London. Milan. Paris.
You don’t need to know your Molly Goddard from your Isabel Marant to know that England, Italy, and France are home to three of the biggest fashion capitals on the planet.
But don’t assume they dress Europe’s other fashion-forward cities from head to toe.
Europe’s underrated fashion capitals have long produced brands you’ve window shopped and taken into the fitting room. Take a look at your garment tags right now and you might have a LĒO, Sita Murt, or Ganni hanging in your closet.
Whether you’re an aspiring fashionista or an international buyer for the American market, you need to know about the brands coming out of Europe’s underrated fashion capitals, starting with Antwerp.
Image Credit: Getty Images, vichie81. Image Location: Meir, Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp: One of Europe’s underrated fashion capitals
What is the fashion city in Belgium?
Antwerp is an underrated fashion capital of Europe when compared to nearby Paris. However, this Belgian city’s fashion department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts has sewn Antwerp’s name into fashion’s legacy. Once up-and-coming fashion designers, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene, Marina Yee, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dries Van Noten, and Ann Demeulemeester—known as the Antwerp Six—helped put the city on the fashion map after they graduated.
Is Antwerp known for fashion?
Traditionally, Antwerp is known as the “Diamond Capital of the World”, but even diamonds need the right outfit to shine bright. For more than a decade, Antwerp’s been making a name for itself in the world of fashion. Underrated fashion designers at the time, like the Antwerp Six, originated the concept of Belgian fashion in the 1980s, while up-and-coming fashion designers like Cezary Zalit and Frederik Liederley are paving the runway today.
What brands are from Emily in Paris season 2?
Emily in Paris is solid viewing for those who want to expand their wardrobes with European brands. In season 2, Emily wears AZ Factory, Barrie, and My Beachy Side. Across all seasons, a favorite Belgian brand for Emily is Essentiel Antwerp.
What’s an up-and-coming fashion city in Belgium besides Antwerp?
Would you believe us if we said Brussels? Audrey Hepburn is one of Belgium’s chief fashion exports so it is hardly surprising that the city known for chocolate and beer is low-key stitching together a reputation for trendsetters.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Marco Bottigelli. Image Location: Amagertorv, Copenhagen, Denmark
Europe’s underrated fashion capitals
Copenhagen
Nordic fashion is forward thinking, as evidenced by Copenhagen’s take on designer clothing. Cutting-edge fashion takes center stage at Copenhagen Fashion Week, which is the largest Scandinavian fashion week. Their styles are bold, sustainable, and a blend of old and new. Think of it like a younger sibling to Europe’s big three that’s on the cusp of mainstream greatness. The Danish capital is also a fantastic city break option for the solo traveler.
Stockholm
Visited a little store in the mall called H&M lately? Then you’ve shopped the latest in Swedish fashion. The everyday fit in Stockholm at first glance doesn’t seem too outside-the-box: monochromatic and neutral colors with practical designs don’t scream haute style. But just wait until you see these fits flex at Stockholm Fashion Week. You’ll see why Stockholm is the underrated fashion city in one of the most fashion-forward countries in the world.
Vienna
Take one walk down Lindengasse fashion mile and tell us that Vienna isn’t an underrated fashion city of Europe. What the Austrian capital may lack in big brands, it makes up for in independent and boutique shops filled with men’s and women’s clothing from up-and-coming fashion designers like Vienna-based Petar Petrov.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Alexander Spatari. Image Location: Innere Stadt, Vienna, Austria
What are some other up-and-coming fashion cities in Europe?
- Berlin’s Franziska Michael, who blurs the line between masculine and feminine clothing, and Sia Arnika, who tags her style as experimental normality, are two up-and-coming fashion designers bringing attention to the German capital.
- 500 mi south of Paris, Cannes is making a name for itself as a fashion hub thanks to the top-tier celeb looks that strut down the iconic film festival’s red carpet.
- Zagreb is another up-and-coming fashion city that isn’t cut from the same cloth as other fashion capitals. You’ll find Zagreb embraces the Croatian affinity for accessories, with designer brands churning out everything from hats to neckties.
Fashion weeks you can’t miss (that aren’t Europe’s big three)
Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week take place biannually each year.
The catwalk is busy during autumn in Europe, which means there’s no better time for a trendy traveler to make their way from the railways to the runways. Spend weeks (or months) attending these stylish fashion weeks throughout Europe.
- Copenhagen Fashion Week | January 29 to February 2, 2024
- Berlin Fashion Week | February 4-8, 2024
- Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week | April 17-20, 2024
Pose on the platform in your best fits. Download the Trainline app and fall in love with the emerging trends in Europe’s fashion capitals.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Eva Katalin Kondoros