Men's Fashion Week, typically held twice a year in January and June, is a series of international fashion industry events where menswear collections are shown to buyers, stylists, the media, and in some cases, the general public.
The following are international events in order of founding.
In France, Paris Fashion Week promotes its men's runway show, Menswear Paris Fashion Week, as a part of its regular schedule. It is overseen by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM). [1] FHCM is composed of three "central bodies," namely men's fashion, women's fashion, and haute couture. [1] Its history dates back to 1868 when its first founding organization, Chambre Syndicale de la Couture was formed. [2]
In Milan, Italy, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) organizes Milano Fashion Week Men's. [3] CNMI's predecessor, Camera Sindacale della Moda Italiana was established in June 1958. [4]
Germany unveiled its International Menswear Exhibition on 26 August 1960 in Cologne, in the then West Germany. [5] The event featured wool and silk fabrics for the next year's season.
In July 2015, New York Fashion Week (NYFW) launched New York Fashion Week: Men's. [6] [7] NYFW is owned and organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). [8] New York City held its first menswear event over 30 years ago in August 1989. [9]
In September 2011, the Vancouver Men's Fashion Week (v.MFW) was inaugurated in Canada. [10] It was Canada's first-ever menswear fashion industry event. [11] [12] [13] v.MFW was founded and organized by Ramos & Fortier Ltd., a Canadian company, whose objectives according to its site are to: "give up-and-coming Canadian menswear designers a platform to show their creations" and "support research in textile sustainability," among others. [14] The company participates in various events and conferences within Vancouver, British Columbia that promote the creative economy, such as the inaugural BCreative Conference to give ideas and suggestions to the province on how to improve and build its creative industry. [15] [16] The company and its signature event have been featured and discussed in academia, [17] in a conference, [18] in television, [19] [20] [21] in newspapers, [22] [23] [24] in magazines, [12] [25] [26] and in a book. [11] Past sponsors of v.MFW were Kiehl's, Clarins Men, and A*Men fragrance by Thierry Mugler. [22]
Three years after Vancouver, a second menswear event was held in Canada, this time in the City of Toronto, Ontario. Toronto Men's Fashion Week (TOM*) was launched in August 2014. [27] [28]
In the United Kingdom, the British Fashion Council (BFC) is the governing body for London Fashion Week (LFW), and says on its site that it, "strengthens British fashion in the global economy as a leader in responsible, creative businesses." [29] In June 2012, LFW launched London Collections: Men, a weekend of menswear fashion shows. [30] It was later renamed London Fashion Week Men's and was held in June 2019. [31] [32]
In January 2021, the Arab Fashion Council (AFC) launched Arab Fashion Week-Men's in Dubai. [33] [34] AFC aims "to establish a fashion system... by uniting the 22 Arab countries under one umbrella..." [35] AFC was founded in May 2015. [35] [36]
Additional events have been held in Singapore, [37] [38] Puerto Rico, [39] Los Angeles, [40] and South Africa. [41]
In an unprecedented occurrence, all three European men's fashion weeks, Paris, Milan and London have canceled their respective live events in 2020 due to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). [42] [43] New York followed suit and postponed its June event that year. [44] In April of the same year, BFC announced it will combine its menswear events into the womenswear shows for the next 12 months and will only run digitally for its June show. [45] [46]
Dolce & Gabbana, also known by initials D&G, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1985 in Legnano by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The house specializes in ready-to-wear, handbags, accessories, cosmetics, and fragrances and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear.
Fendi is an Italian luxury fashion house producing fur, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, fragrances, eyewear, timepieces and accessories. Founded in Rome in 1925 by Edoardo Fendi and Adele Casagrande, Fendi is known for its fur, fur accessories, and leather goods. Since 2001, Fendi has been part of the “Fashion & Leather Goods” division of the French group LVMH. Its headquarters are in Rome, in the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana.
Kiton is an Italian fashion house founded by Ciro Paone in Arzano, NA 1968.
Julien Fournié is a French fashion designer and CEO of his own eponymous haute couture company founded in the summer of 2009. Previously, he was the last creative director of the Paris-based haute couture fashion house Torrente. In 2008, he was named creative director for womenswear, menswear and accessories at Ramosport.
