BigBenAtDuskDALLAS, Jan 9, 2008 / FW/ – Since 2000 rolled around, it has been ‘cool’ for fashionistas to skip London. But, as we go deeper into the 21st century, London’s very edgy and individualistic type of dressing might just be what fashionistas will be looking for, hence, it will not be surprising if London Fashion Week becomes the hottest ticket in the international fashion arena.

New York, Milan and Paris have eclipsed London during this decade in terms of importance. Fashion pundits have claimed that the city has no “real” star in terms of a designer showing with top British design talents like Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Matthew Williamson and Neil Barrett, among others choosing either New York, Milan or Paris to unveil their latest collections.

Some fashion grouse have even said that there was really nothing interesting coming out of London, i.e., the collections being presented are “not meant to be sold” especially with designers themselves saying that his or her creations are not commercial.

It’s not to say that creativity is not there. Fact is, London designers’ very edgy and very fashions forward way of thinking is what fashion cults are looking for. From the way it looks, this is exactly what the future fashionistas will look for when they come of age. Or, have they come of age already?

In terms of chronological timeline, the Internet generation has come of age. Demographers differ in their opinions of when the Internet generation was born. Some says it was in 1986, while others say it was 1990. No matter what year it was, the leading edge of the Internet generation reaches maturity this year, i.e., 18 by U.S. laws.

Because the Internet generation was brought up with the World Wide Web, their way of thinking is very different from their parents and grandparents, including the MTV generation who grew up with 24-hour television. If the MTV generation had information overload, the Internet generation was brought up to sift through all the information and form their own opinion.

Demographers and sociologists have already noted that the Internet generation has very individualistic tastes and that they don’t usually follow what the mainstream of the population does. Exposed to blogs and social networking, they listen to their peers and depend on word of mouth advertising.

Though they still watch television, they get their news online than on print as seen in the dwindling subscription of glossies and newspapers. Marketers have figured out that if they want to get the attention of teens and tweens, they have to get into their computers!

For the Internet generation’s budding fashionistas, the idea of being part of ‘cookie cutter fashion,’ i.e., dressing the way glossies have styled mainstream fashion is not very attractive to them.

Their age group, i.e., just being teen-agers would not allow them to conform on what the adults are saying. They have to make their own style (like all generations before them) and assert their personality.

And that is the reason why, for fashion pundits, it will be wise to put London in their itinerary this season and the coming seasons. New York, Milan and Paris will continue to wield their influence, but London can easily find itself the center of the fashion buzz with its creative, edgy and non-commercial collections.

[MARI DAVIS]