Since Manchester Fashion Week began in September 2002, the fashion contingent has enjoyed annual style events that have been a staple of city life.

Manchester In Fashion has been one of the main ways to promote the city’s style heritage, current talent and fashion future to a national audience. Last September and October fashion fans and businesses took over Urbis, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and the Circle Club for industry networking days, catwalk shows and talks from the likes of leading industry figures such as Wayne Hemmingway alongside other events.

Boasting a high attendance – it attracted 9,000 people in its first year - it was billed the north-west’s biggest couture event.  However, there’s no sign of Manchester In Fashion 2009.

This kind of event is essential for publicising Manchester fashion’s hard- working nature and originality.  One example of its success is when singer Lady GaGa was seen in one of 22-year-old Manchester Metropolitan University graduate Holly Russell’s final year collection piece at Billboard’s Women In Music in New York last month. While Russell was recognised in the Best Of Manchester awards earlier on this year, addition local industry support would market the influence that Manchester must have had on the London-born designer even more. More publicity can’t be a bad thing.

Manchester fashion is proving its prowess despite Manchester In Fashion’s absence. There is no shortage of smaller celebrations, and in just the second half of this month there are three. MFN host Vintage Threads at the The Triangle shopping centre, General Store are holding a INDI's fashion show within Deangates, Barton Arcade, while at a venue to be announced at the end of November, there is an audience with the Drapers Magazine’s editor - Jessica Price Brown.

However, if Manchester In Fashion is to return, it would certainly be a welcome addition to the diary, as it would further cement Manchester's status as fashion capital of the North.