Almost every major country in the world plays a part in the global fashion industry as it stands today. Some of these countries have become manufacturing leaders in the world of fashion: India, Spain, China and South Korea just to name a few. However, apart from manufacturing, there are five specific countries that have distinguished themselves as fashion centers: Japan, France, Italy, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Majority of Japanese fashion houses are located in Tokyo. The fashion look they have is unstructured with loose feel that has grown out of complex cutting techniques. Their colors tend to be subtle but somber generally, cut from richly textured fabrics.
French fashion is focused in Paris the capital of French haute couture. The French fashion is stylish and chic, distinguished by its sophisticated cut and use of accessories. Though it is generally placed third behind Milan and New York, France continues to be honored for its style and remains the birthplace of modern fashion.
For Italy, Milan is the fashion capital. Though many of the older couturiers are situated in Rome, Florence and Milan and proven to be the fashion capitals, and the location for the most prestigious venues for fashion collection exhibitions. The Italian fashion influence is one of casual elegance cut from luxurious fabrics.
The major U.S. fashion houses are found in New York. Los Angeles has also been shown to produce a large amount of fashion and the manufacture of many new styles. Miami, San Francisco and Chicago have also begun to rise up among the competitors for American fashion. The American trend in fashion has been one of an urban, clean-cut casual style underscored by feel of the health-conscious lifestyles preferred by many U.S. city-dwellers.
London is the seat of the UK fashion industry. From there they offer a host of foreign styles that have been integrated into the more modern look of British design. The typical British style tends to be smart and innovative, and as of late, increasingly more unconventional. Today there is a trend toward fusing the traditional with the modern.