Interesting thread...
I find the argument Tokyo Vs London deeply offensive. There is simply no contest between the two, here are just some of the reasons Selfridges is full of Japanese!
The Power Players - Some of the most important people in the business are British. Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington, Hamish Bowles, Sarah Mower (Also of Style.com) Plum Sykes (formerly) and Edward Enninful, just some of the British names behind American Vogue. Those at British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman, Lucinda Chambers etc The British Press including Lisa Armstrong (The Times) Hilary Alexander (The Telegraph) and Suzy Menkes (International Herald Tribune) Are all British and there opinions the most highly regarded and sort after in the industry. The alternative British magazines which have influnece the world over including Dazed and Confused, ID, and now Love magazine, and some of the figures behind them including Jefferson Hack, Katie Grand, and Terry Richardson. Then those who weild there powerful connections for example Amanda Harlech a close confident of Karl Lagerfeld, Daphne Guinness, an extremely wealthy and stylish aristocrat, and the now deceased Isabella blow.
The Models - Kate Moss, Erin O'Connor, Liberty Ross, Lily Cole, Agyness Dyn, Naomi Campbell, Lily Donaldson, Jordan Dunn, Karen Elson, Jade Parfitt, Sophi Dahl, Jacquetta Wheeler, Stella Tennat, need I go on?
The Shops - Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Liberty, and Dover Street Market. Boutiques such as Browns, Matches, and Joseph. Our infamous highstreet, with brands such as Topshop, New Look, and French Connection, and Indies like Fred Perry, Ben Sherman, and Ted Baker.
Luxury - Asprey, Smythson, Garrard, Graff, etc The patrinage of our Royal Family is extremely important to both the economy and identity of our country and this is no more so true than with our fashion and luxury brands.
Accessories and Jewellery Brands - Mulberry, Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Philip Treacy, Stephen Jones, Theo Fennel, Stephen Webster, Lulu Guinness etc
Those Behind the Scenes - Tim Walker (Photographer), Pat McGrath, (Makeup Artist) Rankin, (Photographer) Eugene Souileman (Hair Stylist) Nick Knight, (Photographer) Charlotte Tilbury (Makeup Artist) Micheal Howells (Set Designer) etc
The Education - The most famous fashion school in the world, Central Saint Martins, looking to be relocated in 2011 to a new site in Kings Cross which promises to gentrify the area and provide a brand new location by which to encourage and support talented young designers. The Royal Academy of Art, and its MA course has produced such influential figures as Christopher Bailey, and the Chelsea College of Art, Not to mention other noteable institutions across Great Britain like Brighton and Leeds which have produced fashion stars such as Julien McDonald and Eley Kishimoto.
Street Style and 'Scenes' - From Kings Road to Shoreditch the capital is world famous for concocting and nurturing eccentric new styles and identies. Punks, Mods, Teddy Boys, were all born here. Clubs such as Taboo and Blitz the incubator for underground artists such as Leigh Bowery and Boy George, and of course the now infamous Boombox, just the latest in a long line of bizarre nightspots for artistically hungry personalities.
The Designers
The Mad and Frivilous - John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Hussein Chalayan, Vivienne Westwood, etc
The Brands - Burberry, Paul Smith, Pringle, etc
The Stylish - Stella McCartney, Antonio Berardi, Jonathan Saunders, Matthew Williamson, Luella, Temperley, Pheobe Philo etc
The Talented - Christopher Kane, Giles, Richard Nicoll, Nathan Jenden, Hannah MacGibbons etc
Not only is it impossible for Tokyo to compete with this, but it beats New York and Milan to the ground. Paris is and will remain an important fashion capital but it must respect the fact it is the British who put them there. If every Brit who had anything to do with Paris suddenly pulled out, fashion week there would become a crumbling mess. There is no doubt the British are the most important nationality in the industry thus making London the most important if slightly neglected capital of fashion.
Challenge this if you can...
Antwerp, Brussels, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Melbourne (maybe?), and Seoul. I'm not too well aware of most of the others, so it's limited to this.
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