Men's Fashion Week

Men's Fashion Week, typically held twice a year in January and June, is a series of international fashion industry events where menswear collections are shown to buyers, stylists, the media, and in some cases, the general public. This week marks the debut of New York Fashion Week's men's version. As the name implies, it's the men's equivalent of the women's event that takes over New York twice a year, bringing with it a plethora of models, designers, and ensembles that are subjected to days-long, intense media analysis. Although the men's fashion week is substantially smaller in scope, a number of designers, both established and up-and-coming, have flocked to Gotham in the hopes that American men may eventually take an interest in couture, as their European counterparts have.

International Events

The following are international events in order of founding.

France

In France, Paris Fashion Week promotes its men's runway show, Menswear Paris Fashion Week, as a part of its regular schedule. It is overseen by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM).^[1] FHCM is composed of three "central bodies," namely men's fashion, women's fashion, and haute couture.^[1] Its history dates back to 1868 when its first founding organization, Chambre Syndicale de la Couture was formed.^[2]

Italy

In Milan, Italy, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) organizes Milano Fashion Week Men's.^[3] CNMI's predecessor, Camera Sindacale della Moda Italiana was established in June 1958.^[4]

Germany

Germany unveiled its International Menswear Exhibition on 26 August 1960 in Cologne, in the then West Germany.^[5] The event featured wool and silk fabrics for the next year's season.

United States

In July 2015, New York Fashion Week (NYFW) launched New York Fashion Week: Men's.^[6][7] NYFW is owned and organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).^[8] New York City held its first menswear event over 30 years ago in August 1989.^[9]

Canada

In September 2011, the Vancouver Men's Fashion Week (v.MFW) was inaugurated in Canada.^[10] It was Canada's first-ever menswear fashion industry event.^[11][12][13] v.MFW was founded and organized by Ramos & Fortier Ltd., a Canadian company, whose objectives according to its site are to: "give up-and-coming Canadian menswear designers a platform to show their creations" and "support research in textile sustainability," among others.^[14] The company participates in various events and conferences within Vancouver, British Columbia that promote the creative economy, such as the inaugural BCreative Conference to give ideas and suggestions to the province on how to improve and build its creative industry.^[15][16] The company and its signature event have been featured and discussed in academia,^[17] in a conference,^[18] in television,^[19][20][21] in newspapers,^[22][23][24] in magazines,^[12][25][26] and in a book.^[11] Past sponsors of v.MFW were Kiehl's, Clarins Men, and A*Men fragrance by Thierry Mugler.^[22]

Three years after Vancouver, a second menswear event was held in Canada, this time in the City of Toronto, Ontario. Toronto Men's Fashion Week (TOM*) was launched in August 2014.^[27][28]

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the British Fashion Council (BFC) is the governing body for London Fashion Week (LFW), and says on its site that it, "strengthens British fashion in the global economy as a leader in responsible, creative businesses."^[29] In June 2012, LFW launched London Collections: Men, a weekend of menswear fashion shows.^[30] It was later renamed London Fashion Week Men's and was held in June 2019.^[31][32]

United Arab Emirates

In January 2021, the Arab Fashion Council (AFC) launched Arab Fashion Week-Men's in Dubai.^[33][34] AFC aims "to establish a fashion system... by uniting the 22 Arab countries under one umbrella..."^[35] AFC was founded in May 2015.^[35][36]

Other Events

Additional events have been held in Singapore,^[37][38] Puerto Rico,^[39] Los Angeles,^[40] and South Africa.^[41]

Schedule disruptions due to COVID-19

In an unprecedented occurrence, all three European men's fashion weeks, Paris, Milan and London have canceled their respective live events in 2020 due to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).^[42][43] New York followed suit and postponed its June event that year.^[44] In April of the same year, BFC announced it will combine its menswear events into the womenswear shows for the next 12 months and will only run digitally for its June show.^[45][46]

