Menswear is grabbing the spotlight on the biggest US fashion runways as New York City catches up with other global design capitals that are already giving mens styles their due.

More than 50 designers will unveil their looks at New York Fashion Week: Mens, which started on 13 July, hoping to catch the eye of discerning buyers and critical editors who will choose their favourites for 2016s spring and summer seasons.

I think its exciting that actually here in New York that mens has its own dedicated fashion week. Many times its been rolled into the womens collections and publicly hasnt really been giving the predominance that it really deserves, said Ken Downing, senior vice president, fashion director for US department store Neiman Marcus.

There is so much great talent here in New York, there is such a great contribution from the mens designers that work here in the city. Im thrilled to see that they are having their own moment.

Until now, menswear shows traditionally have been mixed in with hundreds of womens shows in twice-a-year events in the city. But the four-day event by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) aims to allow mens garments to step out of the shadows of their female counterparts and make a name for themselves on the catwalk.

Its really a business decision. One that pulls the mens shows out of the womens market and aligns their shows with the mens market. The mens wholesale buying period is right now. Before there was a disconnect. And now you show and you sale at the same time, which makes sense, said CFDA chief executive Steven Kolb.

US mens apparel sales totalled $62.7bn (£40.54bn) in the 12 months ending in May, according to the NPD Group, a trend and sales tracking company, just over half the total for womens apparel over the same period. Mens apparel sales grew 2%, just short of the 3% rate for womens.

London, Milan and Paris already hold separate mens Fashion Weeks. Recent mens styles in Europe ranged from a fanciful see-though black lace jumpsuit to crinkled nylon jackets and shoes with light-up soles.

Feeding the trend, more public figures and celebrities are now style icons, younger workers have transformed workplace attire and technology gives consumers quicker access to styles.

New York Fashion Week: Mens runs until 16 July.