London has been named the fashion capital of the world thanks to the Duchess of Cambridge's style and Pippa Middleton swathed in Alexander McQueen, according to a recent analysis. New York has been left in London's wake as this year's fashion epicentre, the annual Global Language Monitor survey reports. The results were collected from a system that tracks the frequency and appearance of words and phrases used in global print, electronic and social media.
"We are seeing what the impact of two genuine media stars, Princess Kate and Alexander McQueen can have upon a global ranking. Our numbers show that it was their presence that tipped the victory to London over New York," the survey's fashion correspondent Bekka Payack said in a statement. The Duchess of Cambridge gained international attention and admiration for her fashion sense after she wed Prince William earlier this year.
Ms Middleton's wedding gown, along with her sister Pippa Middleton's bridesmaid dress, was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Ms Burton became the creative director of the Alexander McQueen fashion house after the designer's death in 2010. Since the list's inception eight years ago, New York has finished on top more than six times but has now slipped to number two
The Big Apple is followed by Paris, Milan and Los Angeles who rounded out the top five positions. This year's list was expanded to include 50 cities in order to recognise regional locations and their contribution to the international fashion industry through their distinctive styles. Australian fashion capitals, Sydney and Melbourne finished in the top 20 while some of the biggest movers were WA's closest neighbours Singapore and Bali, who took out the eighth and 21st places respectively.