In a day and age where visual sells, a parallel concept that’s storming the fashion industry is the whole larger-than-life experience around clothes. And what makes the designers and their clothes stand out, are their most coveted fashion shows. From Alexander Mcqueen’s famous No. 13 collection, where robots live spray-painted Shalom Harlow to Pierre Cardin, who presented his collection in the middle of the Gobi Desert, these fashion shows have made an everlasting mark in ‘fashion history’. A lot goes behind making them into the talk-of-the-town event where designers went out of their way to showcase their collections and here are some of the recent shows that caught our eye.
1. Jacquemus
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Jacquemus celebrated its tenth anniversary on a pink runway in the lavender fields of Provence, south of France. A brand with a history of internet fame thanks to its popular micro bags and oversized hats, this show wasn’t any less than a social media feast. The pastel-colored clothing and accessories blended perfectly with the picturesque background. With a history of unique fashion shows such as recreating a village based on the island of Murano for his Fall 2019 collection, Simon Porte this time was inspired by artists like Christo and David Hockney. “I wanted a place that looked like a postcard”, said the designer in an interview.
2. Miu Miu
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Another show that turned heads with its choice of location was Miuccia Prada, who presented her Resort 2020 collection as an open-air event in the historical horse race tracks in Paris. An evening, which included notable guests such as Celine Dion and Nicole Richie, kicked off with an actual horse race. Of course, the retro-inspired clothes presented by the designer, primarily shorts, hats, and puffed shouldered jackets, matched the venue marking it as one of the shows to remember.
3. Iris van Herpen
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If there’s anything that was all over Instagram and is still making rounds for her creative vision, it’s Iris van Herpen. The designer is known for integrating fashion with technology and her Fall Couture 2019 collection made headlines for doing that, yet again. A large kinetic sculpture, result of collaboration with artist Anthony Howe, was installed in the middle of the runway through which each model walked out wearing designs that were also kinetic. This unique amalgam and the genius of the designer made for a spectacular vision.
4. Fendi
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Location is instrumental for a lot of shows for the designers now and Fendi went for the same, but made it even more majestic and cinematic. Silvia Venturini Fendi chose Rome’s Colosseum as the backdrop for its Fall Couture 2019 show as an homage to Karl Lagerfield who loved the city through and through. She showcased 54 elegant looks each dedicated to Karl’s 54-year tenure with the label. The show proved to be a success continuing the Lagerfeld legacy which included live soundtracks by composer Caterina Barbieri, performances from R&B duo Lion Babe, a moonlit dinner set at the Temple of Venus and Rome and a big celebrity guest list including fashion favorites Zendaya and Kiernan Shipka.
5. Chanel
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Libraries have always been visually appealing even if you’re a reader or not. Virginie Viard took it up a notch, transforming the Grand Palais into a multi-floor circular library for her debut collection for Chanel. Her elegant and feminine take on the collection was a tribute to Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld, who themselves were big avid readers. Models walking in the relaxed pace and an overall leisured essence of the show made for a good read for the fashion flocks.
