Where To: Travel For Fashion
Seoul, South Korea
Thanks to KPop and the explosion of Korean culture worldwide, Seoul has seeded itself as one of the most fashionable megacities in the Asia Pacific region. Fashion houses have been flocking here for the past decade and it’s also a major hub for local and global beauty brands.
Even though the city was hit badly by the pandemic, Seoul still holds its place as the beauty capital of the world. In the popular Myeongdong district, you can find top Korean beauty brand Innisfree’s flagship store, which leaves a relaxing respite from busy and crowded Seoul. In the Samcheong-dong district you can find Gen Z and trendsetters heading here and get a real-life peek at Seoul’s style, as the neighborhood is filled with shopping and filled with boutiques, and stores.
The Garosu-Gil district is also recommended and has a very interesting art museum and beauty concept space for top Korean beauty brand Dr. Jart and the Etude House Color Factory, where you can create your own lipstick — reservation is required!
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İstanbul, Turkey
The Ottoman capital that spans two continents is often overlooked when it comes to fashion. But İstanbul is an emerging hub for fashion and stylish trends particularly in Europe and the Middle East, thanks to a potpourri of designers and stylists and its emerging İstanbul Fashion Week.
Not only is İstanbul a textile haven and filled with, but travelers can get the biggest bang for their buck here due to low prices. The city has some of the fanciest malls in Europe and many scattered throughout the city, including Emaar, Kanyon, and Zorlu Center with Turkish and international clothing brands. Even Kanyon alone is alone are worth visiting for the stunning architecture. The Nişantaşı neighborhood holds a bulk of the city’s designer stores, and the Cihangir and Balat neighborhoods are also great for vintage shopping.
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New York City, USA
The city that never sleeps has it all — literally. Whether it's edgy looks or classic styles, you can find inspiration on the city’s streets and in the iconic subway. The city hosts New York Fashion Week in February and September each year, where international fashion collections come to life.
New York City is one of the most expensive places in the world, but you don’t have to shop on 5th Avenue or SoHo to be fashionable. Travelers and locals tend to head to the Bushwick neighborhood just east of Williamsburg in North Brooklyn, which boats lots of fashionable boutiques and vintage stores that hold anything you can find on a runway. Stepping off the L train you’ll find Friends NYC and Urban Jungle nearby, which may be the biggest vintage store in the city. If you do have to get designer goods, head to SoHo, but also explore some innovative and local stores such as Flying Solo and Acne Studios.
Photo by Airam Dato-on
São Paolo, Brazil
Known for its illustrious beaches and nightlife but it’s also cemented itself as the top destination for fashion in Latin America. São Paolo Fashion Week is the continent’s pre-eminent fashion event, joining the Big Four Fashion Weeks with New York, Paris, and Milan. All over the city, you can find modern and cutting-edge styles on the famed Avenida Paulista and in many other neighborhoods, along with notable boutiques and shops.
Sao Paolo is one of the most diverse cities and the world, and it certainly shows through its style, particularly with Afro-Brazilians being highlighted during past Fashion Week events. Besides Avenida Paulista, many locals and travelers head to the upscale Jardins neighborhood, particularly Rua Oscar Freire for luxury shopping and notable Brazilian brands. The city has a number of impressive malls which are a completely different shopping experience compared to a typical American mall. For affordable fashions, you can head to Morumbi Shopping Center which has 450 retailers, or Shopping Iguatemi.
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Article Contributor: Keith Brooks