In this module, we will review the history of fashion shows in both industry and academic contexts. Using this knowledge, you will be able to interpret essential elements, trends, and global perspectives in order to fully explore the purpose and significance of fashion shows, especially ENCLOTHE.

1. History of Fashion Shows

The origins of fashion shows illuminate the path followed and give fashion show production teams concepts and strategies to adopt, modify, or avoid. When reviewing the history of fashion shows in the apparel industry and the current running shows at apparel and textiles academic institutions, consider the following:

• Who is watching the fashion shows?
• Who is working on producing the fashion shows?
• Who might be involved that we do not see?
• Who benefits from the show?
• How do the teams communicate their purpose?

Industry Fashion Shows: Origins to Now^[1]

Academic Fashion Shows in the U.S.

2. Purpose & Significance

As you may have noticed, academic fashion shows have widely varying purposes and applications. Generally, we can see that the audience is friends and family of student designers with occasional industry partners and attendees. Industry fashion shows, though even more widely varying, tend to be professional across all aspects of production. Below, a table provides some side-by-side comparisons. After looking over the history of industry fashion shows, the currently running academic fashion shows, and the comparisons of the two, test your knowledge by selecting the single-choice answers following the table.

3. Essential Elements

Whether for industry or academic settings, fashion shows require intricate and complex planning and execution. From concept to production, a cohesive design lends to a smoother planning process and a more successful show overall. This cohesion is easily achieved by identifying and centering decisions on the essential elements.

Theme & Atmosphere

The theme and atmosphere of a show can be summarized as ‘the vibe.’ The theme and atmosphere encompass color, decoration, texture, volume, energy, and general artistic expression. This may be influenced by or determine the designers’ submissions. The theme contributes to the atmosphere of the sets, music, and overall experience. 

Themes may be obvious; they may be overtly communicated through show titles and graphic designs. Some examples of shows that use overt themes include Iowa State University and Mount Mary University. Some themes may be more subtle and abstract, communicated through the atmosphere alone. This is more common in industry fashion shows. A show will always have a theme, but the interpretation and implementation of it are at the discretion of the production team.

Target Audience

Understanding the target audience is crucial, as it guides decisions related to design, marketing, and overall presentation to ensure that the showcased collections resonate with the anticipated viewers. Industry fashion shows are liberated to express and promote their shows through avant-garde approaches. Academic fashion shows must consider the following viewership:

Peers and Faculty

Remember that your instructors will be evaluating and providing feedback on the production.

Alumni

Program graduates, now industry professionals, can provide insight and opportunities to designers and production team members.

General Public and Family

Inviting and encouraging general attendance contributes to the visibility of the academic program and fosters community engagement. It also introduces a wider range of perspectives and sensibilities.

Potential Employers, Sponsors, and Industry Partners

Academic fashion shows often rely on sponsorships and collaborations with industry partners. The target audience includes representatives from these sponsoring organizations who support the event financially or logistically. The interests and expectations of these partners are important to consider for sustained partnership and support.

Generally, academic fashion shows have a stronger obligation to consider the values, viewpoints, and expectations of their target audience than industry fashion shows as the response will be more immediate and personally impactful for everyone involved. The next section will discuss some strategies to approach promotions and production with these precautions.

Personnel

Personnel are the people involved in production. The size and division of work depend on the size, funding, and interest surrounding the show. Most shows need at a minimum a designer or designers, models, and a production team. Larger shows will have a diverse production team to cover tasks categorized by location, timing, specialties, or show needs. Some common examples of production team divisions are committees for planning, audio/visual teams for lighting and music, and public relations firms to generate attention and communicate schedules and ticketing. Industry shows tend to include security personnel, while academic shows are more likely to include volunteer groups to fill out gaps on show day. As with theme and audience, the production team’s organization and tasks vary by show.

4. Global Perspectives

Fashion shows involve people. The theme is created and perceived by people, the audience is people, and the personnel are people. People have diverse and intersectional stories, feelings, and expressions thereof. Understanding differences and similarities between each other gives us the opportunity to connect with others, both in working relationships and in show production. Considering perspectives other than our own is the first step towards achieving a universally positive and respectful production.

Universal Expressions of Emotion

Brene Brown on Empathy

Fashion Shows and Culture

Culture is “the shared knowledge and schemes created by a set of people for perceiving, interpreting, expressing, and responding to the social realities around them.”^[2] For a fashion show and the fashion industry, culture is more fluid and innovative. Fashion shows began in Paris, France, but shows take place on every continent today; even Antarctica (not really). The biggest challenge for fashion, including runway shows, in the context of culture is defining the difference between appropriation and appreciation. An example related to fashion shows would be “a fashion designer creating pieces dedicated to a culture they don’t belong to and not involving cultural members to participate in the design process or the fashion show. An easy way to remember the difference between Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation is to remember that Cultural Appreciation is about honoring a culture whereas Cultural Appropriation is dishonoring or demeaning a culture.” ^[3] Although the definition varies by the week and the gatekeepers shift, approaching decisions with empathy and respect can help production teams navigate cultural boundaries.

Some resources:

Multicultural Center at UARK

Cultural Competence Toolkit from NC State

CULTURAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS INITIATIVE® – “a worldwide movement supporting the recognition of cultural intellectual property rights® for craftsmen and women who are the custodians and transmitters of traditional garments, traditional designs and traditional manufacturing techniques.”

5. Trend Forecasting

Fashion and trend forecasting are closely intertwined. Trends in fashion are observed across time and emerging trends are analyzed to allow industry professionals to determine the best plan for buying, merchandising, and surplusing their merchandise. Fashion shows not only contribute to trend forecasting practices but there is also trend forecasting associated with planning the event. According to market research, fashion show formats and themes will continue growing the emerging trends in diversity, environmental consciousness, and technological integration. Diversity and environmental consciousness, both elements of sustainability, eco-friendly procedures and sustainable materials and production are increasingly popular. Inclusivity in model casting and design representation is also expected to increase. Technology is expected to be implemented more frequently in fashion shows through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), such as through Metaverse-hosted shows and hybrid productions.

As shown by the graphic below, fashion shows are and expect to become an even greater revenue stream than any other fashion event.^[4]

Fashion Show Spotlight: Case Studies from Previous Semesters

Activity 1. Fashion Show Spotlight