What Are Fashion Shows?

Fashion shows often have strong, bold clothing.

Normally, department and specialty retail stores change their fashion lines every season. The clothing that eventually finds its way into these stores often debuts in fashion shows. These shows, which are especially popular in fashion meccas like Paris and New York, set the tone for what people will wear all over the globe. They are a designer's most flashy and personal means of advertising and marketing his work.

Definition

A fashion show is a showcase event in which fashion designers present their latest work. The designers hire models to wear clothing from their most recent or upcoming lines, and these models usually walk in front of the guests to let them see the fashions from all angles.

The Catwalk

The catwalk, or runway, is the most central area in a fashion show. This is the area on which the models walk to show off the fashions. Guests sit all the way around the runway, which the fashion show producers usually elevate several feet off the floor. The models who walk on the runway have to be careful because the extreme lights and camera flashes can be blinding.

Interpretation

Claire Suddath of Time explains that fashion shows are an artistic endeavor, meaning that fashion designers try to use their fashions to convey a specific feeling or concept. However, the designers don't explicitly state the feeling or concept they are trying to get across. It is up to the guests of the fashion show to interpret the message behind the designs. This is one of the reasons why the clothing in fashion shows seems so extreme and exaggerated--the bolder the line, the clearer the concept. This is an important point because people should not make the mistake of thinking that the designers truly intend for people to wear the fashions exactly as they are presented in the show.

Entertainment

Fashion shows have become true shows in the sense of entertainment. As shown by USA International Fashion Shows, Couture and Neda Ulaby of National Public Radio, these spectacles can have elaborate sets, exhibits, music and complex lighting. They might have celebrities who attend, which can attract media attention. The more famous the celebrities, the more likely it is that the media will be interested in the show.

Technology

Rachel Strugatz and Lauren Stevenson of WWD Media report that technology and social media is transforming the way fashion shows work and how the public views them. Increasing numbers of designers are streaming their fashion shows online, for example, and some designers are using technology to let viewers quickly comment on or receive information about the looks they see in the show. This trend reflects fashion show producers' desire to increase their viewer base while decreasing the extreme time and cost associated with fashion show production. Producers save money with social media technology because they don't have to produce as many shows to draw a large audience.

References

• Couture: "About Couture Fashion Week"
• WWD Media: "Social Media: The New Front Row of Fashion;" Rachal Strugatz and Lauren Benet Stephenson; February 2010
• NPR: "Fashion Week: Runway Music;" Neda Ulaby; September 2003
• USA Fashion Shows: "Event Planning"
• Time: "Runway Fashion: Does Anybody Really Wear That?;" Claire Suddath; September 2009