The Global Language Monitor’s 10th Annual Survey

   The Difference between New York and Paris was 0.05%

   And No. 4?  Los Angeles! Yes, LA.

February Fashion Weeks, 2014 New York and Austin, Texas — New York was reclaimed the title of the Top Global Fashion Capital from London, which had held the tile for 2011 and 2012.  Paris, which also won the title of the Top Global Fashion Capital for Haute Couture, finished in the No. 2 spot overall.  New York and Paris were separated by 0.05%, the closest in the 10-year history of the Global Language Monitor’s survey.   In another development, Los Angeles move into the esteemed Big  Four status, moving up five spots from 2012.

The rest of the Top Ten included:  Barcelona, Rome, Berlin, Sydney, Antwerp, and Shanghai.    Berlin solidified its position, while Antwerp completed it steady climb, Sydney had a triumphal return, and Shanghai returns to what many consider its rightful place in the Top Ten.   Asia was well represented with Tokyo (11), Singapore (19), and Hong Kong (20) in the Top Twenty. 

“New York City has, indeed, earned its Top Global Fashion Capital ranking through its disciplined, methodical yet creative approach to its fashion industry.” said Bekka Payack, New York-based Fashion Director  for The Global Language Monitor.

 

Read Vanessa Friedman for a UK point of view.

“Paris, with the Top Haute Couture ranking, of course has a centuries-long heritage, having invented the very concept, also scored highly in the pret-a-porter category.  This year’s rankings also demonstrate the creative energy that is emerging worldwide in terms of fashion as a jobs, income and wealth generator, not to mention the prestige associated with exporting your fashion sense to the world.”

Read About the Top US Fashion Economic Powerhouses in AtlanticCities

The Top Global Fashion Capital Rankings are listed below, in the format:  Position, City, Change from 2012, and comment.

