you like your shopping with a little more edge (three of them, to be exact), take a few more right angles to walk the Triangle of gold: the holy trinity between the George V, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Alma-Marceau metro stations. This is where Grands Couturiers like Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Hermès and Christian Dior house their flagship stores – maybe you’ve heard of them?
Tokyo
When you think of the fashion capitals of the world, your mind probably instantly jumps to the Big Four (they’re all in this article but hey – no spoilers!). But as soon as you hear the words “Japanese fashion“, it’s impossible not to visualize the lustrous aesthetic that comes so iconically from this country… and only this country.
The Tokyo style is characterized above all by eccentricity. Kitsch isn’t a bad thing, and for Japanese designers, the freedom to play with tailoring is liberating. Thinking of pairing gothic platform boots with a John Lennon tutu and glasses? Go hard – who is going to tell you not to? Maybe putting socks on under a pair of flip flops – that’s not a misstep, it’s subversive. And it looks great with an Indian kurta and your hair tied back in two Street Fighter updos with sparkly pom pom elastics. Trust us: in Tokyo, everything you can think of is already A Thing.
Although the cancellation culture was not kind to Gwen Stefani for her Harajuku Girl entourage in the early 2000s (but spared her the heartache of her lifelong devotion to Scottish tartan – what is it? is going with that?), the neighborhood after which the trend was named is still jumping. Chances are, you’ll stumble upon a flared fashionista on the Harajuku Bridge, adorned with the Victorian-themed anime look. But don’t think that’s the only look in Harajuku, and by extension, Tokyo has to offer: walk down just about any street and you’ll find yourself surrounded by cover girls vying for the best dressed!
Streetwear in Tokyo
Although the biannual Tokyo Fashion Week(Spring and Fall) are the obvious places to see the season’s elite looks, Tokyo’s penchant for rocking the latest looks on the streets means fashion in Japan is a bit more democratized… and unpredictable! Regular fashion shows take place across Tokyo, but you probably won’t find any advance warning that one is about to take place. If there is one thing that is best gleaned from films like Lost in Translation or from the entire Studio Ghibli collection, it is that there is a beautiful complexity in Japanese culture. Which, on a more practical level, means you’re more likely to stumble upon a Tokyo fashion show when walking down a wandering alley in search of ramen.
Berlin
To paint a picture of the fashion capitals of the world: The Old Guard is a quartet of sleek and stylish models with perfect manicures and all hair in place – as easy to recall as they are to warrant a visit. But these are not the only cities to note in the ranking. Among the rising stars, it would be foolish not to recognize Berlin, the forgotten young cousin. She might have had a slightly tumultuous adolescence, but now she’s squarely in the middle of a glow – and she’s doing it her way.
If you’ve never been and aren’t familiar with its vibe, Berlin is punky, playful, and carries a certain je ne sais quoi. Its thriving arts and cultural scene means there is no shortage of exhibitions, installations or immersive experiences – and this forward-thinking appreciation of high art is captivatingly reflected in emerging trends.
Many fashionistas have struggled to explain exactly why Berlin, in its atmosphere, energy and aesthetics, feels so much like coming home. Perhaps it is the timelessness and quality of the clothes, and the liberal invitation of everyone to come as you are. The streets are the fashion show – passers-by are the models of the city. So if the one thing you’ve always dreamed of Addams Family more than Morticia and Gomez’s relationship is their wardrobe, Berlin just might be your dream destination. Dress head to toe in black if you like. No one will judge you, my dear, it’s not morbid, it’s fashionable.
Vintage shopping in Berlin
If Coco Chanel can be thanked for the little black dress, the city of Berlin deserves credit for the jacket over everything. With long woolen trenches in winter and biker leather jackets every two seasons, you’re never fully dressed in Berlin without a coordinating coat. And there are few better places to hunt down your signature new look.
