When speaking of Dusseldorf, people tend to think not only of trade and the fair city, but also of Germany's fashion industry. Every year, world-famous designers flock to D《seldorf to attend the most important fashion fair and show in the world.
The Collection Premieren D《seldorf, which presents fashion, is held twice a year, in the spring/summer and autumn/winter. Around 1,700 exhibitors from 39 countries present their collections, making the trade fair complex the largest catwalk in the world for three days.
Dusseldorf's debut as a world fashion hub started in Konigsalle, when the first fashion show was staged there in 1949. Igedo organized the first fashion fair in the same year, which has now become the largest fashion fair in the world.
The history of Germany's fashion industry cannot be separated from K馬igsallee, and a stroll to K馬igsallee is essential, to see the world's latest fashion trends.
K馬igsalle, popularly called K, is one of D《seldorf's prominent boulevards, apart from the Rhine embankment promenade. It has now become a tourist attraction in itself. K is internationally known as a shopping paradise for first-rate collections.
Strolling down the boulevard, you find many world-famous designer brands, ranging from Germany's Lagerfeld to Italy's Armani, with branded perfumes and jewelry, too.
The gallery is a sophisticated and luxurious arcade. Not only are there shops but also upmarket restaurants and cafes. Merchandise in the 130 shops is arranged in a very elegant way.
Eye-catching lighting is combined with pretty accessories, making them all look bright and lavish. However, don't ask about the prices! A pair of branded pants in the trendy, luxury, top-end boutiques could be twice the cost of my return flight ticket.
"This is my favorite place to hang out," said Asih, an Indonesian tourist visiting D《seldorf.
As in other German shopping centers, display lighting in shops is never turned off, even when the shops are closed. This attracts passersby at all hours.
The paths of K馬igsallee are divided by a moat, and chestnut trees were planted alongside the moat. The shaded, 800-meter boulevard makes window-shopping attractive. In the summer, along this shaded pavement, outdoor cafes are open to cater for window-shoppers.
K馬igsalle's debut as a world-class shopping boulevard began in the beginning of the 20th century when the first shop was established there. Since the end of World War II, its position as a world-class shopping boulevard was assured.
Due to the presence of the trees planted on the boulevard, the street was formerly known as Kastanienallee (Chestnut Avenue) but renamed K馬igsalle (Kings Avenue) in 1848 when horse manure was thrown at King Friedrich Wilhelm IV in an infamous incident.
It was also on K that flamboyant German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld discovered German supermodel Claudia Schiffer.
-- Wahyuni Kamah