References

1. "La Fédération". Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
2. "FHCM: History". Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
3. "Milano Fashion Week Men's". Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
4. "CNMI: About". Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
5. "West Germany: Cologne: International Menswear Exhibition (1960)". British Pathé. Reuters. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
6. Sherman, Lauren (15 July 2015). "A Wait-and-See Approach to NYFW: Men's". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
7. Wolf, Cameron (13 July 2015). "This Is How New York Fashion Week: Men's Was Created". Complex. Complex Media, Inc. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
8. "About". NYFW. Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
9. Hochswender, Woody (22 August 1989). "In Men's Wear, The 1990's Have Arrived". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
10. "About Us". Ramos & Fortier. Ramos & Fortier Ltd. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
11. Lorimer, Rowland (2013). Dreamcatcher: Towards a creativity/innovation strategic plan for British Columbia: A BCreative 2012 conference report (PDF). Vancouver, BC: Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing Press. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-9738727-8-1. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
12. "Men's Fashion Week". Mercedes-Benz Magazine. No. Fall/Winter 2013. Daimler AG. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
13. Jones, Emma (24 May 2013). "Canada's Only Men's Fashion Week Enters Third Year". TheFashionSpot. Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
14. "Media Kit". Ramos & Fortier. Ramos & Fortier Ltd. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
15. "BCreative 2012 Conference". BCreative 2012: Ideas, Culture, Business, Policy. Simon Fraser University. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
16. "Community Engagements". Ramos & Fortier. Ramos & Fortier Ltd. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
17. "Inženýři na Venuši, designéři na Marsu". T-UNI: Online zpravodaj Technické univerzity v Liberci. Technical University of Liberec. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
18. "BCreative 2012: Speakers". BCreative 2012 Conference. Simon Fraser University. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
19. "Vancouver Men's Fashion Week / Ramos & Fortier". Breakfast Television - Vancouver, Citytv. Rogers Media Inc. 20 September 2011.
20. "Vancouver Men's Fashion Week / Ramos & Fortier". Breakfast Television - Vancouver, Citytv. Rogers Media Inc. 7 August 2013.
21. Ngo Ducová, Dominika (10 September 2016). "Módny Návrhár 2016". FashionTV Czech&Slovak. TV Fashion, s.r.o.
22. Rowland, Sarah (1 August 2012). "Vancouver's Men's Fashion Week ups the style quotient". The Georgia Straight. Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp.
23. Gram, Karen (4 October 2011). "Eco Fashion Week thrives on fresh energy". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network Canada Corp. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
24. "Vancouver's Men's Fashion Week moves to Woodward's; takes on world". Vancouver Is Awesome. Glacier Media Group. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
25. Chaki, Anisa (2 September 2013). "Ramos & Fortier and Men's Fashion Week". One1One Magazine. Vol. 1, no. 6. One1One Magazine. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
26. Adams, Jill (12 July 2013). "Men's Fashion Week Vancouver celebrates Canadian menswear designers". Fajo Magazine. Fajo Magazine Inc. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
27. Bergman, Randi (15 August 2014). "Toronto Men's Fashion Week: The 25 best looks on and off the runway". Fashion Magazine. St. Joseph Media. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
28. Manzocco, Natalia (17 August 2014). "The best and worst looks at Toronto Men's Fashion Week". blogTO. Freshdaily Inc. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
29. "British Fashion Council". British Fashion Council. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
30. Langmead, Jeremy (26 May 2012). "Fine and dandy: London's men's fashion shows". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
31. Paton, Elizabeth (10 June 2019). "At Men's Fashion Week in London, Less Angst, More Celebration". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
32. "London Fashion Week Men's June 2019". British Fashion Council. British Fashion Council. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
33. "The Middle East's First Men's Fashion Week Is Coming to Dubai". GQ Middle East. ITP Media Group. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
34. Portee, Allyson (12 January 2021). "The Arab Fashion Council To Premiere Its Inaugural Fashion Week For Men This January". Forbes. Forbes Media LLC. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
35. "About". Arab Fashion Council. Arab Fashion Council. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
36. "Men's Arab Fashion Week". Visit Dubai. Department of Economy and Tourism. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
37. Quek, Sue-Wen (24 April 2012). "Singapore shows promise with men's fashion week". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
38. Ang, Kristiano (25 April 2012). "Singapore Spotlights Men's Fashion Week". WWD. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
39. Weatherhead, Jennifer (5 May 2008). "High fashion in Puerto Rico". Elle Canada. KO Media. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
40. Tschorn, Adam (2 August 2013). "New Men's Fashion Week Los Angeles announces venue, dates". Los Angeles Times. California Times. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
41. "South African Menswear Week". South African Menswear Week. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
42. Wolf, Cam (27 March 2020). "Men's Fashion Weeks in Europe Have Been Canceled". GQ Magazine. Condé Nast. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
43. Ilchi, Layla (13 March 2020). "The Fashion Weeks and Major Events Disrupted Because of Coronavirus". WWD. Fairchild Publishing, LLC. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
44. Palmieri, Jean E. (27 March 2020). "CFDA Cancels Resort, Postpones Men's Shows". WWD. Fairchild Publishing, LLC. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
45. Yotka, Steff (29 October 2020). "The 2021 Men's Fashion Week Schedule Is Disrupted By The Pandemic". Vogue. Condé Nast. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
46. Dirvanauskas, Gabriele (22 April 2020). "Coronavirus: London Fashion Week fights back". Drapers. EMAP Publishing Limited. Retrieved 21 November 2021.