Is London Losing Its Luster As A Fashion Capital?
By: Javier Mateo

LONDON, Jun 7, 2004/ FW/ --- The announcement last week that London Fashion Week’s new title sponsor will be The Evening Standard did not make any ripples in the ‘starved for news’ fashion media wherein the first half of June is usually classified as a ‘slow news time.’

Has London really been placed at the back burner by the fashion press? According to the British Fashion Council, the Spring 2005 season in London attracted 5,000 visitors, 1,000 of which were overseas buyers, representing an increase of 20% from the Spring 2004 season.

Yet the heat it generates is way below the media frenzy created by its sister cities – New York, Milan and Paris. The menswear season, which will be held in Milan and Paris are getting most of the attention this time of year with the debut of John Ray for Gucci and Ozwald Boateng for Givenchy.

A significant number of top fashion journalists, who include Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour skips London in favor of Milan and Paris. [more]