New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning seven to nine days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general public. It is one of four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the "Big Four," along with those in Paris, London, and Milan. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) created the modern notion of a centralized "New York Fashion Week" in 1993, although cities like London were already using their city's name in conjunction with the words fashion week in the 1980s. NYFW is based on a much older series of events called "Press Week," founded in 1943. On a global scale, most business and sales-oriented shows and some couture shows take place in New York City.
Paris Fashion Week is a series of designer presentations held semi-annually in Paris, France, with spring/summer and autumn/winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Paris Fashion Week is held at venues throughout the city.
The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode is the governing body for the French fashion industry. It has a dual mission: as a Professional Organisation in the classic sense of the term, as in other sectors of the economy. As such, it provides services to its Members, and represents them in the professional ecosystem and towards public authorities in France and Europe. As an Event Organisation with Paris Fashion Week® and Haute Couture Week, for which it structures the Official Calendars and adjacent activities. In this way, it aims to consolidate Paris as the fashion capital of the world.
Etro is a family-managed Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1968. It is mainly known for its paisley patterns, which the company started making in 1981.
Loris Abate was an Italian jewelry designer and businessman. He founded the "Mila Schön" label with Mila Nutrizio Schön in 1960, which found critical and financial success.
Milan Fashion Week is a clothing trade show held semi-annually in Milan, Italy. Upcoming autumn/winter fashions are showcased in February/March of each year, and upcoming spring/summer fashions are showcased in September/October of each year. Many designers showcase new designs and upcoming collections. Milan Fashion Week is one of the "Big Four" global fashion weeks alongside New York, Paris, and London.
Hendrik Meyer-Vermeulen is a South African Couturier and fashion designer, specialising in Haute Couture and Corsetry as well as a singer-songwriter performing under stage name Joh Urban.
Italy is one of the leading countries in fashion design, alongside France and the United Kingdom. Fashion has always been an important part of the country's cultural life and society, and Italians are well known for their attention to dress; la bella figura, or good appearance, retains its traditional importance.
Marco Coretti is an Italian fashion designer. After studying arts he moved to Paris, where he trained as apprentice and then worked as an assistant in haute couture ateliers.
Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana is a non-profit organization, whose purpose is the promotion, coordination of the Italian fashion industry and the training of young Italian designers.
The Arab Fashion Council (AFC) is the world's largest non-profit fashion council and an INGO for the Arab World, representing the 22 members of the Arab League. This organization is based in Dubai with the main goal of promoting Arab fashion designers internationally, disseminating fashion culture in the region, and positioning the Arab world on the international fashion map. It includes Arab companies and talent within the fashion industry, particularly fashion designers, models, photographers, hair stylists, make-up artists, and art directors. It regulates modeling agencies by creating stringent protocols and strict standards for protecting all the models working in the Middle East region. It also governs the schools of fashion registered under the laws of Arab nations.
Stella Novarino is an Italian fashion designer of partial Haitian origin. Her label, Stella Jean, utilizes her mother's maiden name. She is a member of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and the only member of Afro-European background.
VETEMENTS started in 2014 as a Swiss luxury fashion house and "design collective" founded by Georgian fashion designers Demna Gvasalia and Guram Gvasalia. The brand experienced near-immediate success, with Demna being hired to Balenciaga after only three collections at Vetements.
Max Kibardin is an artist, fashion designer and creative director based in Lugano, Switzerland.
Fashion Film Festival Milano is an international fashion film festival and cultural event that takes place annually during Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy in collaboration with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Founded in 2014 by Constanza Cavalli Etro, Fashion Film Festival Milano presents fashion film as a cinematographic product realized by the fashion industry as a communication and marketing tool. Since 2017, Fashion Film Festival Milano takes place as a hybrid event with digital screenings and in-person events that introduce fashion film to a global audience.
Carlo Capasa is an Italian fashion executive who has been the president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana since June 2015. His leadership has been marked by controversy over his perceived lack of action against racism in the industry and protests from designers of color against his leadership.