Fashion show

Last updated

Liu Wen, a supermodel, walking the catwalk as she models fashions by designer Diane von Furstenberg at New York Fashion Week in 2013 Diane von Furstenberg Spring-Summer 2014 06.jpg
Liu Wen, a supermodel, walking the catwalk as she models fashions by designer Diane von Fürstenberg at New York Fashion Week in 2013

A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons. This is where designers seek to promote their new fashions. The four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the "Big 4", in chronological order of their respective personality of each model fashion weeks, are those held in New York City, London, Milan, and Paris. [1] [2] Berlin fashion week is also of global importance. [1] [2]

Contents

In a typical fashion show, models walk the catwalk dressed in the clothing created by the designer. Clothing is illuminated on the catwalk using lighting and special effects. The order in which each model walks out, wearing a specific outfit, is usually planned in accordance with the statement that the designer wants to make about their collection. It is then up to the audience to try to understand what the designer is trying to "say", visually deconstruct each outfit and appreciate the detail and craftsmanship of every piece.

Occasionally, fashion shows take the form of installations, where the models are static, standing or sitting in a constructed environment. A wide range of contemporary designers produce their shows as theatrical productions, with elaborate sets and added elements such as live music or a technological components such as holograms or pre-recorded video backdrops.

History

19th and 20th centuries

Paris fashion and runway at the turn of the century Paris Fashion (LOC).jpg
Paris fashion and runway at the turn of the century

The origins of fashion shows remain obscure as historians have yet to conduct a comprehensive study on the subject. [3] One of the designers of this concept, Charles Frederick Worth, gained traction by displaying clothes on actual people instead of mannequins. By the end of the 19th century, "fashion parades" were regularly organized at Paris couture salons. [4] American retailers imported the concept of the fashion show in the early 1900s. [3] The first American fashion show likely took place in 1903 in the New York City store of the Ehrlich Brothers. [3] By 1910, large department stores such as Wanamaker's in Manhattan and Philadelphia were also staging fashion shows. [3] These events showed couture gowns from Paris or the store's copies of them; they aimed to demonstrate the owners' good taste and capture the attention of female shoppers. [3] As the popularity for these formal presentations expanded, it was in 1918 when fashion houses established fixed dates for runway shows to occur. These occurrences took place twice annually, specifically for fashion houses to plan for and promote their lines to foreign buyers. Runway shows were often held in department stores or hotels when they first began. European fashion houses would actively seek out buyers in the United States, specifically in larger cities, by hosting these runway shows. [5]

Because "the topic of fashion shows remains to find its historian", the earliest history of fashion shows remains obscure. In the 1800s, "fashion parades" periodically took place in Paris couture salons.[ citation needed ] At the turn of the 19th century, exclusive fashion houses in Europe, especially Paris and London, were using formal presentations to showcase their latest line to clientele.[ citation needed ]

By the 1920s, retailers across the United States held fashion shows. [3] Often, these shows were theatrical, presented with narratives, and organized around a theme (e.g. Parisian, Chinese, or Russian). [3] These shows enjoyed huge popularity through mid-century, sometimes attracting thousands of customers and gawkers. [3]

Finnish actress Elina Salo presenting clothes designed by Vuokko Nurmesniemi at a fashion show in the Helsinki Botanical Garden in 1958 Elina-Salo-1958.jpg
Finnish actress Elina Salo presenting clothes designed by Vuokko Nurmesniemi at a fashion show in the Helsinki Botanical Garden in 1958

In the 1970s and 1980s, American designers began to hold their own fashion shows in private spaces separate from such retailers. [3] In the early 1990s, however, many in the fashion world began to rethink this strategy. [3] Fern Mallis, who was the executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America at the time, remembered that following a series of accidents at shows held in small, hazardous venues, the prevailing attitude was, "We love fashion but we don't want to die for it." [3] In response to these shows, the New York shows were centralized in Bryant Park during Fashion Week in late 1993. [3]

21st century

Example of an elaborate stage set used for the Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2011 show Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2011.jpg
Example of an elaborate stage set used for the Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2011 show

