Fashion show

Paris fashion and runway at the turn of the century

Because "the topic of fashion shows remains to find its historian",[5] the earliest history of fashion shows remains obscure. In the 1800s, "fashion parades" periodically took place in Paris couture salons. 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.

One of the designers of this concept, Charles Fredrick Worth, gained traction by displaying clothes on actual people instead of mannequins. American retailers imported the concept of the fashion show in the early 1900s.[6] The first American fashion show likely took place in 1903 in the New York City store of the Ehrlich Brothers.[6] By 1910, large department stores such as Wanamaker's in Manhattan and Philadelphia were also staging fashion shows.[6] 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.[6] 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.[7]

By the 1920s, retailers across the United States held fashion shows.[6] Often, these shows were theatrical, presented with narratives, and organized around a theme (e.g. Parisian, Chinese, or Russian).[6] These shows enjoyed huge popularity through mid-century, sometimes attracting thousands of customers and gawkers.[6]

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 apart from such retailers.[6] In the early 1990s, however, many in the fashion world began to rethink this strategy.[6] After several mishaps during shows in small, unsafe locations, "[t]he general sentiment was, 'We love fashion but we don't want to die for it,'" recalls Fern Mallis, then executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.[6] In response to these shows, the New York shows were centralized in Bryant Park during Fashion Week in late 1993.[6]

Lately from the 2000s to today, fashion shows are usually also filmed and appear on specially assigned television channels or even in documentaries.[8]

In recent years, fashion shows have become increasingly elaborate for many of the top labels, including sprawling sets that often come with higher costs.[9]

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.[10] During New York Fashion Week in 2014, designer Ralph Lauren[6] presented his new Polo line for Spring 2015 in a water-screen projection in Manhattan's Central Park.[11] 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.[6][12] Live streaming of runway shows and mediated shows has now become commonplace.[13]

Tom Ford created a music video with Lady Gaga for his Spring/Summer 2016 women's collection.[14][15]

Fashion shows showcase the new styles of the season. They are a walking art show and also guide the looks for the fast fashion stores who imitate the high fashion looks. "If fashion shows sometimes have a reputation for being shocking, that's because of one of their other main purposes: publicity."[16] Fashion shows are a way of life to many people as well and set the tone for each year. People who come and watch the shows also get to experience an art form with their own eyes and be present in the industry. Fashion shows have changed through the digital area and the pandemic accelerated the course of becoming digital.