How Runway Fashion Began

Runway fashion has been a staple way for designers to display there work for years now, the bright lights and flashy clothing capturing the hearts of fans since what seems like the beginning. But, it wasn’t always like this and for a long time the latest fashion trends would be set only by the mannequins in boutique windows. So, how did runway fashion begin? In this article we will go over how runway fashion began and the changes its made in the fashion industry.

The history of runway began in Paris. In the 1860s Charles Frederick Worth began to display his couture designs on live models instead of mannequins, calling the experiences “Fashion Parades”. Later on these parades spread to London and France, a turning point for the fashion scene. Although these events were popularized they were usually only accompanied by a small crowd of potential buyers, even photography was typically banned.

After World War II the limitations of fashion shows were quickly released and a larger group of people were accepted into the doors of fashion houses. One of the most eye-opening fashion shows was one held by none other than Christian Dior, a pinnacle example of luxury fashion. The show was held in Paris in the year 1947, the designs made of tight-fitting bodices and flared skirts were later dubbed “The New Look” after the revolutionary fashion show took place.

However, in the 1960s fashion took another turn. Instead of the stoic faces we were used to seeing models were instead encouraged to show their personalities more. Also, this is when runway shows shifted from the crowded spaces of department stores to different locations, allowing a higher occupancy, or smaller depending on the space. For example, Balmain hosted a runway show in a wine cellar!

From the 90s fashion shows really took off, beginning the reign of the modern supermodel status. During this era of fashion we were introduced to Kate Moss, Adriana Lima, and Naomi Campbell some of the most well known models in the world. Unfortunately though, this era of fashion brought on many challenges including bringing back the well-known beauty standard from the 70s known as “Heroin Chic” where models would trade healthy bodies for malnourished ones.

In conclusion, fashion has seen its ups and many downs. It will be exciting to see where it lands in a few years but for now, sit back and enjoy the latest runways of early 2025, after all it’s almost Summer fashion week in Milan.