Some designers have attempted to modernize the style and presentation of fashion shows by integrating technological advances in experimental ways, such as including pre-recorded digital videos as backdrops. [6] During New York Fashion Week in 2014, designer Ralph Lauren [3] presented his new Polo line for Spring 2015 in a water-screen projection in Manhattan's Central Park. [7] Technological progress has also allowed a broader portion of the fashion industry's followers to experience shows. In 2010, London Fashion Week was the first fashion week to allow viewing of its shows through live streaming. [3] [8] Live streaming of runway shows and mediated shows has now become commonplace. [9]

Tom Ford created a music video with Lady Gaga for his Spring/Summer 2016 women's collection. [10] [11]

In the 21st century, fashion shows are usually also filmed and appear on specially assigned television channels or even in documentaries. [12] Shows have also become increasingly elaborate for many of the top labels, including sprawling sets that often come with higher costs. [13]

Fashion shows present the latest seasonal styles, functioning as both a walking art exhibition and a blueprint for fast fashion stores that replicate high fashion designs. While they can sometimes be perceived as shocking, this is often intentional, serving the crucial purpose of generating publicity. [14] For many others, fashion shows also represent a way of life and establish the annual mood. Attendees of the performances also get to see an artistic medium firsthand and network with professionals in the field. Fashion presentations have evolved in the digital age, with the epidemic hastening this transition.

Format and setting

A runway may be as basic as a narrow space between rows of chairs or more elaborate setups with multiple catwalks. Most runway shows are held inside, for shelter against the weather, but there are times when runway shows are held outdoors. In the 2016 Paris Fashion Week, Chanel presented an elaborate setup by designing the hall as if it were an airport. The viewing guests sat as if they were awaiting their flights while the models walked around the airport approaching ticket counters. [15]

Models

Models on the runway at Sao Paulo Fashion Week, 2017 Osklen, SPFW N43.jpg
Models on the runway at São Paulo Fashion Week, 2017

With the creation of runway shows, the concept of runway modeling was rapidly established with the establishment of agencies and professional modeling careers. Before professional agencies, fashion houses that runway shows often had their own in house models who would specifically be fitted and costumes for each show. By having in house models to present the clothes for runway, the fashion houses could ensure that the clothing was perfectly altered for presentation and bound to sell. However, as the demand for models grew, the modeling agency was established to represent runway models. [16]

Catwalk

Haute couture fashion models walking the catwalk at the Carolina Herrera show during New York Fashion Week in 2014. Carolina Herrera AW14 12.jpg
Haute couture fashion models walking the catwalk at the Carolina Herrera show during New York Fashion Week in 2014.

The term catwalk originates from the walkway, stage platform, or clearing used by models to demonstrate clothing and accessories during a fashion show. [17] Catwalks are used by designers to introduce new fashion lines and introduce new designers that grab the attention of consumers. In fashion jargon, "what's on the catwalk" or similar phrasing can refer to whatever is new and popular in fashion. Some, especially in the United States, refer to the catwalk as a runway. [18]

Terminology

Fashion sketching before live runway presentation Cutaway sketch of crinoline.gif
Fashion sketching before live runway presentation

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fashion</span> Stylish clothing

Fashion is a term used interchangeably to describe the creation of clothing, footwear, accessories, cosmetics, and jewellery of different cultural aesthetics and their mix and match into outfits that depict distinctive ways of dressing as signifiers of social status, self-expression, and group belonging. As a multifaceted term, fashion describes an industry, styles, aesthetics, and trends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Paul Gaultier</span> French fashion designer

Jean Paul Gaultier is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fashion week</span> Fashion industry event

A fashion week is a week-long fashion industry event where fashion designers, brands, or "houses" display their latest collections in runway fashion shows to buyers and the media which influences upcoming fashion trends for the current and approaching seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dior</span> French fashion company

Christian Dior SE, commonly known as Dior, is a French multinational luxury goods company that is controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard Arnault, who also heads LVMH. As of December 2023, Dior controlled around 42% of the shares and 57% of the voting rights of LVMH. In addition, the Arnault family held a further 7% of the shares and 8% of the voting rights of LVMH as of that date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elie Saab</span> Lebanese fashion designer (born 1964)

