Susanna Tikanoja 2021 - Aalto-yliopisto
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S u s a n n a T ik a n o ja 2 0 2 1
S u s a n n a T ik a n o ja T h e Pa s t , P r e se n t & F u t u re o f Fa s h i o n S h ow s Master of Arts 30 credits S u p e r v i s i n g pr o f e s s o r: P i r j o H i r vo n e n T h e s i s a d v i s o r s: E l i n a Pe l t o n e n & L i n d a T u ru n e n D e p a r tm e n t o f D e s i g n M a s t e r’ s P r o gr a m me i n Fa s h i o n , C l o t h i n g a n d T e x t i l e D e s i g n Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture 2021
Aalto University, P.O. BOX 31000, 00076 AALTO
www.aalto.fi
Master of Arts thesis abstract
Author Susanna Tikanoja
Title of thesis The Past, Present and Future of Fashion Shows
Department Department of Design
Degree programme Master’s Programme in Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design
Year 2021 Number of pages 59 Language English
Abstract
This thesis explores the past, the present and the future of fashion shows. Through the history of
the fashion shows since their emerging in the late 1800s, they have evolved within the time and
society. However, certain fashion show features can still be identified today. The research aims to
discuss how the shows are relevant today and how their nature is evolving in our time. The main
focus is on identifying current fashion show elements in order to define the future.
The thesis project started in December 2019 and in early months of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic
spread worldwide and brought a new layer to the research. The pandemic had immediate effects
on the fashion industry as safety regulations, social distancing and travel restrictions came to
order.
The research focuses on three main parts: the history of fashion shows, the current state of fashion
shows and finally, interviews with five Finnish fashion industry insiders sharing their insights. The
traditional fashion show culture is observed through the chapters. By exploring both the past and
the present of fashion shows as well as analyzing the information received from the interviews, this
research aims to understand how the fashion shows are evolving.
As a conclusion of the research it can be stated, that the future of the fashion shows is yet not
completely recognizable as the fashion industry is in a significant transformation. Today active
responsibility and sustainability proposals are made by the industry players, though
understanding that the change needed might take time. The findings of the research reveal that the
fashion shows will most likely adapt to digital formats even more widely and the possibility of a
hybrid, a combination of physical and digital, is recognized. In addition, the findings of this
research highlight the significance of live events to the people. However, it must be acknowledged
that the fashion show is evolving and will unlikely be the same as before the pandemic.
Keywords fashion show history, fashion shows today, COVID-19 and fashion shows, fashion
show future
Aalto-yliopisto, PL 11000, 00076 AALTO
www.aalto.fi
Taiteen maisterin opinnäytteen tiivistelmä
Tekijä Susanna Tikanoja
Työn nimi The Past, Present and Future of Fashion Shows
Laitos Department of Design
Koulutusohjelma Master’s Programme in Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design
Vuosi 2021 Sivumäärä 59 Kieli Englanti
Tiivistelmä
Tämä opinnäytetyö keskittyy tutkimaan muotinäytösten historiaa, nykypäivää sekä tulevaisuutta.
Läpi muotinäytösten historian aina 1800-luvun lopulta asti, näytökset ovat kehittyneet ja
peilanneet yhteiskuntaa. Muotinäytökset ovat kehittyneet ajan mukana ja tietyt niille ominaiset
piirteet ovat edelleen tunnistettavissa. Opinnäytetyö keskittyy tutkimaan, kuinka muotinäytökset
ovat ajankohtaisia ja miten niiden luonne kehittyy meidän aikanamme.
Opinnäytetyöprojekti alkoi joulukuussa 2019. Vuoden 2020 alussa COVID-19 viruksen
levittäytyminen maailmanlaajuiseksi pandemiaksi toi kuitenkin työlle uuden ulottuvuuden.
Painopiste keskittyi lisäksi pohtimaan pandemian vaikutuksia muotinäytösten ja muodin alan
osalta. Pandemia vaikutti välittömästi muotiteollisuuteen ja muodin alan yritykset
maailmanlaajuisesti ajautuivat kriisin partaalle.
