The excitement of a runway show never fails to electrify the air. Fashion lovers eagerly anticipate viewing the next season’s clothing collections and trends that their favorite designers introduce during fashion week. A lot of fashionistas thrive and find their deepest inspirations from the looks they see parading down the runway. However, while everyone tends to be more focused on the garments that models walking down the runway are wearing, there is a lot more that goes into the production of a fashion show than just the clothes.
From visuals to layout, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to bring a runway show to life beyond the clothes. In fact, designers have a lot more organizing to do than we actually are aware of.
Comme Des Garçons
S/S 1997
The infamous “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body” collection, which was called the “lumps and bumps” collection by the press, garnered positive reception. However, it made many people feel unsettled. This was especially true when the kidney shaped padded pillows,which were inserted into pockets of the garments that created unnatural and interesting “bumps,” were sent down the runway. The collection, which led to a later exhibition collaboration between Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo and famed choreographer Merce Cunningham showcasing the ensembles from the “lumps and bumps” collection and dancers from the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, was strange and unexpected but in a good way.
Alexander McQueen
S/S 1999
Couture collections are considered works of art all to themselves. Alexander McQueen decided to demonstrate this at the end of the show for his Spring/Summer collection in 1999, which was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. Model Shalom Harlow was brought out and starting spinning on a turntable before the audience in a strapless white dress. She was then circled by two robotic guns, which proceeded to decorate the dress with spray paint.
Christian Dior Couture
F/W 2005
The setting for Christian Dior Couture F/W 2005 was a haunting garden that included Edwardian-inspired gates and a horse-drawn carriage carrying the model who opened the show. This was a unique way to celebrate the legendary history of the Christian Dior fashion house. The mist that added a sense of mystery, the eerie appearance of the models, and the earthy path that stood in the middle of cracked statues and fallen chandeliers were all elements that hadn’t been seen on a runway before.
Fendi
F/W 2007
Fendi F/W 2007 is believed to be one of the most extravagant and expensive fashion shows of all time. Karl Lagerfeld found a way to use the Great Wall of China as his catwalk for this show. The Great Wall was equipped with spotlights, which highlighted the garments and the spectacular backdrop, all of which cost $10 million. The catwalk was over 1,500 miles long, making it one of the world’s longest runways to date. Lagerfeld worked for an entire year to bring this impressive show to life.
Pierre Cardin
S/S 2008
Pierre Cardin staged a massive show on the Whistling Sand Mountain near Dunhuang, China. Some of the models were even brought to the runway on the backs of camels to get to the desert location. As for the actual collection, the women’s garments were mostly refined yet loose-fitting ensembles, while the men’s designs were comprised of sportswear with suits mixed in. Cardin’s decision to host the show in China had to do with his past in the country since he opened a French restaurant there in 1983, and in 1985 he showed collections in both Beijing and Shanghai. S/S 2008 was his first time in over thirty years holding a runway show in China again.
Viktor and Rolf
S/S 2010
Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren always think outside the box. The gowns at the end of their Spring/Summer 2010 show had pieces of fabric removed in the most unexpected places. These included the skirt of a dress with a crystal bustier made up of net ruffles, except for where holes had been cut out front to back and where the edges were chopped away. Many of the cocktail dresses that showed before the finale, though, did look like they could be worn outside of a high fashion editorial. These included a few tuxedos and color-blocking pastel pleats made from remnants of the tulle hack jobs seen later in the finale.
Isaac Mizrahi
F/W 2011
For Fall/Winter 2011, Isaac Mizrahi presented a collection of glamorous ensembles and custom-dyed dogs. The pastel-hued dresses from his Fall 2011 collection were pieces inspired by cake and poodles. Mizrahi, a self-proclaimed dog lover, introduced poodle-themed pins, earrings, and updo hairstyles that matched with the adorable dogs trotting down the runway alongside the models.
Chanel
Pre-Fall 2012
Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director of Chanel, transformed the Grand Palais in Paris into a splendid dining room. There were rows and rows of sweet treats, fruits, and flowers that filled the center of the room, which was circled by a toy train customized with decor. The models, equally as enchanting as the decor, strutted down the catwalk in silk harem trousers and layers of jewelry.
Marc Jacobs
F/W 2012
The all-white runway and setting construction for Marc Jacobs F/W 2012 mirrored a decomposing castle structure, including a fountain that was positioned halfway along the winding runway. Jacobs’ close friend, artist Rachel Feinstein, created the paper cut out backdrop in only a week and a half and received help from a team of 50 carpenters to install everything in the venue in less than two days. Furthermore, the diverse clothes were exceptionally mixed and matched and paired with floppy mink hats in a wide assortment of colors.
Thom Browne
F/W 2012
At the beginning, a female rector announced, “Ten beautiful girls, who died for fashion” as models lay in 10 dark wood coffins arranged in a neat row. Wearing sleek wool grey suits the “deceased” were then joined by further mourning models walking in and out of the coffin display as lit candles flickered, illuminating the room. The fantastical elements were inspired by Tim Burton films.
Runway shows are productions made up of layout, visuals, and of course, the garments. These elements combined give viewers something that they can take away from the show beyond simply being astonished and delighted with the fashion. Let’s just hope that with every fashion week, designers will continue to come up with grander ways to creatively display their collections. We can always look forward to the future of fashion shows.
Runway shows keep getting more and more astonishing with every season. What are some of your favorite runway shows? I’d love to hear about them, and I’ll talk to you soon!