“London’s two-year run has been has been propelled by two rather extraordinary circumstances:  the emergence of the former Kate Middleton as a top fashion icon and the recent completion of what have been hailed as an extremely successful Summer Olympics,” said Bekka Payack, Manhattan-based Fashion Director of GLM.  “In recognition of the significance and growth of regional capitals with their distinctive styles and contributions to the fashion industry, GLM expanded the list to some fifty-five cities on five continents.”

Top movers on the plus side included Antwerp (+33), Caracas (+27), Johannesburg (+23), and Sao Paulo (+18).  Top movers on the down side include Mexico City        (-25), Toronto (-19), Moscow (-17), Chicago (-14), and Mumbai (-14), attesting to the heightened global competition.  Newcomers to this year’s analysis were Vancouver (31),  Seoul (34), Boston (44),  Houston (49), and St Petersburg, Russia (51).

Prior to London’s two year reign, New York had reclaimed the crown from Milan.  Previous to this, New York had been the top fashion capital for five years running, taking the crown from Paris.

The 2012 Top Global Fashion Capitals, with Rank, Previous Year’s Rank, and commentary:

1.   London (1) — Competitors stymied by Kate Middleton and now the hugely successful Summer Olympics.
2.   New York (2)– That toddling town is waiting in the wings for London to stumble.
3.   Barcelona (7) — Iberia rules with two fashion capitals in the Top Five.
4.   Paris (3)–  Topped ‘haute couture’ category, of course.
5.   Madrid (12)– Making a strong move toward the top.
6.   Rome (13)– Edging Milano this time out.
7.   Sao Paulo (25) — The Queen of Latin America, again.
8.   Milano (4) — Slipping a few spots, but never for long.
9.   Los Angeles (5) — The City of Angels strengthening its hold as a true fashion capital.
10.   Berlin (10) — Remains among the elite — and deservedly so.

11.   Antwerp (44) — A surprising large climb in a very short time (up 33 spots).
12.   Hong Kong (6) — Tops in Asia, though down six year over year.
13.   Buenos Aires (20) — Moving steadily upward.

14.   Bali (21) — Steady climb attests to it being more than just swimwear.
15.   Sydney (11) — Remains near the top, a few steps ahead of Melbourne, as is its wont.
16.   Florence (31) — A big move for Firenza (up 15).
17.   Rio de Janeiro (23) — Building toward the 2016 Summer Games.
18.   Johannesburg (41) — Jo-burg breaks into the Top Twenty.
19.   Singapore (8) — Trailing  Hong Kong but leading Tokyo and Shanghai.
20.   Tokyo  (9) — No longer the No, 5 to the Top Four, competition is aglow in Asia.
21.   Melbourne (17) — Still strong, still a few steps behind Sydney.
22.   Shanghai (14) — A thriving fashion center in a tough competitive arena.
23.   Caracas (50) — Tremendous upward movement for a seminal fashion center.
24.   Las Vegas (16) — Follow the money, and the money and the stars flow to Vegas.
25.   Monaco (15) — The principality is firmly ensconced in the European fashion firmament.
26.   Santiago (30) — A solid No. 5 in Latin America.
27.  Amsterdam (19) — Creative, original and a bit outre.
28.   Dubai (27) — A steady force in the mid-East ready to bloom further.
29.   Bangkok (32) — Struggling to gain ground in the region.
30.   Copenhagen (29) — Keeping pace with (and a bit ahead of) Stockholm.
31.   Vancouver (Debut) — Solid debut from this newcomer from the Pacific Northwest.
32.   Stockholm (28) — The Capital of Scandinavia’s influence is beginning to transcend its regional roots.
33.   Krakow (47) — A scrappy player wielding a surprising amount of influence.
34.   Seoul (Debut) — Korean fashion has now gained a foothold on the world scene.
35.   Moscow (18) — A bold and growing presence despite a stumble in the current analysis.
36.   Frankfurt (43) — Carving out its own space in Berlin’s towering shadow.
37.  Vienna (35) — Insight into 21st c. fashion emerging from ancient imperial venues.
38.  Mumbai (24) — Still leading New Delhi (now by 10 spots) to dominate the Subcontinent.
39.   Miami (26) — The fashion world beginning to understand Miami is more than swimwear.
40.  Abu Dhabi (42) — A steady climb backed by deep pockets.
41.   San Francisco (38) — A rising yet iconoclastic star.
42.   Austin (40) — Famous for its ‘Mash Up’ teams, the city propels its unique style forward.
43.   Warsaw (33) — Particularly influential in Central Europe.
44.   Boston (Debut) — Can New England deliver fashion to the world? Apparently so.
45.   Prague (48) —  A firm foundation in interpreting the traditional and the classic.
46.   Dallas (37) — Outdistances Houston to settle the local score.
47.   Mexico City (22) — Slips some twenty-five spots since the last report.
48.   New Delhi (39) — Striving for relevance on the global stage.
49.   Houston (Debut) — Big, bold and a city to watch.
50.   Chicago (36) — City of the Big Shoulders stretching out toward word-class fashion.
51.   St. Petersburg (Debut) — The former imperial capital making strides on the global fashion scene.
52.  Montreal (49) — Eclipsed by the debut of Vancouver but still a formidable force.
53.  Toronto (34) —  Nipped by its francophone neighbor to the North.
54.  Cape Town (46) — Though Jo-burg won the latest duel, Cape Town surely has plans.
55.  Atlanta (45) — Gaining an international reputation for its bold accents.

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