Tämä tutkimus keskittyy kolmeen eri osa-alueeseen: muotinäytösten historian lyhyeen
läpikäymiseen, näytösten nykytilaan sekä tutkimusta varten tehtyihin haastatteluihin.
Haastateltavat edustavat suomalaisia alan ammattilaisia, joiden näkemys on tutkimukselle
arvokas. Perinteinen muotinäytöskulttuuri analysoidaan näiden edellä mainittujen kolmen
painopisteen pohjalta. Mennyttä muotinäytösten historiaa läpikäyden ja keskittyen analysoimaan
haastatteluista saatua informaatiota, tämä tutkimus pyrkii ymmärtämään muotinäytösten
nykyisen kehityksen suunnan.
Tutkimuksen yhteenvetona voidaan todeta, että muotinäytösten tulevaisuuden suuntaa on vaikea
vielä täysin määrittää, sillä muodin ala kokonaisuudessaan on tällä hetkellä muutoksen alla. Useat
alan toimijat ovat aktivoituneet paremman muodin tulevaisuuden edessä, mutta on kuitenkin
ymmärrettävä, että muutos vie aikaa. Tutkimus osoitti, että muotinäytökset tulevat vieläkin
laajemmin siirtymään digitaaliseen muotoon. Hybridi, jossa yhdistyvät sekä fyysinen- että
digitaalinen kokemus, on kuitenkin todennäköinen vaihtoehto. Tutkimus ja sen tulokset
korostavat live-tapahtumien sekä fyysisten kontaktien merkitystä ihmisille. On mahdollista, että
muotinäytökset eivät palaavat täysin samanlaiseen formaattiin kuin ennen pandemiaa. Kaiken
kaikkiaan digitalisaation, kokonaisvaltaisen vastuullisuuden sekä live-tapahtumien merkityksen
korostaminen ovat todennäköisesti tulevaisuuden suunnan muokkaajia.
Avainsanat muotinäytösten historia, muotinäytösten nykytila, COVID-19 ja muotinäytökset,
muotinäytösten tulevaisuus
CONTENTS
1 I N T R O D U C T I O N ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1 . 1 A I M S A N D O B J E C T I V E S ................................................................................................................................................... 4
1 . 2 R E S E A R C H M E T H O D S ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
2 O B S E R V A T I O N O N H I S T O R Y O F F A S H I O N S H O W S .......................................................................................... 7
2 . 1 D E V E L O P M E N T O F F A S H I O N S Y S T E M .................................................................................................................. 8
2 . 2 B I R T H O F F A S H I O N M O D E L I N G ............................................................................................................................... 10
2 . 3 H I S T O R Y O F F A S H I O N S H O W S 1 9 2 0 - 2 0 0 0 .................................................................................................... 11
3 F A S H I O N S H O W S T O D A Y ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
3 . 1 F A S H I O N S H O W E L E M E N T S ....................................................................................................................................... 15
3 . 2 B U R E A U B E T A K A N D F A S H I O N S H O W P R O D U C T I O N ............................................................................ 18
3 . 3 F A S H I O N S H O W O B S E R V A T I O N O N B U R E A U B E T A K C A S E S ........................................................... 20
4 M O D E R N P H E N O M E N A S H A P I N G F A S H I O N S H O W S ...................................................................................... 23
4 . 1 T O W A R D S M O R E R E S P O N S I B L E F A S H I O N I N D U S T R Y .......................................................................... 23
4 . 2 R E I M A G I N I N G F A S H I O N S Y S T E M A N D F A S H I O N C A L E N D A R ........................................................... 25
4 . 3 D I G I T A L F A S H I O N S H O W S A N D P R E S E N T A T I O N S ................................................................................... 27
4 . 4 C O V I D - 1 9 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 31
5 M E T H O D O L O G Y ............................................................................................................................................................................. 33
5 . 1 C O N T E N T A N A L Y S I S ........................................................................................................................................................ 33
5 . 2 I N T R O D U C T I O N O F T H E I N T E R V I E W E E S .......................................................................................................... 34
6 F I N D I N G S ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 36
7 C O N C L U S I O N ................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
7 . 1 F I N A L N O T E B Y T H E A U T H O R .................................................................................................................................. 47
7 . 2 L I M I T A T I O N S A N D F U T U R E R E S E A R C H ............................................................................................................ 48
1 INTRODUCTION
This thesis observes the past, the present and the future of fashion shows. The aim of this research is to
identify modern phenomena shaping fashion shows as well as discuss possible future elements of the
shows.
