The United States of America is, without a doubt, the world’s melting pot where the best of all cultures step up and emerge to be the next global trend. Over the decades, it has become the land of dreams for all aspirants where native ideas pass through the filter of modernization and globalization. No wonder fashion revolutions spring up in this country every now and then, and the incoming new year is no exception.
For all fashion aficionados both from the United States or from any part of the world, check out these fashion hubs you must visit this year.
1. Austin, Texas
To see the best of the Lone Star State in the world of clothing, there’s no other place to go than its fashion capital and an emerging hub for fashion. Austin’s local fashion scene has been pictured as boho-chic and relaxed. Whatever style or sense this city might appear to focus on, one can not deny that the local market is definitely growing, thanks in part to a domino effect from a rising population positively affecting the local economy, plus a rising tech-startup community. Moreover, the local government has definitely made the right call as the city now hosts a couple of art events such as the South by Southwest (SXSW), Austin City Limits, the X-Games, and of course the Austin Fashion Week.
Austin is now home to more than a thousand retail stores housed in its shopping districts and centers. Some of these include the 2nd Street District, Barton Creek Square Mall, and the Domain. Also, fashion schools have sprung up in almost every corner of the city, offering classes and programs for all levels and almost all fields.
2. Miami, Florida
The overall fashion sense of the city is nothing but reflective of its tropical climate all year round. The soft sands of South Beach has been both the inspiration and the stage for most of the trends born from this place. In the global trendsetting scene, fashion pillars such as Proenza Schouler and Gianni Versace have their headquarters in Miami. The same goes for some of the A-list modeling agencies William Morris, Wilhelmina, and Elite.
For those looking to learn and study about fashion and designing, top institutions like Miami International University of Art & Design to Miami Dade College’s Miami Fashion Institute. Some of the fashion-related programs include degrees in fashion design, accessory design, and even merchandising. You can expect more than the fundamentals of design as the street markets of Miami are filled with up and coming designer shops and retailers
3. Atlanta, Georgia
At the center of the United States’ ninth-largest metropolitan area is a fashion center which, though not as large as the other cities on this list, definitely burns bright on the map with its incredibly loud and vibrant fashion scene. Equipped with a busy international airport to cater visitors to and fro, an equivalently busy and prominent art scene, and a strong fashion initiative, Atlanta is definitely poised, if not yet there, to be one of the strongest fashion centers in the south.
In 2013, Regina Weir and Rosa Thurnher established Factory Girls. It is Atlanta’s first fashion incubator geared towards high-end designers’ apparel sitting in a 3,500 square feet property on the outskirts of the city. Moreover, Atlanta has its own events such as the Atlanta Fashion Week and the Atlanta Apparel Market. Stroll around and see how fashion is immersed in the city’s identity – from stylish neighborhoods of Decatur, Inman Park, even to the iconic Stone Mountain Village push the city’s fashion status even further.
Atlanta is the home of the prestigious SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, leads the city’s lineup of reputable fashion schools and even offers advanced degrees for BFA, MA, and NFA in fashion. Other strong contenders for the next generation of fashion icons include the Bauder College, the Art Institute of Atlanta, and the Clark Atlanta University.
4. San Francisco, California
Of course, you just can not leave your heart in San Francisco without a multitude of reasons, right? The ever-swinging waltz between creativity and sophistication thrives in this city where both the romantic and the high-living can find their home. Business of Fashion (BoF) even recognized San Francisco’s shift towards a more fashion-conscious society encouraged by the growth of the technology-based sector of both the city and the nearby Silicon Valley. Another thing is that SanFran has specific spots which cater to specific tastes. Check out The Bay area for the latest edgy and chic boutique offerings, with the laid-back area drawing in young aspirants hoping to leave a mark in the global fashion industry.
Also, for the last five years or so, global designer brands have raced to save a spot in San Francisco and its neighboring Silicon Valley. From Isabel Marant marking the Jackson Square to Maison Margiela on Maiden Lane, and even Hermes has expressed interest in having a boutique right at the heart of The Valley.
5. New York City
Last on the list is New York City, America’s answer to Paris and London. Extending its arsenal of more than 5,000 showrooms in the fashion industry, more than any other major city in the world, it comes as no surprise that The Big Apple is a must-see for fashionistas all over. It also maintains a strong synergy with other aspects of the living city- from its tech to commerce, even to arts, and all of these connected by the trademark business of New York’s streets. Its local fashion scene, most notably the New York Fashion Week, is more than enough reason in itself to visit the United States.
The world’s aspirants fight, and fight hard, to be in any of New York’s headquarters, most of which are owned by top designer brands and leading agencies. Even for the casual fashion fan, some of the tourist destinations certainly brandish names you’re bound to know and remember. From the Fashion Walk of Fame on the east side of Seventh Avenue to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, to West Village’s The Point, and even Prada’s Flagship store, New York definitely has earned its status as a leader in the world’s fashion scene.
