Boston catwalked down many fierce runways to showcase some of the Hub’s most talented designers this week during the city’s 13th annual Fashion Week.

Fashion Week festivities included spring and summer line debuts from Boston designers, meet and greets with fashion experts and panel discussions focused on the future of the industry.

Aspiring model Laura Mason said she moved to Boston from Worcester to begin her modeling career because the industry in the Hub is emerging. She said she enjoys the low-key aspect of the Boston fashion scene.

‘It’s not as dog-eat-dog as the New York fashion scene,’ Mason said. ‘You don’t have to look unreal.’

Though Boston is not known as a fashion capital, the city has potential, Cambridge Sheraton Manager Michael Guleserian said. Guleserian said he was attending Fashion Week events to support the local designers.

‘It hasn’t emerged yet, because the industry is so much bigger in places like New York,’ Guleserian said. ‘Its just not the place that people think of when they think cutting edge fashion.’

On Wednesday night, designer Samuel Vartan debuted his spring/summer 2009 collection at the Marlowe Hotel to a crowd of about 200 fashionistas, media members and boutique owners.

Shannon Zolper, a Boston University School of Management junior, was among the women modeling in Vartan’s show.

‘I love his clothing,’ Zolper said. ‘There’s something for everyone, whether you want to cover up or let a little more show.’

Fashion enthusiast Cindy Aiguer said that Vartan’s clothing was among the up-and-coming talent based in Boston. She cited Vartan’s mastering of draping and fit as his biggest asset.’

Aiguer said that one of the most exciting aspects of fashion in the Hub was that it is influenced by all of the different people that move in and out of the city.

‘There’s a lot of talent here and Fashion Week is giving it real momentum,’ Aiguer said.

Luba Gorelick, who works for the Boston publication Stuff@Night, said that while she would like to see the city host more fashion and arts events, she doubted its fierceness as a fashion metropolis.

‘Boston’s not a very fashionable city, and that’s hard to change,’ she said. ‘It’s going to be a long time until we see anything close to New York.’