In the early months of 2020, concerns about COVID-19 spread worldwide. The pandemic immediately
affected the fashion industry as safety regulations, social distancing and travel restrictions came to order.
The industry faced a challenging situation. Factories worldwide shut down, deliveries were cancelled and
postponed, fashion weeks and fashion shows were cancelled, and businesses suffered severe damages.
Though already before the pandemic there was a need to create a more responsible future for the industry,
the crisis pushed the inevitable change by speed. Gucci’s Creative Director Alessandro Michele’s quote
from May 2020, well identifies that the crisis will shape the fashion industry and its patterns.
“As for me, in my own small way, I feel the urgent need to change a lot of things in the way I work. I have always been
professionally inclined to change, after all, bringing with me a natural and joyful creative restlessness. But this crisis has
somehow amplified such transformative urgency, which can’t be deferred anymore.”
(Michele 2020).
According to #rewiringfashion, proposal for the global fashion industry started by fashion professionals in
May 2020, the fashion system needs to be set around fresh set of principles. The proposal identifies
practical issues such as: an outsynced fashion calendar and an outdated fashion show format. #rewiring
suggests, that the reimagined future would have less trends, less seasons, fewer fashion weeks and fewer
collections. In addition, fashion buying, new consumption behaviors and less depending on discounting
would need support. (#rewiring 2020). As mentioned in Brydges et al. (2020) ideally, the crisis caused by the
pandemic could enable opportunities for these movements to grow. However, in reality it might not be as
straight forward – the reduction in demand has caused financial pressure and severe unemployment
threatening these sustainability initiatives. (Brydges et al. 2020).
The quarantine circumstances during the pandemic have caused changes in consumer behavior, as people
have been locked down to their homes. People have spent more time at home and they have been
encouraged to rethink consumption. Nevertheless, it is still uncertain whether the pandemic will be “the
sustainability reset” that the industry needs. (Brydges et al. 2020). The ideal scenario would be that the
pandemic supports both brand and consumer behaviors leading to a more responsible future. As stated by
Brydges et al. (2020) the fashion industry should use this time to reflect and rebuild a more inclusive,
environmentally and socially sustainable industry. (Brydges et al. 2020).
1
Fashion show is a relatively modern phenomenon in the Western fashion. The origins of fashion show can
be found in the development of the French haute couture system and the show began to develop towards
year 1900. Though fashion shows have always evolved within the time and society, there are today still
many essential features that were established in the first decades of the 20th century. (Evans 2013 p.11-12).
The first fashion shows were a form of marketing, as they naturally still are today. The first shows also
represented production and consumption of the modern era and they were a link between commerce and
culture, a form of business between Europe and America. (Evans 2013 p.10-12).
Today the fashion industry is facing a future filled with uncertainties. However, the only thing certain is that
the industry will probably look very different from what it was before the pandemic. (Brydges et al. 2020). As
Anna Wintour, Editor of Vogue and artistic director of Condé Nast, stated in The New York Times Magazine
interview, there will probably be nothing like the fashion week as we knew it. According to Wintour, the
pandemic clarified the long-term conversations the fashion industry had been having for a while already.
(Aleksander 2020).
As digital solutions are taking over the field of fashion and the industry is reconsidering its priorities, it is
very possible that fashion shows are not expected to return to the pre-COVID-19 format. Digital solutions,
such as fashion films and virtual fashion shows among many others, are replacing the traditional live format
with fashion show audience. During 2020 the fashion show evolution has taken major leaps with a push
from the worldwide pandemic. In addition to digital development, brands have declared taking ownership of
their fashion calendars. For example, Saint Laurent announced that the brand will not attend the 2020
fashion calendar and will “launch its collections following a plan conceived with an up-to-date perspective,
driven by creativity.” (Binkley 2020).
