Americas

Americas

Forbes rates the Worldâ€™s most stylish cities

28 April 2008 11:31 (UTC +04:00)

New York. Husniyya Hasanovaâ€“APA. Paris has La Rue du Faubourg Saint-HonorÃ©. New York is home to Fifth and Madison avenues. And shoppers need look no further than Via Monte Napoleon in Milan, Italy, for the latest prÃªt-a-porter.
But none can match London’s cosmopolitan vibe. One third of the city’s population was born outside Britain; that’s 2.3 million Londoners sharing their cultural style, fashion and cuisine. This mix gives tremendous vibrancy to the city, the World’s most stylish according to a recent survey.
"The only downside to London is its safety and expense," says Simon Anholt, editor of the journal Place Branding and Public Diplomacy and author of the 2008 City Brands Index survey on which the rankings, released last month, are based. Anholt also consults with city and national governments on policies, investments and strategies for improving their national reputations. "But these two factors also help its image: If it was too safe people wouldn’t find it as exciting, and if it was cheaper it would get less respect."
Sydney, Australia; Rome; Barcelona, Spain; Melbourne, Australia; Berlin; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Madrid, Spain, round out the top 10.