Elie Saab is a Lebanon-based fashion designer. He started his business in the early 1980s and specialised in bridal couture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viktor & Rolf</span> Dutch fashion house

Viktor & Rolf is a Dutch avant-garde luxury fashion house founded in 1993 by Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren. For more than twenty years, Viktor & Rolf have sought to challenge preconceptions of fashion and bridge the divide between fashion and art. Viktor & Rolf have designed both haute couture and ready-to-wear collections. The duo is renowned for their avant-garde designs, which rely heavily on theatrical and performative fashion runways.

Kristen McMenamy is an American model known for her unconventional, androgynous appearance. Originally a long-haired redhead, she reinvented her look in the early 1990s by having her hair cut short and dyed black, and her eyebrows shaved off. Her career was boosted by the advent of the grunge fashion trend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paris Fashion Week</span> Fashion industry event in Paris, France

Paris Fashion Week is a series of designer presentations held semi-annually in Paris, France, with spring/summer and autumn/winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Paris Fashion Week is held at venues throughout the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fashion design</span> Art of applying design and aesthetics to clothing and accessories

Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion designer creates clothing, including dresses, suits, pants, and skirts, and accessories like shoes and handbags, for consumers. He or she can specialize in clothing, accessory, or jewelry design, or may work in more than one of these areas."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giambattista Valli</span> Italian fashion designer (born 1966)

Giambattista Valli is an Italian fashion designer. He is from Rome, Italy. His collections, both ready to wear and Haute couture, are presented semi-annually during Paris Fashion Week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatiana Sorokko</span> Russian-American model, fashion journalist, and collector

Tatiana Sorokko is a Russian-born American model, fashion journalist, and haute couture collector. She walked the runways for the world's most prominent designers and fashion houses, appeared on covers of leading fashion magazines, and became the first Russian model of the post-Soviet period to gain international recognition. After modeling, Sorokko worked as contributing editor for Vogue, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar. Her distinct personal style and her private collection of historically important haute couture clothing were subjects of museum exhibitions in Russia and the U.S.

<i>Haute couture</i> Creation of exclusive, custom-fitted clothing

Haute couture is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term haute couture generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the upper portion of a modern dress to distinguish it from the skirt and sleeves. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became the centre of a growing industry that focused on making outfits from high-quality, expensive, often unusual fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable of sewers—often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Couture translates literally from French as "dressmaking", sewing, or needlework and is also used as a common abbreviation of haute couture and can often refer to the same thing in spirit.

Ma Ke is a Chinese fashion designer. She has two clothing labels: EXCEPTION de Mixmind, a ready-to-wear line started in 1996 and retailed in China; and WUYONG, an haute couture line founded in 2006. In 2007, Ma Ke starred in the award-winning documentary Useless by Chinese director Jia Zhangke. In 2008, her fashion house WUYONG was appointed as a Guest member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in France.

The Spring 2009 Chanel couture collection was presented on January 26, 2009 in Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowie Wong</span> Australian fashion designer

Bowie Wong is a Hong Kong-born Australian fashion and stage designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iris van Herpen</span> Dutch fashion designer

Iris van Herpen is a Dutch fashion designer known for fusing technology with traditional haute couture craftsmanship. Van Herpen opened her own label Iris van Herpen in 2007. In 2011, the Dutch designer became a guest-member of the Parisian Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, part of the Fédération française de la couture. Since then, Van Herpen has continuously exhibited her new collections at Paris Fashion Week. Van Herpen's work has been included in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York and the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

Maison Margiela, formerly Maison Martin Margiela, is a French luxury fashion house founded by Belgian designer Martin Margiela and Jenny Meirens in 1988 and headquartered in Paris. The house produces both haute couture-inspired artisanal collections and ready-to-wear collections, with the former influencing the designs of the latter. Product lines include womenswear, menswear, jewellery, footwear, accessories, leather goods, perfumes and household goods. Known for deconstructive and avant-garde designs with unconventional materials, Maison Margiela has traditionally held live shows in unusual settings, for example empty metro stations and street corners. Models' faces are often obscured by fabric or long hair to direct attention to the clothes and design. Margiela resigned as creative designer in 2009. John Galliano was appointed to the role in 2014, and resigned in 2024. The identity of his successor is unknown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guo Pei</span> Chinese fashion designer (born 1967)

