Everyone talks and talks about fashion weeks, but have you ever wondered what they're all about or why are they so important?

Some time ago, I let my imagination run wild with this column—one where, from my perspective as a non-expert who has learned from various sources what it means to work in the world of fabric and thread—I want to talk about fashion. One of the first lessons to learn is that this is a fast-paced, demanding job where, for a long time—months, to be exact—you might not have time to keep up with a section you promised your editor would be regular…

Anyway. If you’re reading this, it’s because 1) you know me and clicked on the link without knowing what you’d find, or 2) you want to know what on earth a Fashion Week is and why everyone in this industry goes wild over it.

Maybe, like me, your first brush with these style celebrations was through *The Devil Wears Prada* and the iconic, famous, irreplaceable, almost deified Paris Fashion Week that Andy and Miranda attend. If that’s the case, you’re halfway there and can start to grasp what all the fuss is about.

In short, a Fashion Week is an event organized by a regulatory institution like the Council of Fashion Designers of America in New York, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode in Paris, or the Camera Della Moda Italiana in Milan. During these “festivals” or “conferences,” fashion houses from around the world, along with independent designers and sometimes even students, present their latest collections for a particular season. Sometimes they use the seenow, buy-now model, where you can purchase what you see on the runway immediately; other times, they follow the traditional approach, previewing trends we’ll see in the coming months. For example, during September and October, most brands revealed their Spring/Summer 2025 collections—six months from now, give or take.

Fashion Weeks, held twice a year for women’s collections, twice for men’s, and twice for haute couture, don’t just feature runways. They also include exclusive presentations for guests, resees—where you can review the collection in a more controlled space to appreciate the construction of a garment—parties, exhibitions, pop-up stores, and public experiences. It’s a full-scale event that takes over the world’s most stylish cities, a true celebration of the art of fashion design.

Fashion Week is the perfect opportunity to build connections within the industry since everyone who’s anyone in this world is usually there: editors, journalists, buyers, influencers, experts, and even enthusiasts. Fashion Weeks are also the ideal excuse for brands to expand their social reach by inviting various celebrities to their shows, giving them more exposure, which often translates into sales and, of course, “free” publicity. Just hop onto a live show of a brand inviting a K-pop star to understand what I’m talking about. You’ll also find yourself wondering where Rosé is or why Jimin hasn’t shown up yet.

In a quick historical context, the first Fashion Week took place in New York in 1943 when the United States wanted to compensate for journalists not being able to travel to Paris for French fashion news due to World War II. From there, the concept expanded and gained popularity, establishing Paris, Milan, New York, and Berlin as the world’s leading style capitals. However, Fashion Weeks happen in cities all over this blue sphere we call home: Mexico City, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Liverpool, Las Vegas, Mérida, Copenhagen, Ottawa, Oslo, Shanghai, Valencia, Taipei, Seoul, São Paulo… some with more exposure than others— a topic that causes friction and might be something we talk about later.

So, yes, in broad terms, that’s what it’s about: large-scale events where, for over a week, the world’s most stylish cities become the focus of the industry’s attention