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Hong Kong loses title as Asia's "most fashionable city" to Shanghai

For a decade, the Global Language Monitor has monitored approval ratings for the world's most fashionable cities. New York tops the list this year. Coming in tenth position, Shanghai is Asia's top city, followed by Singapore, Tokyo and then Hong Kong.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies) - After five years of unchallenged rule, Hong Kong lost its title as the "most fashionable city" in Asia to Shanghai in 2013, this according to a survey by the US-based Global Language Monitor (GLM).

The GLM measures fashion trends by tracking print, electronic and social media for top words and phrases. It has released a report every year since 2004.

In this year's edition, the former British colony dropped to the 20^th spot, losing eight positions. By contrast, Shanghai topped the table in Asia ahead of Tokyo and Singapore.

New York comes first, followed by Paris, London, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Rome, Berlin, Sydney and Antwerp. Shanghai comes in tenth.

Without giving a detailed analysis of the individual cities, McKinsey, a consultancy, noted that mainlanders' living standards have been on a rise. Because of this, the mainland is expected to account for 20 per cent of global luxury sales next year.

For Hong Kong Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun, founder of a well know clothing chain, "Given the soaring rents, the fashion industry has had a hard time in Hong Kong in the past few years".

To improve the situation, he urged the government to have better planning for commercial land use.