The Monocle Minute

Fashion weeks often morph into big popularity contests between the designers presenting new collections, the models walking on the runways and the industry professionals being assigned seats according to their status. But this season, which began earlier this month in New York and has since moved on to London and Milan, has seen competition stiffen between the hosting cities too. It’s a testament to fashion’s soft power in shaping a city’s reputation and bringing in business.

In New York, conversation was less about the clothes on show – mostly forgettable, aside from Khaite’s ethereal line-up, Willy Chavarria’s workwear and Alaïa’s (a guest from Paris) Guggenheim-inspired collection – and more about the threat to the city’s status as a fashion capital. So much so that a new committee was created to better promote New York and draw a bigger international crowd back to its fashion week. The mood was similar in London where some designers couldn’t afford to participate and the usual crowd of editors and buyers from Japan and the US was noticeably absent. The sense of fun and humour everyone expects from the Brits might still be there – I loved seeing Simone Rocha’s punk creations inside the Old Bailey – but there’s not enough commercial prowess to lure the industry at large to London.

These questions seem to subside the moment I arrived in Milan – a city that doesn’t need to prove itself. There’s an infectious buzz in the air and a schedule filled with cinematic shows, new launches (Jil Sander’s fragrance debut was impressive) and late-night celebrations. The bar will no doubt be set even higher in Paris next week, making it clear who the winners in this unofficial competition are. Rather than trying to play catch up, cities with smaller operations should get creative and explore new formats – fashion week can exist beyond the runway.

Natalie Theodosi is Monocle’s fashion director. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.

Next week, Japan’s governing party will have a new leader. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been in power almost continuously since 1955. But following the recent announcement that party president and prime minister Fumio Kishida would not seek re-election – amid political and financial scandals – the race is now on to select a new face.

This week’s polls indicate Shigeru Ishiba, who has previously served as defence minister, and Shinjiro Koizumi, a former environment minister and son of former PM Junichiro Koizumi, will be the frontrunners in a neck-and-neck race. For Ishiba it will be the fifth time standing as a leader with a solid record in politics and public popularity. But while he represents the old guard, Koizumi stands at the other end. He has been vague when it comes to policy but he brings charm and charisma. His public profile as a 43-year-old surfer married to a TV presenter could prove a powerful electoral weapon.

For more on the LDP’s presidential elections tune in to Thursday’s edition of ‘The Globalist’ on Monocle Radio.

This week the US government announced $300m (€268m) of funding to upgrade the country’s ferry networks. Eighteen grants will be given to ferry infrastructure projects in 14 states with the aim to expand and modernise routes used for the transportation of goods and people every year. Old vessels will be replaced with electric ships, fleets will be expanded and a raft of new terminals and docks constructed.

The funding comes from the Biden administration’s 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided $1.2trn (€1.07trn) for transport and infrastructure upgrades across the nation. The decision to make that funding available beyond roads and airports to benefit the Americans who rely on relatively neglected networks is a nice parting legacy for the outgoing president.

This week’s picture, entitled “Adidas x Pharrell”, is by Dutch fashion photographer Viviane Sassen and part of a major retrospective exhibition on her work at Amsterdam’s Fotografiemuseum (Foam). Phosphor: Art & Fashion comprises more than 200 of Sassen’s works spanning three decades, showcasing her innovative blend of photography, collage, painting and video.

The photographer’s distinctive style has captivated both the fashion world and the art community. This exhibition highlights her evolution from early experiments to renowned campaigns for Louis Vuitton and Dior. Organised in collaboration with Paris’s Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP), the exhibition will kick off with a free public opening on 20 September from 18.30 and runs until 12 January. A must-see for lovers of contemporary art and fashion.

We look out for the oldest – and youngest – residents of our cities as we explore how design can combat loneliness among the elderly, and how children in Helsinki can learn while enjoying public playgrounds. We also check in with the originator of the ‘sponge city’ concept.