In the 1970s and 1980s, American designers began to hold their own fashion shows in private spaces apart from such retailers. įinnish actress Elina Salo presenting clothes designed by Vuokko Nurmesniemi at a fashion show in the Helsinki Botanical Garden in 1958 These shows enjoyed huge popularity through mid-century, sometimes attracting thousands of customers and gawkers. Often, these shows were theatrical, presented with narratives, and organized around a theme (e.g. īy the 1920s, retailers across the United States held fashion shows. European fashion houses would actively seek out buyers in the United States, specifically in larger cities, by hosting these runway shows. Runway shows were often held in department stores or hotels when they first began. These occurrences took place twice annually, specifically for fashion houses to plan for and promote their lines to foreign buyers. As the popularity for these formal presentations expanded, it was in 1918 when fashion houses established fixed dates for runway shows to occur. 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. By 1910, large department stores such as Wanamaker's in Manhattan and Philadelphia were also staging fashion shows. The first American fashion show likely took place in 1903 in the New York City store of the Ehrlich Brothers. American retailers imported the concept of the fashion show in the early 1900s. One of the most notable designers of this concept, Charles Fredrick Worth, gained traction by displaying clothes on actual people instead of mannequins. Īt 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. In the 1800s, 'fashion parades' periodically took place in Paris couture salons. Paris fashion and runway at the turn of the centuryīecause 'the topic of fashion shows remains to find its historian', the earliest history of fashion shows remains obscure. A wide range of contemporary designers produce their shows as theatrical productions with elaborate sets and added elements such as live music or a variety of technological components like holograms, for example. Occasionally, fashion shows take the form of installations, where the models are static, standing or sitting in a constructed environment.

It is then up to the audience to not only try to understand what the designer is trying to say, but to also visually deconstruct each outfit and try to appreciate the detail and craftsmanship of every single piece. 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. Clothing is illuminated on the catwalk using various forms of lighting and special effects. In a typical fashion show, models walk the catwalk dressed in the clothing created by the designer. The London and Berlin fashion weeks are also of global importance. The three most influential fashion weeks are New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and Milan Fashion Week, which are semiannual events. This is where the latest fashion trends are made. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons. Liu Wen, supermodel, walks the runway modeling fashions by designer Diane von Fürstenberg at New York Fashion Week 2013.Ī fashion show ( French défilé de mode) is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during Fashion Week.

Model runway walk