The following page will briefly present five digital fashion shows brands have executed instead of live shows
during 2020.
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1.1 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
This thesis explores the past, the present and the future of fashion shows. The research aims to observe
modern phenomena affecting especially the future of the shows. By briefly studying the history of the
shows, the thesis identifies certain features that are essential to the shows’ nature.
The thesis project started in December 2019 and the main focus then was to discover new ideas for fashion
show production and execution. I have been working as a styling and a production assistant in Finland for
six years. It was out of my personal interest to discover the evolution of fashion shows in order to reach a
deeper professional knowledge in my career. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world
during the first months of 2020, the thesis got a new perspective. The new layer brought by the pandemic
affected the research and my personal objectives. The main objective shifted to observe the current state
as well as the future of the shows. By exploring both the past and the present of fashion shows as well as
analyzing the information received from the methodology of this thesis, I try to understand the modern
evolution of the fashion shows.
This thesis focuses on observing modern and current phenomena shaping the shows. Due to the
broadness of the thesis topic, future research would be valuable. Personally, I would like to continue this
study further in order to reach a deeper understanding. While writing this, the pandemic is still very much
affecting everyday life. Therefore, it is uncertain to create definite future insights, but the findings of this
study will most likely shape the fashion show future.
4
1.2 RESEARCH METHODS
This thesis is divided into three main parts: the history of fashion shows, the current state and elements of
fashion shows and finally the methodology by qualitative research in the form of interviews. The research
methods of include secondary literary review as well as primary qualitative research. The literary review
consists of the history of fashion shows as well as academic articles and other industry related articles.
The literary review for this research includes the following books: Stark (2018) The Fashion show: History,
Theory and Practice, Betak (2017) Fashion Show Revolution and Evans (2013) The Mechanical Smile:
Modernism and the First Fashion Shows in France and America, 1900-1929. Academic journals such as
Brydges et al. (2020) Will COVID-19 support the transition to a more sustainable fashion industry, Rocamora
& Entwistle (2006) The Field of Fashion materialized: A Study of London Fashion Week and Fletcher (2010)
Slow Fashion: An Invitation for Systems Change, have been essential references for this research.
Internet references were broadly used in order to receive the latest industry news and other related
information. Notable industry Internet references are: Business of Fashion (BoF), Vogue, Women’s Wear
Daily (WWD), fashion week platforms, fashion magazines and fashion brands’ own websites. The secondary
data, the articles and media hits from the current fashion shows, was collected systematically in 2020 in
order to observe especially digital solutions fashion brands have used during the year.
Qualitative research was conducted in the form of interviews. The interviews as a research method were
chosen, because the study needed concrete and specific material. Carefully hand-picked five interesting
fashion professionals and industry insiders based in Finland share their insights and visions. These
interviews are considered valuable for the research, because it needed the personal expertise of these
selected interviewees. The interviews were conducted in between November 2020 and December 2020.
While finishing this thesis in March 2021, the pandemic is still creating uncertainty worldwide. However, it
must be acknowledged that it has already been one year since the fashion industry was in front of a new
situation. Fashion brands have had time to adapt and especially digital fashion shows and presentations
have been in popular use. Fashion weeks are currently adapted to digital formats and for example New
York fashion week in spring 2021 is completely digital including livestreams on Internet as well as special
access links.
56
2 OBSERVATION ON HISTORY OF FASHION
SHOWS
This chapter focuses on observing the birth of the Western fashion shows since the late 1800s until year
2000. Fashion show is a relatively modern phenomenon in the Western fashion and its origins can be found
in the development of the French haute couture system. The fashion show as we know it today, began to
develop towards year 1900 and by 1910 it was already well established. Though fashion shows have
evolved within the industry and time, they still have many essential features that were established in the first
decades of the 20th century. (Evans 2013 p.11-12).
The very first fashion shows were a form of marketing and promotion, as they still are today. They were a
link between commerce and culture, being a form of business between Europe and America. Towards the
later 1800s, the beginnings of the emancipation of women resulted partly in the creation of fashion shows.
