When you think of fashion capitals, Paris, New York, Milan and London immediately come to mind. These western metropolises are icons in their own right. They are among the most important and leading centers of fashion. However, new evidence suggests a slow change in the global fashion landscape. New, emerging fashion centers are emerging in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
These fashion cities are quickly gaining influence. Their rise is fueled by busy events calendars, growing media coverage and a thriving local industry. Brands from Asia and the Middle East have grown more than 40 percent in the last three years, reports market research firm Fortune Business Insights. They shape global fashion trends today. Additionally, the Middle East was identified as the most promising growth region by 51 percent of global fashion executives in BoF and McKinsey’s ‘The State of Fashion 2024’ report.
To explore this shift, British womenswear brand Kaiia has identified the emerging cities in these regions that are becoming new fashion capitals. Using its own Fashion Influence Index (0-100), the brand ranked multiple cities based on seven criteria: fashion-related Instagram hashtags, media coverage, employment opportunities, fashion weeks, regular events, design schools and textile manufacturing capacity. Below we highlight the five most surprising emerging fashion hubs.
Dubai, Sydney and Mumbai are paving the way as emerging fashion metropolises
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tops the list as the world’s fastest-rising fashion capital. The city generates nearly 100,000 media mentions and over seven million Instagram posts showcasing its fashion scene. At the same time, 84 fashion events take place there every year. Dubai’s rapid rise in global attention and social media engagement is establishing the desert city as the industry’s most unexpected powerhouse.
Sydney comes in second place, driven by one of the world’s busiest fashion calendars. The city hosts around 420 events every year. It has over 105,000 media mentions and currently lists 46 jobs in the fashion industry. These are clear signs of a thriving design ecosystem. Along with Melbourne, Sydney drives Australia’s fashion influence with nearly 1,000 design events each year. This means it surpasses the traditional fashion capitals of the world.
Mumbai comes in third, driven by nearly 120,000 media articles highlighting its designers and emerging trends. The city is garnering significant digital attention with over two million Instagram posts celebrating its unique style culture. Mumbai’s fashion infrastructure is also growing rapidly. Two design schools and 59 open positions in the fashion industry are nurturing the next wave of creative talent.
Lagos, Nigeria ranks fourth as Africa’s fashion capital. With three fashion weeks in 2025, including Africa Fashion Week, the city is a leader on the continent, surpassing most cities worldwide. The city’s creative energy is well received on social media. Almost five million Instagram posts showcase their innovative designers and their bold street style.
Delhi rounds out the list as India’s second emerging fashion hub. The city hosts a major fashion week and eleven other design events every year. With around 135,000 contributions, the city achieved exceptional media influence, the highest in the entire study. Delhi’s fashion scene is also thriving digitally, with two million Instagram posts documenting its trends. Two design schools support emerging talent, parallel to Mumbai’s growing creative community.
“With the resignation of Anna Wintour earlier this year, it feels like there has been a symbolic change,” said a spokesperson for Kaiia about the study. “The Western fashion capitals are still world leaders, but their influence is increasingly diminishing. Vogue Korea or Vogue Japan often appear more progressive than their Western counterparts.”
“Many consumers today are looking for specific aesthetics like Chinese and Korean streetwear. This demand brings real money into these markets. Investors fund design studios and create fashion weeks. At the same time, social media makes it easy for a local trend to find global customers willing to pay for it.”
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