Which city hosted the first modern fashion week, held as “Press Week” in 1943?

New York City hosted the first modern fashion week, held as “Press Week” in 1943.

The event was organized by Eleanor Lambert, an influential American fashion publicist, during World War II. Travel restrictions made it difficult for American journalists to attend Paris fashion shows, so Press Week directed attention toward designers working in the United States.

The event also helped American fashion gain independence from French influence. Instead of copying Paris collections, New York designers increasingly developed a practical, modern style associated with sportswear and ready-to-wear clothing.

The name New York Fashion Week became common later. The schedule has changed venues and organizers over time, but the 1943 Press Week is widely treated as the beginning of the modern fashion-week system. Paris had long staged couture presentations, yet New York’s press-focused event created the model for a recurring citywide industry showcase.