Los Angeles Fashion Week makes a turning point this year

Los Angeles - Over the years, Los Angeles Fashion Week has attempted to keep up with other elite fashion cities around the world. While Milan, London, and Paris are all known for their prestigious fashion shows; the U.S.'s main fashion week typically takes place on the East Coast in New York. In a feat to bring Los Angeles Fashion Week to fruition, 2017 makes a monumental turning point.

Even New York-based designers have looked to the West Coast to present their spring lines, creating a new trend of L.A. shows. Rebecca Minkoff and Tommy Hilfiger are two of the latest designers to announce their shows in the city. Tom Ford, Rachel Comey and Rachel Zoe have already confirmed their fashion shows as well, further encompassing the culture of Los Angeles as a backdrop changing from the iconic New York scenery.

The city’s industry also has grown more expansive than its East Coast counterpart. According to Discover Los Angeles, “LA County, with more than 87,000 jobs in the fashion industry, has surpassed New York’s fashion district workforce.” The website also reports that fashion is becoming a leading industry for the city and is also home to the largest number of manufacturing jobs in the country. The city is known as a denim and manufacturing haven in the U.S. already, with big name brands including J Brand, Seven For All Mankind, and American Apparel, which all manufacture locally.

Additionally, the trend of “California-cool” style has emerged, inspiring designers such as Tommy Hilfiger and Rebecca Minkoff to create more L.A.-influenced collections. This comes as no surprise as Los Angeles is known for its luxury and retail shopping plazas which bring in mass revenue including the Americana at Brand, The Grove, Robertson Boulevard, Rodeo Drive, and the city's Fashion District.

Los Angeles Fashion Week shows promise for the city as a fashion capital

Minkoff's show will be at The Grove in Los Angeles, around the same time New York Fashion Week takes place. The show is expected to have 5,000-10,000 guests arrive, according to Harper's Bazaar. Besides allowing her to see the runway show and see the collection, we will give her one of the biggest luxuries that we see our Millennial consumer craving — the luxury of experience," Uri Minkoff, CEO of Rebecca Minkoff, said in a statement.

Tommy Hilfiger will be showing in Venice, using the beach and palm trees as a backdrop for his show. Inspired by West Coast culture, designer collaborator Gigi and Hilfiger have both stated their thrill of showing in Los Angeles. “Gigi and I have loved fusing elements of her California lifestyle and a musical festival atmosphere in the second Tommy x Gigi Collection," Hilfiger has stated before to WWD of the L.A. show.

These two are some of the latest to announce their move to the city, as both usually are a part of New York Fashion Week. As Los Angeles is home to many fashion professionals with a high net worth, it makes sense that more designers are choosing the city for their fashion shows. The trend of fashion shows have moved more towards a consumer-driven path, which is why many designers chose the West Coast city for their upcoming shows. “Because a lot of [brands] are ‘see now, buy now’ it makes sense to show where your audience is, where your customers are,” Vanity Fair contributing editor Elizabeth Saltzman told Business of Fashion.

It also makes sense that Los Angeles is becoming more desirable for shows as it is moving closer to a fashion capital status. The city is already best known for its locally based brands and manufacturers in the city. In many ways, the city has grown for its economic stature in fashion and shows potential growth and buzz in the industry. This year, with five confirmed designers that typically show in New York moving their shows to Los Angeles, may pave a way for the future of Los Angeles Fashion Week.

While dates are still being confirmed, Los Angeles Fashion Week will span at least from February 4-8. Rebecca Minkoff's show will take place on February 4 at The Grove. Rachel Comey's show will be on February 7 in downtown Los Angeles. Tommy Hilfiger's show will be in Venice on February 8. Currently Rachel Zoe's show does not yet have a set date but is expected to take place before NYFW in the beginning of February.

Photo: Rachel Zoe