5 Unexpected Emerging Fashion Capitals

When one thinks of fashion capitals, images of Paris, New York, Milan, and London immediately spring to mind. These Western cities, icons in their own right, are seen as the definitive and leading hubs each Fashion Week. However, new evidence indicates that the global fashion landscape is slowly changing, with new, upcoming fashion centers across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East emerging. 

These style cities are quickly gaining influence, fueled by packed event schedules, surging media coverage, and flourishing local industries. Asian and Middle Eastern brands have grown by more than 40 percent over the past 3 years, according to Fortune Business Insights, and now shape global fashion trends. What’s more, in BoF and McKinsey’s The State of Fashion 2024 report, the Middle East was identified by 51 percent of global fashion executives as the most promising region for growth.

To explore this shift, women’s fashion brand Kaiia identified the emerging cities in these regions that are becoming new fashion capitals. Developing its own Fashion Influence Index (0-100), the brand assessed several cities based on seven metrics: fashion-related Instagram hashtags, media coverage, employment opportunities, fashion weeks, regular events, design schools, and textile manufacturing capacity. Here, we share the top five unexpected emerging fashion centers.

Dubai, Sydney, Mumbai pave the way as upcoming fashion powerhouses

Dubai in the UAE tops the list as the world’s fastest-rising fashion capital. The city generates nearly 100,000 media mentions and over 7 million Instagram posts showcasing its style scene, while hosting 84 fashion events annually. Dubai’s surge in global attention and social media engagement establishes the desert city as the industry’s most unexpected fashion powerhouse.

Sydney takes second place, powered by one of the world’s busiest fashion calendars. The city hosts roughly 420 events annually, a rather busy calendar, and garners over 105,000 media mentions, while currently listing 46 fashion jobs, all clear signs of a thriving design ecosystem. Together with Melbourne, Sydney drives Australia’s fashion influence through nearly 1,000 design events each year, outpacing traditional fashion capitals worldwide.

Mumbai ranks third, driven by nearly 120,000 media articles spotlighting its designers and emerging trends. The city commands significant digital attention with over 2 million Instagram posts celebrating its unique style culture. Mumbai’s fashion infrastructure is expanding rapidly, too, with two design schools and 59 available fashion roles cultivating the next wave of creative talent.

Lagos comes in fourth as Africa’s fashion capital, leading the continent with three fashion weeks occurring across 2025, including Africa Fashion Week, more than most cities globally. The city’s creative energy resonates powerfully on social media, with nearly 5 million Instagram posts showcasing its innovative designers and bold street style.

Delhi rounds out the list as India’s second up-and-coming fashion hub, hosting one major fashion week plus 11 additional design events annually. The city commands exceptional media influence with approximately 135,000 pieces of coverage, the highest in the entire study. Delhi’s style scene thrives digitally as well, with 2 million Instagram posts documenting its trends, while two design schools nurture emerging talent alongside Mumbai’s growing creative community.

“With Anna Wintour stepping down earlier this year, it feels like there has been a symbolic shift,” said a spokesperson for Kaiia on the study. “Western fashion capitals still lead globally, but their influence increasingly declines. Vogue Korea or Vogue Japan often feels more forward-thinking than their Western counterparts.” 

“Many consumers now seek out specific aesthetics, such as Chinese and Korean Streetwear, and that demand brings real money into these markets. Investors fund design studios, launch fashion weeks. Meanwhile, social media makes it effortless for a local trend to find global customers willing to pay for it.”