THE HISTORY OF FASHION WEEKS

In England, women drew ‘seams’ on their legs to mimic the nonexistent stockings they couldn’t afford, while in war-torn Tokyo, Japanese women, along with the wives of occupying forces, enrolled in ikebana classes as a way to bring beautiful things back into their lives.

The pursuit of beauty and its understanding is an endless journey, and adorning oneself is one of the oldest forms of art. That’s why international fashion festivals, or fashion weeks, where the world’s top artists showcase their achievements, become such important events. They celebrate creativity and allow fashion to be recognized as an essential form of artistic expression.

The history of fashion weeks is believed to trace back to a practice that began in Europe at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when models were sent to horse races, celebrations, and other social gatherings.

Thus, fashion trends spread slowly, primarily through ‘observing one another’.

In fact, shop owners in Paris and London were among the first to send young women dressed in samples of the latest fashionable goods to horse races, opera premieres, and the Bois de Boulogne, where socialites took their morning strolls.

However, early nineteenth-century global fashion was still largely national and regional with subtle French influence and English innovations.

Yet, starting in the second half of the nineteenth century, these processes accelerated significantly. Charles Frederick Worth, the founder of the House of Worth, is regarded as one of the founding fathers of haute couture. He introduced the concept of sewing brand labels into clothing and offered a wide range of apparel under one roof. Before this, fashion houses and shops typically specialized in specific wardrobe items. He also founded the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in 1868, essentially patenting the term ‘haute couture’.

Worth also introduced the idea of holding fashion shows for his clients four times each year.

It was at these shows that models first began to walk down the runway in front of a large audience, who then selected their favorite designs, which were then launched into production.

Other fashion houses gradually began organizing their own shows as well. British designer Lucy Christina Duff-Gordon’s shows were very popular at the turn of the nineteenth and the start of the twentieth century. It was Paul Poiret, however, who transformed walking down the runway into colorful shows resembling theatrical performances. His 1911 show ‘The Thousand and Second Night: A Persian Celebration’ made global headlines. By the 1920s and 1930s, the ‘fashion show’ had become an integral part of social life, the fashion industry, and creative expression.

Nevertheless, designers of that time made few attempts to unite under one show.

Everything changed in 1943, when American journalist Eleanor Lambert organized Press Week in New York to draw public and fashion media attention to American designers. This New York event is considered the first-ever fashion week, although it was still called Press Week until 2001.

Giovanni Battista Giorgini, a buyer of Italian collections for fashion stores in the US, coined the term ‘fashion week’ for his project. In 1951, he held a series of shows at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, marking the beginning of fashion weeks in Italy.

Since 1973, Paris Fashion Week has been organized by La Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), the successor of Worth's Syndicate. It is the most exclusive fashion week in the world, with participation limited to Federation members. There are currently fifteen members, including Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maison Margiela, and others. Foreign fashion houses can participate as guests or correspondent members.

London designers, known for protesting against any syndicates and valuing their independence, conceded in 1984, and since then, the London Fashion Week has become one of the brightest celebrations of its kind.

As a result, the ‘Big Four’ fashion weeks—Paris, London, Milan, and New York—were established.

However, the rest of the world hasn’t limited itself to the role of bystanders. Fashion weeks take place in numerous cities, and some of them can be more captivating and dynamic than the Big Four, where stringent regulations can occasionally stifle designers' creativity.

The Visa Fashion Week Almaty is one of those platforms where the boldest and most unexpected experiments are encouraged and where young, independent companies and designers can compete on equal terms with industry veterans.

‘Make the Unexpected’ is the slogan of the Visa Fashion Week Almaty's tenth anniversary season, and these words resonate as a leitmotif throughout the history of this international fashion week in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

An unexpected and bold decision was made to organize the first season of the Visa Fashion Week Almaty in 2020, a year marked with global challenges. Bauyrzhan Shadibekov, the CEO of Visa Fashion Week Almaty and Tashkent and the founder of the Next Designer Award Empowered by Visa, recalls:

‘The launch of the first season wasn't easy due to pandemic restrictions, but despite all the obstacles, the event took place. We saw immense interest and support from the public and participants. This success inspired us to continue and expand the format.’

The organizers struck a chord with the event as the creative potential of local designers and fashion businesses needed an outlet. However, in addition to talent, success in the fashion world often requires business and management skills, which can be challenging for young brands.

‘Back in 2019, the idea that Central Asia needed an event to unite fashion, culture, and business emerged,’ Shadibekov explains. ‘There’s a need for a platform that would help Central Asian designers break into the international scene while also fostering the growth of the local fashion industry.’

In just three years, the Visa Fashion Week Almaty has grown into a larger and more ambitious event than first envisaged. The runway now showcases not only local brands but also designers from Georgia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and other neighboring countries.

Coverage of the shows and popular street-style chronicles have extended well beyond the local scene, appearing in prestigious international publications like Harper's BAZAAR, Vogue, and Forbes.

‘Visa Fashion Week Almaty is a space for dialogue, where fashion becomes a bridge between different audiences. Our plans, of course, involve developing this dialogue by inviting not only designers and fashion creators but also business representatives, public organizations, and cultural institutions. We aim to create a platform that fosters the exchange of ideas, innovations, and experiences, thus advancing the region's creative economy. The Visa Fashion Week and the Next Designer Awards Empowered by Visa will not only promote talented local designers but also strengthen cultural ties, supporting the sustainable growth of the fashion industry. For aspiring talented designers, it provides an opportunity to showcase themselves and take their first steps, which may lead to impressive results’ ,says Anastasia Nenasheva, Senior Director, Head of Marketing for Visa in Ukraine, Georgia, CIS countries, and Southeast Europe.

The next natural and logical step in contributing to the development of the creative industry was the creation and debut of the Next Designer Awards Empowered by Visa in 2023. Over 150 participants from across Kazakhstan presented their collections, and the winners and finalists received extraordinary opportunities for young designers ranging from internships in Italy and showcasing their brand at Saks Fifth Avenue Almaty to cash grants from Visa and free participation in future seasons of the Visa Fashion Week Almaty.

This creative initiative has gained recognition, and by the third wave of the competition, the number of applications had increased by more than 100 per cent. One of the finalists, Tokhtar Seylbek, representing the brand ToSi, recalls:

‘Participating in the Next Designer Awards Empowered by Visa was a significant milestone in my life. I'm inspired by the opportunities the competition offers; for the anniversary season, we will feature something new—a collaboration between ToSi and Milar participants.’

However, these events are not just about the physical or monetary rewards. The competition offers an opportunity to receive feedback from fashion experts and gain valuable professional advice, which is crucial in the early stages of a designer’s career. Seylbek agrees: ‘Feedback from industry professionals helped me refine my design approach.’

Visa Fashion Week Almaty is not just a fashion event but a cultural phenomenon showcasing Kazakhstan's creative and business potential. ‘For five years, the project has not only drawn attention to talented designers from Kazakhstan and Central Asia, but also to the entire infrastructure of the fashion industry—fabric production, tailoring, marketing, and retail. Fashion Week provides small and medium-sized enterprises the opportunity to showcase their products, develop networks, and find partners for further growth,’ adds Anastasia.

The future of Visa Fashion Week Almaty is promising: with each passing year, interest in sustainable fashion, innovative technologies, and cultural exchanges continues to grow, making this event a magnet for talents and businesses aiming to make their mark on the global fashion stage.