Paris, New York, London and Milan may be thought of as the premier fashion destinations in the world — it’s no wonder, since some of the top designers show in these cities at least twice a year. However, as 2020 comes closer and closer, there’s some amazing contenders that are set to rival these aforementioned cities in terms of fashion hot spots. In some of the most unexpected places, some of the world’s most interesting designers are creating incredible collections worthy of traveling to. Whether you work in the fashion industry, or you just love to follow the latest fashion (and shop it) you’ve come to the right places for a little travel inspiration. The new global fashion capitals for 2020 are all here. Here, a look inside the top fashion destinations to visit for 2020.
Copenhagen Steals the (Fashion) Show
A fashion revolution is happening in Copenhagen right now. Long known for its inimitable sense of design and rich food culture, the city is now on the rise as a fashion destination capitalizing on sustainability. It all has to do with Copenhagen’s plan to be a carbon neutral city by 2025, and Denmark’s recent announcement that includes a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (one of the most ambitious climate policies in the world). Not only has Copenhagen Fashion Week has become one of the most fashion world’s most talked-about events due to its chic Scandinavian style, it has also become one to watch for its ethics. Ganni, the mid-priced luxury line based in Copenhagen, is leading the charge. Though it was founded in 2000, only over the past couple of years has it become a global sensation sold in stores worldwide. Statement coats, party dresses and quirky prints, along with puffed sleeves, fun fabrics like satin and corduroy and unexpected colors are the fashion norm in Copenhagen, and Ganni celebrates them all. For the brand’s Spring/Summer 2020 show, Ganni off-set the carbon footprint of press attending the show and offered classics spun out of recycled pieces from past seasons. Other stylish Copenhagen-based brands such as the young designer label Stand are known for colorblock statements and offering clothing made from pineapple leaves (for Spring/Summer 2020) and last season, creating faux furs made from recycled ocean plastics. Similarly, the Norweigan brand Holzweiler, which focuses on sporty unisex clothing, had only one metre of gaffer tape as its sole amount of waste for its Spring/Summer 2020 show in Copenhagen. Some fashion editors have even called Copenhagen the biggest up-and-coming emerging market, due to the amount of cool Copenhagen labels popping up in stores globally and the forward-thinking focus on sustainability. The inspired neutral hues, ultra-constructed shapes and hot new names to know are very clearly keeping the world coming back for more.
Sleep: Stay at the luxury Nobis hotel to get a taste of old meets new in Copenhagen — the building is the former Royal Danish Academy of Music, which opened in 1903.
Eat: Hart Bageri is a can’t-miss bakery and the trendy Vesterbro Chinese Food brings a newfound Sichuan flavor to the city.
Shop: Head to Sabine Poupinel for a selection of some of the most artistic local designers. Then stop off at Storm for cool fashion and art tones alongside buzzy brands.
Mexico City Breaks Out of the Box
At times, Mexico City can feel like sensory overload with all of its color, sound, pattern, and history. Those are some of the exact same things that have contributed to this city’s growth as a new fashion hotspot and rising luxury market. According to Euromonitor International, Mexico is both the largest and fastest-growing luxury market in Latin America (it grew to $3.56 billion in 2016, up 55 percent from $2.3 billion in 2011). As a result, in 2019 retailers and designers the world over are paying homage to the newfound fashion capital of Mexico City. The iconic shop Opening Ceremony (based in New York) is currently celebrating the country’s stylish designers and influences with its Year of Mexico curation through the end of 2019, featuring pieces that range from heart-shaped jewelry by Mexican jewelry label Tuza to complex knits from Mexican designer Roberto Sanchez. Mexico City native Frida Kahlo, too, has been remembered as a style icon and is now strongly associated with the destination. Her floral headbands, chandelier earrings, Rebozo scarves and Tehuana style dresses (from the Tehuantepac region of Mexico, where women were established as authoritative, independent figures) acted as visible shields for the pain she endured her entire life, following the tragic bus accident that shattered her spine. The world’s top designers are also paying tribute to the country’s traditional patterns and folk art in the form of their fashion collections (as seen in our Mexico City Fashion Week coverage for CNN earlier this year). Earlier this year, Kahlo’s portraits were printed on Vans shoes, solidifying her aesthetic and the vibrant spirit of Mexico City’s scene. Young, talented designers such as Barragan (recently named a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund 2019 Finalist), showed his collection full of graphics prints from the city’s modern architecture, in his hometown of Mexico City. As the city becomes a new luxury market, traditional fashion from the region is getting a much-deserved spotlight.
Sleep: Hippodrome Hotel offers modern furniture and balcony views in the prime neighborhood of Condesa, while Four Seasons Mexico City offers a beautiful plant-filled courtyard.
Eat: If you can get one of the sought-after reservations at Chef Enrique Olvera’s Pujole, it’s a must for the tasting menu and tacos omakase.
Shop: Ikal is the place to go for a curated experience: there’s fashion, home design, jewelry and more, all by Mexican designers. The boutique of designer Roberto Sanchez is also an excellent pick for distinctly cool pieces.
