The battle for position in 4 fashion weeks

The Elie Saab show on October 3 closed the spring-summer 2013 show season in four major capitals: New York, London, Milan and Paris.

Besides the small, visible conflicts that take place on and around the catwalk, few people know of a battle between the tycoons – the fashion associations that organize the four weeks – regarding who works first and who last.

The Elie Saab show concludes the Spring Summer 2013 fashion season. Photo: AFP.

Paris is the cradle of fashion, but New York is the place where Fashion Week originated in the 1940s. Previously, fashion weeks took place in the same order as New York, London, Milan and Paris.

Normally, the big guys will sit down together and negotiate a performance schedule 3 years in advance.

The American and British fashion associations said that Italy had broken the 2008 agreement and asked Italy and France to delay the show’s schedule by a week.

Mr. Mario Boselli – President of the Italian Fashion Association – declared in Women’s Wear Daily: `Let the strong hold power.`

President of the Italian Fashion Association Mario Boselli (right) and President of the French Fashion Association Didier Grumbach.

The Italian Fashion Association also made bold proposals to other fashion associations.

After months of arguing, even having to go to Italy to compromise, designer Diane von Furstenberg, President of the American Fashion Association, gave in and declared: `We must protect the fashion industry.

Minh Nhuan