5 Unexpected Places For A Fashion Show

When you think fashion week, I imagine your brain goes straight to New York, Milan, Paris, Tokyo or London. Each of these cities are the obvious choices – so prominent and heavily covered in the press, a coveted pass to one of these runway shows would delight any fashionista looking to be in the front row for what’s happening in women’s clothing and women’s accessories. But there are actually several cities out there that might surprise you. Fashion forward locations are sprinkled all over the place, with pockets of affluence and trendy circles rabidly looking to keep up on the latest in ready-to-wear and haute couture.

So where are some of these hidden spots for style? Here is a list of the top most unexpectedly fashionable cities (in no particular order of surprising-ness).

Lisbon Fashion Week in Cascais, Portugal

Lisbon Fashion Week
Cascais, Portugal
An eclectic range of haute couture can be found on the runway in Cascais, with particularly daring designers taking risks with your average cocktail dresses, and men’s outerwear. My favorites this year were the outrageous taffeta shoulder embellishments and extreme equestrian trends.

Cape Town Fashion Week
Cape Town, South Africa
One of the premiere ‘new world’ fashion weeks, Cape Town doesn’t see the same amount of international publicity but has long been a favorite haunt for fashion’s elite.  More than just  women’s swimwear (which is a natural strength with extreme heat and deserts nearby),

Chile Fashion Week
Santiago, Chile
Are you noticing a trend among this  list? A great deal of cities happen to be in warmer climates. Somehow you don’t find much high fashion coverage where layers of fabric are always necessary. Much of the exotic, beach-y trends translate well around the world, but you will still find some particularly daring designers taking big risks in Chile.

Tunis Fashion Week
Tunis, Tunisia
Chic, sexy looks can be found in Tunisa – the designers here aren’t afraid to show some skin. Bikinis galore! Tunis is the largest city at just 1.2 million people, but small as the country might be, their fashion week packs a powerful, sensual punch.

Lakme Fashion Week
Mumbai, India
A big change from the skimpy collections found in other locales, Mumbai’s runway is a lovely mix of conservatively styled high fashion. Socialites flock to the front row for Fashion Week, soaking it up and taking home plenty of inspiration to spice up their own closets.