Athens Revives Ancient Craftsmanship
A little over ten years after Greece’s financial crisis, Athens rises from the ashes as a revived tourist destination with a strong emphasis on art, culture and fashion. Earlier this year, for example, the country’s edition of Vogue relaunched in Athens. Similarly, Athens is seeing an influx of new, trendy stores. The Athens- based brand Ancient Greek Sandals (a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow sold around the world) opened its first flagship at the heart of the city this summer, with an interior that takes inspiration from the new bright and airy aesthetic of Athens as well as traditional craftsmanship, like the textile wall hangings made from local artisans. LALAoUNIS is just one example of a traditional Greek jewelry label (that also just gave its historic store an update by the award-winning architectural firm, RIBA) which lives on since the founder, Ilias Lalaounis, began designing in the 1940s. Known for his talents in goldsmithing and a penchant for elegant designs that embrace and tell the story of Greek history, the brand continues to be reinvented through modern interpretations. Take, for example, a recent collaboration with Ancient Greek Sandals, which saw the placement of LALAoUNIS designs and others by Greek jewelers, on the signature flat leather sandals. Greek jewelers who use traditional craftsmanship are gaining more recognition. During the crisis, Greek jewelers such as Ileana Makri or Maggoosh put more emphasis on traditional fashion capitals like New York or Paris, but being back in Athens and making a statement (such as collaborating with Ancient Greek Sandals) with other local designers is a trend. Today, the bright yellow gold or ancient Byzantine designs of embellished crosses or chunky ancient coins never felt more modern than they do now. Many of these spots create one-of-kind pieces or produce in small batches meaning you’re likely to score a unique piece too. As a location, Athens is prime for the fashion set: the beach is just a quick drive away, there’s extensive roots in inspiring history literally everywhere you turn, and new, chic hotels are popping up a dime a dozen. Athens combines just the right amount of old world craftsmanship such as traditional goldsmith techniques and new, modern aesthetics.
Sleep: The Perianth Hotel in downtown Athens is a newly opened space full of trendy mid century furniture and a locally fresh breakfast bar.
Eat: Each room in Oroscopo is decorated differently and instagrammable – the restaurant offers a contemporary spin on Greek classics.
Shop: Byzantino is an old school jewelry that focuses on the ancient craft of Greek jewelry. Number 3 stocks Gosha Rubchinskiy, Rick Owens and the luxury Greek label Serapis.
Tokyo Welcomes Emerging Designers
If you’ve ever wanted to visit a city where people truly do dress like they’re set to walk down a runway everyday, book a ticket to Tokyo. Beyond that, Tokyo has long established itself as one of the top markets for emerging designers and easy-to-discover young talent. Held twice a year, Tokyo’s fashion week, which falls on the schedule after all the main fashion weeks are over (New York, London, Milan and Paris) has become a platform that caters to young, eccentric designers and those who are interested in them. Jenny Fax, a new favorite of the international fashion scene, makes otherworldly pieces imbued with hints of surrealism. Take, for example, pastel frocks covered in teddy bears or jewelry that actually looks like candy. Anrealage, which hosts its show in both Tokyo and Paris, splices mismatched fabrics together to create intrinsically offbeat styles that are coveted by the street style set. An interest in Tokyo’s emerging designers is growing so much so, that Tomo Koizumi, a Japanese designer discovered by Katie Grand (the British stylist and consultant to Marc Jacobs) on Instagram, made his fashion week debut in New York earlier this year. Many editors noted it as one of the best shows of the season. Meanwhile, it was also just announced that Rakuten has taken over as Tokyo’s brand new fashion week sponsor to put a bright spotlight on Japan’s unusual and innovative fashion scene. Whatever you do, bring an extra empty suitcase (or two) since many of these new fashion talents can only be found in boutiques in Japan! Read more about some of our favorite sustainable designers who are reworking vintage clothing into new pieces on Teen Vogue.
Sleep: For the ultimate experience in Japanese minimalism stay at Muji’s brand new hotel in Ginza.
Eat: At the heart of the Harajuku neighborhood, Ichiran Ramen is a must for locals and tourists. Bills is an unexpectedly chic place to get an Australian brunch in Ginza.
Shop: Laforet is the mega shopping mall at the heart of Harajuku that has every trend you’d ever want to indulge in. Similarly, Shibuya 109 is focused on street style-approved fashion in a mall format.
Marrakech’s Designer Dossier
For decades, Marrakech, Morocco has been attracting fashion designers who come to find inspiration big and small. Designer Yves Saint Laurent had a home there beginning in the ‘60s and designed many of his flow-y silhouettes, caftans and, gowns that had the same sensual color palettes of the spice market, specifically while there. But now, more than ever, this hot spot is once again becoming a newborn fashion designation attracting some of the biggest brands as Morrocco begins a race to build its fashion industry. Morocco’s tourism is steadily rising, which may be the cause for a newfound inspiration in Morrocan culture in fashion and as well as a boom of Morrocan industry in textiles. Morocco welcomed 3.6 million tourists in the first four months of 2019, a marked increase rising by 6%. The textile and clothing industry employs 183,000 people, representing 26% of the country’s industrial jobs. Paying homage to Marrakech this year, Christian Dior, staged a blowout runway show in Marrakech for its Resort 2020 collection. Replete with fabrics, silhouettes and pillows for guests to sit on, all which took inspiration from the location, it was a beautiful tribute that reminded the fashion crowd why Marrakech is indeed a wealth of fashion inspiration and industry— with its busy markets, surreal sunsets and constant stream of color. Even YSL is taking a note from its own fashion history with its new fragrance, Libre, which debuted this fall and is inspired by the fragrant orange blossoms of Morocco. Elsewhere, the brand recently opened its fashion museum dubbed Musée Yves Saint Laurent, which provides a comprehensive look at the designer’s work and life. It’s the vibrant and distinct aesthetic that continues to draw fashion people into Marrakech’s storied streets.
Sleep: A stay at Royal Mansour is the best way to take in the luxury and beauty of Marrakech — with its blooming plants and stunning riads.
Eat: Head to Le Comptoir for the Franco-Moroccan dishes, but stay for the incredible people watching in the bar area.
Shop: When in Marrakech, you have to visit the market stalls. Shopping the souks can be rewarding, especially in terms of fashion if you can stock up on silk slippers and caftans. On the other hand, 33 Rue Majorelle is a concept store that brings together art, fashion, design and home objects together in one beautifully designed space.
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