Although most of the world famous designers can be found in Berlin, the city is full of independent and local designers who deserve more than attention. With a range of short and medium-term pop-up stores, the Bikini Berlin shopping center conceptoffers an ever-changing landscape of bold concepts, quality clothing and limited releases. Spend a few hours researching the Next Big Name before retreating to the rooftop for a light refreshment, with bonus views of Berlin Zoo.
New York
Is there a fashion capital of the world more iconic than New York (or at least a city where adult women can walk around in adult-sized tutus in the name of fashion without getting a second look, a la Sex and the City?)
For a fashionable vacation, there is no better place than Old New York. The city is teeming with fashion museums, fashion exhibitions and couture ‘see it to believe it’ cathedrals that are overflowing with so much lavish clothing that it can sometimes be hard to tell if you are in. a sample sale or a clothing museum.
Milan
If you’re looking for where it all started for European fashion, skip the preamble and head to Milan, where Italians remind the world, year after year, why their style is the classic style upon which Western fashion was built. A playground for the world’s most famous Italian designers, Milan today boasts over 12,000,800 fashion houses, 6,000 showrooms and outlets – and proudly defends the space everyone needs.
In the weeks following the Paris and London Fashion Weeks, Milan Fashion Week is in the spotlight to give the European fashion world more of what it wants – and it does it with a lot of poise, given that Milan is home to some of the great Italian designers including Giorgio Armani, Attico and Dolce & Gabbana. Milan Fashion Week tickets are as hard to come by as the rest of the Big Four, so if you’re not a registered buyer or a member of the press corps, according to the National Italian Fashion Chamber, your best bet is to choose one of the online sites show.
Luxury shopping in Milan
A stunning arched house under a magnificent vaulted skylight ceiling, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele IIis the oldest shopping center in Italy and is considered one of the oldest in the world. It’s renowned for haute couture, luxury fashion, handcrafted jewelry and art – almost as much as the landmark lawsuit brought against the city of Milan by McDonalds when the Galleria took over the “we don’t kick, we let’s just not renew the “lease” to leave the space for something a little more about the brand: a second Prada store.
Shanghai
Home to one of the world’s lesser-known – but no less spectacular – fashion weeks, Shanghai is Asia’s best-kept secret to finding the next generation of game-changing designers, for which it has earned its reputation. of the Paris of the East. Luxury fashion is alive and well in Shanghai, but with some of the most adventurous streetwear and funky reinventations of prep couture, this city is arguably the heart and home of innovation among the fashion capitals of the world. So don’t just wander past Dolce and Gabbana Palace – check out the market stalls at In Storeon the ground floor of Jing’an Temple subway station. After all, you might just stumble upon a masterpiece from one of the city’s emerging local designers.
London
If you’ve ever walked the West Side of London, there’s no doubt that this city remains one of the world’s most beloved fashion capitals. Wherever the ultra-rich live, so do luxury shopping – and you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere that looks better than the red phone booths that fashion principles simply won’t let take. their retirement, despite their obsolescence.
But if you’re looking for something a little more quirky, the city that brought Britpop, mod and punk music and couture to the world is the best place to find some truly unique design. The technicolor district of Camden is the premier place. Comprising over a thousand shops, stalls, bars and cafes, Camden Market is the busiest place for independent designers to display their wares. Shop for a one-of-a-kind outfit, have a drink at Camden Lock and see the monument to Camden’s eternal icon, the legendary Amy Winehouse.
The best shopping in London
If you’re looking for a flea market (without the fleas), Brick Lane Vintage Market is one of the city’s largest for vintage clothing from the last 100 years of style. Located in the former Truman Brewery, the Brick Lane Vintage Market is packed during its opening days from Friday to Sunday. Arrive early to pick up the top picks before the fashionistas take to the stalls and haggle your seat in a special curry at one of the nearby Indian restaurants for a fabulous, affordable meal. If Brick Lane doesn’t scratch the itch enough for an uninterrupted fashion vacation, Shoreditch Box Park – just at the north end of the Lane – features an ever-changing pop-up selection of independent designers, events, and food stalls.
