Like a simple walkway, fashion changed forever

Like a simple walkway, fashion changed forever

London - despite a duration of usually less than 15 minutes, a modern fashion show often requires months of preparation, Hundreds of thousands of dollar and an army of highly qualified technicians, stage designs and tailors. But these fleeting performances have the potential to cement the legacy of a designer.

A look at unforgettable fashion moments

Even if you are not a glowing pursuer of the fashion world, you may be familiar with some legendary moments on the catwalk - such as the spraying robots that were used in Alexander McQueen's show for spring/summer 1999. Or the spectacular presentation, in the Chanel introduced a life-size rocket at its autumn/winter 2017 presentation. If you have missed these events, both revolutionary catwalks are part of a new London exhibition entitled "Vogue: The invention of the catwalk" in the Lightroom.

The immersive experience of fashion history

On the 39-foot walls of the event location, a mixture of backstage and catwalks are projected, which transport the audience to the epicenter of fashion history. "This is an opportunity to introduce people to experience," said Chioma Nnadi, head of the British Vogue editorial team at the opening of the exhibition. "You get a foretaste of what it is like to visit a fashion show, but this is the perfect immersive experience," she added.

The influence of social media on fashion shows

In the age of social media, the focus has further strengthened on unforgettable catwalk moments. Today, designers have to take into account an audience that goes far beyond the audience into the front rows. Recordings by John Galliano’s theatrical Maison Margiela autumn winter 2025 Show, which took place in the dark substructure of the Pont Alexandre III bridge in Paris, were viewed over 2.5 million times. Similarly, Saint Laurent's last show in Paris attracted millions of views on social media - especially to see Bella Hadid's return to the catwalk in an oversized suit and a dutted dutt. Last month, a clip of the groundbreaking transgender model Alex Consani, which ran on the Victoria’s Secret Laufsteg in a few plush, satin-shimmering angel wings, also gained more than 16 million views, also on X. Luxury fashion-with its high price signs-continues to be aimed at a few, but the spectacle of a catwalk is for mainstream entertainment have become.

The beginnings of the fashion show

However, it wasn't always like that. Anyone who saw last year how Pharrell Williams the Pont Neuf-Brücke for louis Vuitton took over, it may hardly be difficult to imagine that the fashion catwalk was once a reserved matter. The origins of the catwalks go back to the 19th century, when tailors like Charles Frederick Worth use models living instead of mannequins and opened the back rooms of their studios for trusting customers. "(Worth) dared to invite people to his salon in Paris and show them what he had to offer," said Dr. Kate Strasdin, fashion historian at Falmouth University in England, in a telephone interview with CNN. "It really turned the spread of what was chic."

The change in fashion ideas

Before that, Schneider worked according to her customers. These determined the fabric and the style based on what they had seen in the fashion press or friends. But Worth and other sizes, like the British seamstress Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon, decided to put her creative vision in the foreground. They developed from tailors to designers, which is largely thanks to the concept of the catwalk. "(You said) 'I invite you to my salon and show you what I have, and then you will be inspired and want to order something from me," said Strasdin. "The catwalk opened a completely different world of interaction with fashion beyond the immediate circle of friends."

The change in the catwalk environment

The layout was also different. There was no theatrical or narrow catwalks on these early fashion shows, but only a handful of carefully selected models that went around the guests. These casual-affairs lasted the entire evening, in contrast to the short, usually less than ten minutes of modern catwalks. "It was more of an event," said Strasdin. "People came and spent more time to browse the things afterwards or to hold talks ... There were more options for interaction."

The intimacy of the early running walkers

years later, at the beginning of the 20th century, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel staged intimate running walking on the first floor of her Paris house; Hid to observe the run of the models - and the reaction of the audience - in the reflection of their stairs. Cristóbal Balenciaga's catwalks were also exclusive, the journalists were completely excluded in the 1950s. (He also banned somewhat dramatic Italians "Underground copying ring" had discovered, which sold imitated clothes to New York.) While the attraction of private, salon-like shows continues to exist-Mari-Kate and Ashley Olsens Label The Row banned the use of cell phones at its February show-generally looks at the industry greater than better.

The importance of the fashion show in today's fashion world

"It is such a powerful tool for designers and brands to give a statement about who they are, what they stand for and what their creative vision is," said Nnadi. The exhibition "Vogue: The invention of the catwalk" researches the cultural evolution of fashion shows, from Worth's private studio demonstrations to the unreachable fantasies of the production of the deceased Karl Lagerfeld.

iconic moments and their meaning

In this lightning-like tour, some of the most provocative, glamorous and admired moments in the industry are included, such as McQueen's more venerable spring summer 2001 show "Voss", in which he placed the audience behind four walls from double-sided mirrors to control what they saw and when. Almost two hours before the start of the show, he reflected photographers and participants - brought about an uncomfortable confrontation and send a message about the Rabid consumption of fashion. "It was a milestone in cultural history," says the voice of Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour while the film material is running.

theatral productions in fashion

But large-scale theatrics are no longer only reserved for the blockbuster brands such as McQueen, Chanel and Dior-now even smaller names in the circus have to play along to be seen. "The invention of the catwalk" reminds us of recently viral moments: the controversial butterfly pool Show of the Japanese label undercover last year or Copernis iconic-on-kleid from the year 2022. "It is much more about the visibility of the brand," said Strasdin. "People don't buy on these shows, these are performances."

The selection of iconic fashion shows

The shows presented in the Vogue exhibition were then selected whether they “made a difference” or not, says Nnadi. "I don't want to say that it is a comprehensive list," she added. "There are shows that we could not include that I think they have changed the world of fashion. So this is really a snapshot of the past 100 years."

emotional reactions as a yardstick

Extravagance alone does not make a fashion show iconic, and Nnadi has an idea of ​​what is worth reflecting, in contrast to mere smoke and mirrors. "It's about creating an emotional reaction," she said. "If I have the feeling that my hair stands for me or that I would give me a great show for me long after the show."