New York, London, Milan, Paris – what to expect from fashion month

Burberry Catwalk – London Fashion Week 2023

Fashion month is here, with models getting ready to hit the catwalk in New York, London, Milan and Paris.

Designers will be showing their autumn/winter 2024 collections and celebrities are no doubt gearing up to sit on the front row.

The February/March edition of fashion week is always a particularly interesting one, as it falls right in the middle of awards season – meaning some of the incredible outfits we see on the runway are almost instantaneously picked up for the red carpet.

Here’s what to expect during the ‘Big Four’ of fashion weeks…

New York

When is it? February 9-14.

Who will be showing? After the huge success of his debut as creative director at Helmut Lang, Peter Do will once again be kicking off the New York Fashion Week (NYFW) schedule.

Elsewhere, there are a few returning names – last season, Christian Cowan went viral after an exuberant show in Paris where Sam Smith performed and a giant ball of fluff moseyed down the runway, and now he’s back on home turf. Coach will also be back on the schedule, as will Thom Browne – who is now chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and will close out the event with an undoubtedly theatrical show, back from a stint in Paris.

We can also expect some of the usual suspects – like Tommy Hilfiger, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors and Brandon Maxwell – showing off why New York is often considered the cool younger sibling of fashion month.

One show we won’t see? Marc Jacobs, as he has just shown his latest collection with an off-schedule doll-inspired presentation celebrating 40 years in the industry.

London

When is it? February 16-20.

Who will be showing? This is set to be a big season for London Fashion Week (LFW), as the event is celebrating its 40th anniversary. In a big new move, LFW has implemented a fur ban – so we won’t see any of that on the runway.

The schedule doesn’t hold many surprises, with familiar names returning like Ahluwalia, David Koma, Emilia Wickstead, Erdem, JW Anderson, Molly Goddard, Richard Quinn and Simone Rocha.

Burberry remains one of the highlights of the LFW calendar – and this season, designer Daniel Lee will be showing his third collection. The heritage brand has already started building up hype around the upcoming collection with a high-profile takeover of Harrods – turning the department store ‘Knight Blue’, the brand’s signature colour, and inviting the likes of Naomi Campbell and Mary Berry to the pop-up opening party.

Milan

When is it? February 20-26.

Who will be showing? All eyes will be on Sabato De Sarno, who will be showing his second womenswear collection for Gucci. His debut proved divisive, so this will help outline more clearly his vision for the house.

There will be some debuts at Milan Fashion Week (MFW), including Adrian Appiolaza’s first show at the helm of Moschino. It’s set to be an emotional one, as Davide Renne was set to be Jeremy Scott’s replacement, but he died 10 days after starting the job.

Like Paris, Milan tends to be the territory of established, storied fashion houses – rather than the up-and-comers we see at New York and London. However, for the past few seasons Dolce & Gabbana has helped a newer voice put on a Milanese show – and this time round, London-based designer Feben will be showing her latest collection.

The likes of Prada, Tom Ford, Versace and Bottega Veneta will round out a star-studded MFW.

Paris

When is it? February 26 – March 5.

Who will be showing? Louis Vuitton is back in the closing slot of Paris Fashion Week (PFW), and it’s set to be a big one as creative director Nicolas Ghesquière celebrates 10 years at the brand.

Elsewhere, all eyes will be on Seán McGirr as the Irish designer takes the reins at Alexander McQueen, while Chemena Kamali will also be making her debut at Chloé.

Lacoste will be returning to the calendar for the first time since 2021, joining fashion behemoths like Victoria Beckham, Schiaparelli, Balmain, Givenchy, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Chanel and Dior.

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