1. New York (+1) — The Big Apple is back on top of the fashion world by slipping past Paris by .5%.
2. Paris (+2) – The Top Global Fashion Capital for Haute Couture is surprisingly strong in pret-a-porter, also.
3. London (-2) – London has enjoyed a fabulous two-year run and is now secure in its place in the top echelon for global fashion.
4. Los Angeles (+5) – Zut alors! Tinsel Town in the Top Four? The result of the melding of the Red Carpet, the Industry (film, of course), and West Coast cool.
5. Barcelona (-2)  –  Espana, again, places two Fashion Capitals in the Top Fifteen.  Barcelona also wins the Top Fashion Capital for Swimwear. 
6. Rome (0) — Rome may have Seven Hills but Italy now has Three Fashion Capitals (and Milan is No. 2).
7. Berlin (+3)  – Berlin continues its steady rise moving deeper into the the elite ranks.
8. Sydney (+7)  –  Sydney towers over OZ distancing (and distinguishing) itself, once again, from Melbourne.
9. Antwerp (+2)  – Ah Antwerp, reverberations of the avant garde Antwerp Six continues into the 21st century.
10. Shanghai (+12) –  As China further emerges onto the world stage, Shanghai leads the fashion charge.
11. Tokyo (+9) – Tokyo made a leap in 2013 that many consider long overdue.
12. Milano (-4)  –  Milan was the Top Global Fashion Capital back in 2009 and remains a strong contender for the top spot year-after-year.
13. Florence (+3)  – Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli — A proud heritage to a thriving fashion industry in 2013.
14. Madrid (-9) –  Still strong in 2013,  further cementing its place among the elite Fashion Capitals.
15. Sao Paulo (-8)  – Again, the Queen of Latin American Fashion Capitals.
16. St. Petersburg (+35)  –  Russian comes into 2014 with two Fashion Capitals in the Top Twenty, with Petrograd surprising  Moscow.
17. Moscow (+18)  –  Apparently a rising tide does, indeed, raise all ships as Moscow comes back strong from 2012. 
18. Singapore (+1)  –  Basically standing in place (and a good  place to stand) but now trailing both Shanghai and Tokyo.
19. Miami (+20)  –  Miami is, indeed, more than swimwear; and the fashion world apparently recognizes it.
20. Hong Kong (-8)  –  Down another eight spots this year but still a strong global presence.
21. Prague (+24)  –  Prague continues its well-deserved ascension up the Fashion Capital ladder.
22. New Delhi (+26)  –  A major move for Delhi, the result of ‘sticking to the knitting’ (its traditional strengths) and focusing on them.
23. Krakow (+10)  –  Krakow continues it curious and continuous expansion of influence.
24. Warsaw (+19)  –  Warsaw, too, is finding its stride as a major regional player.
25. Dallas (+21)  –  The Big D is now the top US regional Fashion Capital. 
26. Melbourne (-5)  –  Still solid but falling further behind Sydney in the race for the OZ title.
27. Cape Town (+27)  –  In a major surprise, Cape Town leaps over Jo-burg or, rather, Jo-burg falls behind the Mother City.
28. Rio de Janeiro (-11)  –  Rio, which has the upcoming World Cup and Summer Olympics in 2016, needs to keep pace with Sao Paulo.
29. Chicago (+21)  –  The City of Big Shoulders continues to reach out as a global fashion contender.
30. Buenos Aires (-17)  –  Buenos Aires’s native-born son, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has won a major fashion award, as the city itself flourishes as a regional Fashion Capital.
31. Dubai (-3)  – A burgeoning global presence and the No. 1 Fashion Capital in the Middle East.
32. Toronto (+21)  –  Makes a major move to take the lead in Canada, over Toronto (by one) and Montreal (by 15).
33. Vancouver (-2)  –  VanCity is developing its own, distinctive fashion sense, finding admirers the world over.
34. Las Vegas (-10)  –  Las Vegas is attempting to build a brand-new fashion infrastructure.
35. Amsterdam (-8)  – Creative impulses continue to flow outward from the Netherlands.
36. Stockholm  (-4)  –  Stockholm is now the Nordic Fashion Capital, with good reason.
37. Johannesburg (-19)  – Jo-burg, continues in its role as a major regional center influencer. 
38. Vienna (-1)  –  The ancient imperial citadel continues to exert its classic fashion sense.
39. Bali (-25)  –  Bali is a serious Fashion Capital for Swimwear, a strong annual contender.
40. Boston ( 4)  –  Boston brings a classic sense of traditional American design with flashes of innovation.
41. Mexico City (+6)  –  Finding its footing as a major Latin American Fashion Capital
42. Houston (+7)  –  One of the three Texas cities to emerge in recent years.
43. Copenhagen (-13)  –  Copenhagen and Stockholm continue to contend for leadership in the Nordic World.
44. Monaco (-19)  –  Monte Carlo is, well, Monte Carlo.
45. Mumbai (-7)  –  Over the last few years Delhi has surpassed Mumbai as the Fashion Capital of the Subcontinent.
46. Atlanta (+9)  –  Atlanta, is now the Fashion Capital, as well as the Capital of the New South.
47. Santiago (-21)  –  A solid, yet idiosyncratic, fashion presence in the sphere of Latin American Fashion.
48. Montreal (+4)  –  An Old World presence in a thriving New World metropolis.
49. Caracas (-26)  –  Working hard to maintain its traditional yet advanced fashion sensibilities.
50. San Francisco (-9)  –  Continues to thrive as one of the two centers of outre (and odd) fashion in the US.
51. Abu Dhabi (-11)  –  There are more vibrant outposts of fashion that are contending to replace Abu Dhabi on this list.
52. Bangkok  (-23)  – Bangkok’s  fashion reputation reflected the decline of civil order  in Thailand.
53. Austin (-11)  –  The other thriving center of outre (and odd) fashion in the US.
54. Frankfurt (-18)  –  Berlin’s towering  fashion stature overshadows Franfurt am Main.
55. Seoul (-21)  –  The emerging Fashion Capital continues to build on its distinctive sense of Asian style.

 

The Watch List for 2014 includes: Auckland, Beirut, Jakarta, Kuala Lampur, Tel Aviv, and a number of cities in Africa.

Top Fashion Capitals by Region

Europe:  Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona, Berlin, Antwerp, Milano, Florence, Madrid, Monaco, Amsterdam,  Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt.

India: New Delhi, Mumbai

Australia: Sydney, Melbourne

Asia: Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Singapore, Bali

RSA:  Cape Town, Johannesburg

Middle Europe:  St Petersburg, Moscow, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Warsaw

Canada:  Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal

Mideast:  Dubai, Abu Dhabi

Spain:  Barcelona, Madrid

Latin America: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janerio, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Santiago, Caracas

Regional US:  New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas,  Chicago, Las Vegas, Boston, Houston,  Atlanta, San Francisco, Austin

About the Global Language Monitor

This exclusive ranking is based upon GLM’s Narrative Tracking technology.  NarrativeTracker analyzes the Internet, blogosphere, the top 250,000 print and electronic news media, as well as new social media sources (such as Twitter) as they emerge.