Miami Fashion Week will be held from March 19-22, 2009 at SOHO Studios in the Wynwood Art District of Miami. While those of us up the coast tend to think of New York as the fashion center of the United States, we can't forget that Miami is the gateway city for all of Latin America, and there are tons of fashion talent and fashionistas south of the border.

Miami Fashion Week was designed to cater to this enormous and growing market. It's the largest international fashion event in the United States with a focus on Central and South American designers and buyers, but the rest of the world is well-represented too, with fashion media and celebrities from such far-flung places as Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, India, Italy, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain and the United Arab Emirates attending. (I wish they'd had it back when I was in ninth grade, it would have made an excellent topic for my World Cultures report!)

There's much more to Miami Fashion Week than just fashion shows. Events will include seminars on topics such as trends, retail and apparel law, a buyer's salon for clothing, a similar marketplace for jewelry and accessories and, as you would expect from Miami, lots and lots of really cool parties!

Miami Fashion Week is also sponsoring several contests. There's a Student Fashion Designer Competition open to any student currently enrolled in a college level fashion design, management or merchandising program in the U.S. who's able to produce one full outfit for the showcase, which includes shoes and accessories. There's also an Emerging Designer Competition for Florida designers who have been in business from between 2-5 years, have their clothes sold in at least one retail store and are able to produce a full collection. Deadline for entry in these competitions is January 15, 2009, and winners will be announced on February 2. Since Miami is a lifestyle as much as a place, they're also planning a competition for interior and furniture designers, though details on that one are sketchy at the moment. For more information on Miami Fashion Week, visit www.miamifashionweek.com.