Guo Pei is a Chinese fashion designer. She is best known for designing dresses for Chinese celebrities, and in America for Rihanna's trailing yellow gown at the 2015 Met Gala. Guo is the first born-and-raised Asian designer to be invited to become a guest member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. In 2016, Time listed her as one of the World's 100 Most Influential People.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Grazia Chiuri</span> Italian fashion designer (born 1964)

Maria Grazia Chiuri is an Italian fashion designer. After stints working at Fendi and Valentino, Chiuri was named creative director at Dior in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asma Sultana</span> Bangladeshi designer and fashion entrepreneur

Asma Sultana, also known as Sultana A, is a Bangladeshi designer and fashion entrepreneur. She began her career in 1997 and is now expanding her line towards couture clothing. She and her husband Tanjim Ashraful Haque run the fashion retail company Ecstasy in Bangladesh, with the in-house brands Tanjim, ZarZain, and Zoan Ash.

References

  1. 1 2 Bradford, Julie (2014). Fashion Journalism. Routledge. p. 129. ISBN   9781136475368. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Dillon, Susan (2011). The Fundamentals of Fashion Management. A&C Black. p. 115. ISBN   9782940411580. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Fortini, Amanda (February 8, 2006). "How the Runway Took Off". Slate. ISSN   1091-2339 . Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  4. ↑ Parmal, Pamela A.; Grumbach, Didier; Ward, Susan; Whitley, Lauren D., eds. (2006). Written at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Fashion show: Paris style (1st ed.). Museum of Fine Arts: MFA Publications. ISBN   978-0-87846-707-5. OCLC   76834334.
  5. ↑ "History of the Runway Show". RNWY®. April 5, 2017. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  6. ↑ "New York Fashion Week Explores Technology's role in fashion". Fashionista.com. September 12, 2014. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Press Releases – Press Releases - Ralph Lauren Investor Relations". Investor.ralphlauren.com. September 8, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  8. ↑ Alex Wood. "London fashion week: why technology is in fashion". The Guardian . Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Posts | Launchmetrics". Fashiongps.com. March 25, 2014. Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  10. ↑ "TOM FORD WOMENSWEAR SS16". YouTube . Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  11. ↑ jezebel.com Tom Ford's Runway Show Was a Video Starring Lady Gaga Archived March 20, 2017, at the Wayback Machine , Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, 10/02/15
  12. ↑ Bible Black, a documentary on a fashion show held by Andrew Mackenzie Urban.dk, November 13, 2008, artikel-id: e14a0053 (November 11, 2008).
  13. ↑ Murrow, Laura (March 6, 2012). "Transplanted Trees, Paper Kingdoms, and Flames: The Best Fashion Week Set Design". The Cut. New York Media LLC. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  14. ↑ Hespokestyle. "What is the purpose of a fashion show?". Hepsokestyle. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Paris Fashion Week 2015: Chanel Turns The Runway Into Airport, Jet-Setter's Dream! [PHOTOS]". Latin Times. October 7, 2015. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  16. ↑ Evans, Caroline. "Fashion Models". LoveToKnow. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  17. ↑ runway Archived July 15, 2017, at the Wayback Machine , 3.b, Merriam-Webster Dictionary
  18. ↑ "catwalk – Dictionary Definition". Vocabulary.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  19. ↑ Lim, James (February 20, 2009). "Lyndsey Scott: First Black Model to Score Calvin Exclusive". New York Magazine. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2011.
  20. 1 2 Helmer, Vanessa. "Here Is a Glossary of Must-Know Modeling Terms". The Balance Careers. Archived from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  21. ↑ Victoria and Albert Museum, Digital Media webmaster@vam ac uk (August 13, 2013). "Fashion Drawing and Illustration in the 20th Century". www.vam.ac.uk. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.