History of Glamour: How Fashion Weeks Began

About 100 years ago, only members of royal families or wealthy merchants had the opportunity to see designer clothing collections. The immense fear of design theft forced fashion designers to hold shows in a closed format. Even photographers or editors were prohibited from taking pictures. The first brave soul to showcase his creations in Paris in 1860 was English designer Charles Frederick Worth, who replaced mannequins with live models. He saw this as an opportunity to evoke emotions, enhancing the wow effect of the entire clothing collection. His wife was the first model to walk the runway to showcase his work.

It is believed that the first formal fashion shows were initiated by British designer Lucile, who in 1905 held an event called the "parade of mannequins" right in her garden. This led to a near doubling of her clothing sales over the next year. Subsequently, Paul Poiret took it upon himself to turn fashion shows into luxurious costume balls. He combined his commercial benefit from clothing sales with social interaction among guests. While two models presented clothing on stage, the next two were changing outfits in the dressing room. He was the first to realize the importance of creating a true spectacle out of fashion shows to attract public attention. He also pioneered the idea of organizing receptions and after-parties with wealthy guests and models to discuss everything in a relaxed atmosphere. However, Poiret did not intend to stop there and in 1911 he created a ball called "A Thousand and Second Night," featuring grand images, actor performances, and lighting effects. Thus, he managed to get ahead of his time and lay the foundation for future fashion shows.

In the 1920s-30s, names like Coco Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, and Elsa Schiaparelli appeared on the fashion scene. This period was marked by the flourishing of silent films and salon fashion shows. During their presentations, designers began to incorporate skills from the film industry to attract as many clients as possible.

Meanwhile, the progressive production economy of the USA contributed to the country's cultural development. This allowed middle-class people to attend fashion events. In 1903, the idea of French fashion shows was first implemented by the department store Ehrlich Brothers in New York. Other stores picked up on this idea: fashion shows were organized right in restaurants or hotels during lunch. At that time, the requirements for models were not very strict—just a smooth walk and attractive facial features were enough.

Unexpected Impact of War on the Fashion World

Many mistakenly believe that the first fashion show was held in Paris. This myth arose because, until the 1940s, American designers, editors, and buyers traveled to the French capital for inspiration. At that time, shows were not systematically conducted but were organized as parties in the homes of the most famous Parisian couturiers. However, World War II and Nazi occupation made any travel to Europe impossible. Iconic American publicist Eleanor Lambert seized the opportunity to shift the focus from Paris to New York. In 1943, she launched the first Press Week, encouraging designers to showcase their creations in the USA. This event later became known as Fashion Week. The main idea was to find advertisers with budgets for show production and open the doors of the fashion world to ordinary people.

From Camouflage to Couture Attire

The post-war period saw a crisis in the fashion world, fortunately only economic. This inspired designers to create clothing collections on dolls and send them as exhibitions to various countries. The first exhibits were presented in 1945 at the Louvre in Paris. Organizers included Cristóbal Balenciaga, Robert Ricci, and Jeanne Lanvin.

Fashion dictator Christian Dior identified an important detail of post-war society: "People had endured enough shortages of clothing and endless military uniforms. So I decided to divert the public from the ascetic style." In 1947, Dior showcased a clothing collection in Paris called New Look, featuring a revolutionary new dress with rounded shoulders and a cinched waist. The luxurious clothing caused public outrage and even sparked protests against impractical and expensive fabrics in fashion.

At the same time, Italian designer Hubert de Givenchy sought to revive the domestic fabric production culture. In his activities, he began involving famous actresses, like Audrey Hepburn, to showcase new collections. This strategy revealed to other designers the advantage of designing clothes not only for models but also for Hollywood stars, who instantly made the brand globally recognizable with the release of a film. Thus, Italian fashion began to conquer the American fashion market.

The Rise of Ready-to-Wear

Compared to modern shows, salon fashion shows were created for a select group of clients of the fashion house. This format allowed for communication between the designer and the client, considering their individual wishes, and producing unique clothing samples.

In the 1950s, youth subcultures emerged, opposing the middle class and beginning to influence the runway, eventually shaping it. This led to the creation of ready-to-wear collections produced in small series, unlike couture clothing made to order and in a single copy. This made fashion more accessible and democratic. Designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Nina Ricci, and Yves Saint Laurent became major masters during the prêt-à-porter revolution. They made a clever move—showcasing their clothing selections a week before the presentation of couture collections. This strategy worked and eventually turned into mass fashion, which continues to exist today. Meanwhile, in the 1960s, bold experimental collections began to appear. Designers, including Pierre Cardin and Paco Rabanne, created outfits that did not correspond to what a woman would wear in everyday life. Such clothing was interesting to look at and discuss, drawing broad public attention.

Return of Fashion Show Tradition

The fashion industry needed 30 years to continue the tradition of fashion shows. Only after 1970 did grand events, as we know them today, begin to emerge. The second fashion week was organized by Parisian designers in 1973. This initiative was later supported by colleagues from Milan in 1979, and London designers followed suit in 1984. The second American debut occurred in 1993. Shows were created to see new designer faces on the runway. Brands like Kenzo by Kenzo Takada, Sonia Rykiel, and Chloe under Karl Lagerfeld's leadership rapidly grew during this time.

The center of creativity in the 1980s belonged to London, where punk culture began to merge with fashion. Vivienne Westwood's clothing vividly reflected the then-mix of protest culture, rock music, street fashion, and the youth revolution in designer collections. As a result, she was called the rebel designer. Gradually, the line between fashion and art began to disappear, and designers took to creating bright and spectacular clothing for runways.

The Era of Supermodels

In the 1990s, the world began to be inspired by the outfits showcased by specific models or stars. Idealized images of women wearing coveted clothing began appearing on runways. Fashion houses spent millions to contract supermodels, leading to earnings on par with musicians and movie stars.

Meanwhile, the development of television made it possible to broadcast live fashion shows. Designers started making their shows increasingly outrageous to attract as many viewers as possible. Alexander McQueen's shows were a prime example, constantly surprising the public. In 2001, during the Voss show on mental illness, he placed guests in a transparent cube, and the Dante collection was presented directly in London's Christ Church. "A designer must follow clear rules to ultimately break them and create a revolution," he commented on his vision of runways.

Today, fashion shows continue to uphold the established tradition, with New York being the first city to open its doors to fashion enthusiasts, followed by London, Milan, and Paris. Fashion shows now occur twice a year: in February, designers showcase their fall-winter collections, and in September, they present spring-summer variations. However, during COVID-19, many designers declared they no longer wanted to participate in outdoing each other and turning the creative process into a routine. Creators like John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Stella McCartney openly stated they were abandoning seriality and planning to release their collections on a different principle.

What Does the Future Hold for Fashion Shows?

Fashion has long ceased to be merely about "5 trends of this season." The premiere of designer collections is now a grand spectacle where brands spend huge sums to stand out, provoking their competitors to stay engaged. This has led to discussions about environmental consciousness, as the scale of events continues to grow uncontrollably. Fashion shows, which began as exclusive events, have now transformed into dynamic platforms generating cultural and social changes. Virtual shows, gender-neutral collections, ethical and sustainable materials are just a few leading directions in the fashion industry's development. As Yves Saint Laurent aptly put it, "Fashion week is a theater where we showcase our dreams and then realize them."