New York City reclaims the title as the world’s top fashion capital

When you think of fashion cities, the top four automatically pop into mind – New York, Paris, London and Milan. But in a 2010 list of the world’s top fashion capitals, compiled by the Global Language Monitor, traditional fashion cities have made way for some new up and comers. New York City has regained the topspot after losing out to Milan in 2009 but the biggest surprise comes in the form of Hong Kong, who has jumped up to number two (moving up five places), while Paris has been pushed down to number three. To make matters slightly more embarrassing for Milan (who’s spot on the ‘big four’ fashion weeks has been squeezed into almost non-existence last season) they sit at number six, dropping down from number one in 2009.

“As the global fashion industry adjusted to the new economic reality, New York rebounded to the No. 1 spot it has now held for six of the last seven years,” said Bekka Payack, the Manhattan-based fashion correspondent for the Global Language Monitor. “This year’s list of the top fashion capitals, shows the global fashion industry remaining in flux, with the relative decline of some of the previously leading players and formerly regional players emerging as significant new influences.”

Other notable movers and shakers are Amsterdam who comes in to the top 20 for the first time while cities in the Asia-Pacific cement their place as reputable destinations – notably my hometown of Melbourne jumps up 14 places into number 11.

Top 20 fashion capitals of 2010 according to the Global Language Monitor:

1. New York (+1)
2. Hong Kong (+5)
3. London (+2)
4. Paris (-1)
5. Los Angeles (+1)
6. Milan (-5)
7. Sydney (+2)
8. Miami (+5)
9. Barcelona (+5)
10. Madrid (+11)
11. Melbourne (+14)
12. Shanghai (+2)
13. Sao Paulo (+5)
14. Tokyo (-2)
15. Singapore (+5)
16. Las Vegas (+6)
17. Amsterdam (first time on list)
18. Berlin (+1)
19. Rio de Janeiro (-1)
20. Moscow (+2)

[Via Reuters]