For decades now various fashion weeks all around the world have been the indicator of changing seasons, the tell tale sign to hang up your winter coats and get out your linens. A way for designers to communicate and express creative desires and challenge the fashion limits runways have become the hottest event everyone wants to be at. Whether captivated by
the clothes or wowed at the theatrics very occasionally one designer captures the world with a runway that becomes solidified as one of the hottest runways of all time.
Lets start with the most recent and work our way back.
As slime freely flowed from the ceiling as models stormed the runway with incredibly well
tailored garments that communicated sheer excellence and craft designer Miuccia Prada
created a collection immersed in a creative set that will be remembered for seasons to come.
With attendees feeling the slime once the show commenced while reflecting on the clothing
they just witnessed fly down the runway, this collection and more importantly interactive set
became a viral moment throughout social media platforms.
The collection that shocked the world as Daniel Rosebery sent fake taxidermy animal heads
down the runway, with lions, leopards and wolfs leaping from models coats and chests its
understandable why this runway has been added to this list. Even by putting the taxidermy
heads aside Daniel Rosebery wonderfully created a collection for Schiaparelli that was
reminiscent of the work of the wonderful Elsa Schiaparelli. Found within the chaos alongside
the already devilish taxidermy animals were brass and gold masks, painted on gold glitter
shirts and heels with paw prints. It’s clear that for this collection Rosebery transcended the
ranks of a designer and became an artist, shaping, sculpting and ornamenting many of the
pieces apart of this collection.
Very rarely does one item of clothing solidify a runway as one of the most iconic shows of all
time, however when Sebastian Meyer for Coperni brought the highly praised supermodel
Bella Hadid out onto the runway to spray-paint on a dress before sending her down the
catwalk this show very quickly took the spot as one of the most memorable fashion moments
of all time. The moment that lasted about 7 minutes in length but stayed eternally in pop
culture was what left the world in awe, as attendees were on the edge of their seat witnessing
a moment of art that mirrored Alexander McQueen’s graffiti dress of ‘99.
Since then Coperni has continued to wow the world with their creative brilliance however this moment will always
rightfully be known as groundbreaking.
The show that has stuck with me the most and the first show for Ana Wintour herself to kick
off a standing ovation throughout that Fall ‘22 couture season. Staged at one of the most
iconic locations a designer could dream of hosting a show designer Pierpolo Piccioli sent 104
looks down the runway at Rome’s Spanish Steps.
As the audience was engulfed by the sheer
excellence of the location the beauty of the clothes was not lost or muted, instead was
magnified brighter. An experience that left its audience in a spell-like state as the sun set in the distance as models walked down the iconic steps in some of Valentinos greatest work to
date this list would be unfinished without mention of this Fall ‘22 couture show.
Karl Lagerfeld has done it again! It’s no shock that highly talented and deeply missed
Lagerfeld has earned a mention on this list. For his Fall ‘14 collection Karl wonderfully
teleported his audience to “Un grand magasin” where the entire runway mirrored a large
general store, where over 500 everyday products were rebranded and re-labelled in Chanel
language, thinking of the very last detail Karl created a runway set that is still referenced
today, 10 years later. Aiding the set, models were sent down first in traditional Chanel attire -
tweed jackets and pencil skirts. However, Karl turned the heat up by sending shopping
baskets wrapped in tweed, bold colours, silhouettes and fabrics. Every aspect of this
collection was an intentional shock to the system, earning it the rank of one of the most
iconic runways of all time.
For his 50th runway show designer Dries Van Noten sent his models down a catwalk that
mirrored a banquet table set for 500. After wowing his audience with a fine dining experience
throughout dinner Noten sent a wonderful collection down full of colour, beading,
embroidery and all things spring; a hodgepodge of bermuda shorts, camp collar shirts and
flats that are perfect essentials for everyones spring/summer wardrobe. Noten consistently
stands tall above the rest as he intricately creates collections that are intimate and personal to
the viewer, creating a fully formed banquet table equipped with a wait staff, chandeliers and
dinner is one of the many moments that belong to Noten’s tool belt of excellence, and what
has rightfully so earned him a highly coveted spot on this list.
Holding the undisputed title of King of Couture Thierry Mugler wickedly sent over 300 looks
down the runway. On the night of his 20th anniversary at Mugler, Thierry reminded the
world of his roots; a costume designer for the circus and in doing so created wild and
outrageous haute couture pieces that have gone down as works of art. Aided by cameos of the
most iconic celebs of the time the look that really took the crown was the well known and
iconic metallic silver cyborg ensemble, which was only revealed to the audience when the
model sporting the get-up dropped her floor length coat, revealing the machine underneath.
Written by Seth Khouri
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