Women were more independent, and for example it was more acceptable for wealthy women to start
visiting dressmakers at their premises. The first fashion shows’ character was more theatrical than simple
fashion modeling, and the shows represented production and consumption of the modern era. (Evans 2013
p.10-12).
Couturiers in the early 1900s designed elegant salons as they wanted to recreate their fashion houses. The
salons were a combination of a drawing room and a theatre. They had rows of golden chairs, mirror walls
and stages with curtains. The mannequins appeared behind these curtains and there was a certain social
order as more important clients were given better seats in the front row. Later on, fashion show started to
take inspiration from popular culture and music, refreshments and programs were introduced. The arts
were closely linked to fashion as for example Picasso designed theatre seats and couturiers designed
theatre costumes. (Stark 2018 p.16-18).
As mentioned by Stark (2018) we often talk about street style as it is a modern phenomenon. However,
displaying fashion and new styles as well as ‘style-spotting’ has its origins in the 19th century. People tend
to parade in fashionable places and observe what others (the wealthy, the famous or royal) were wearing.
Theatre and races were popular social gatherings, and this is where Parisian tailors saw an opportunity to
employ young men to show the latest fashion in early 19th century. (Stark 2018 p.9).
The global trade networks across the Americas and Europe played a significant role in the birth and
evolvement of fashion shows, as haute couture houses dealt with manufacturers and wholesalers at all
levels of the market. Fashion shows played a major role in this process. Export trade and the shows were
created for the convenience of both trade buyers and individual clients. (Evans 2013 p.11-12).
72.1 DEVELOPMENT OF FASHION SYSTEM
The Western fashion system as we know it today started to develop in the mid-1800s. Savile Row in
London, became known for men’s tailoring and Paris as a city became known for its couture fashion.
Dressmakers became internationally known for their craftmanship and they were celebrated for innovation
and creativity - this also applied to promoting collections. These dressmaking businesses soon evolved into
fashion houses, which produced collections twice a year and both national and international customers
visited these couturiers. The fashion houses created a pattern of establishing two collections per year, two
seasons, autumn/winter and spring/summer. This forms the bases of the fashion calendar as we have
known it. (Stark 2018 p.13).
In 1868 in Paris, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture was established. The association replaced
medieval guilds and ensured that craftspeople had great influence. It also set rules to govern the couture
industry in France in the 1900’s. The rules included for example the minimum number of outfits on shows,
the number of employees to create collections, and that two collections a year must be shown on live
models. (Stark 2018 p.13).
‘The social season’ in the late 1800s and early 1990s was the time of the year for the social elite to gather
and socialize in events such as balls and dinners. ‘The Openings’ were part of the social season and it was
a notable commercial opportunity for the Parisian couturiers. The greater leisure time made a significant
difference in life and allowed culture to develop. Music, theatre, photography and especially the fashion
show became the highlight of the season. As traveling became popular among the wealthy, businesses
such as Louis Vuitton grew. Traveling took a long time and the elite had to pack the latest fashion to be
paraded in. As Paris was seen as the home for fashion, it became a custom for both men and women to
attend fashion shows when arriving to the city. According to Stark, when you attended the Paris fashion
shows, you were “fashionable, modern and the right social set.” (Stark 2018 p.14-15).
(6) Models in Parisian fashion house in early 1900s.
8As identified by Stark (2018) the American market brought much wealth to the French couturiers and the
French fashion industry. However, a new market was emerging as a result of the industrial revolution in the
latter 1800s. The industrial revolution resulted in the development of mass production and especially ready-
to-wear clothing. Ready-to-wear clothing gave the fashion show a totally new purpose. In addition to the
elite, now also international buyers came to Paris twice a year. International buyers knew that garments
would sell back home as “having been designed in Paris.” Fashion houses sold their designs (models or
toiles) to buyers and manufacturers, who mass produced these designs in other countries, especially in
America. Couture fashion was still made by hand to the elite and the ready-to-wear market sold expensive
clothing produced by fashion houses. Couturiers capitalized this as a new opportunity and designs were
simplified and even modified for mass-manufacturing. “Designed in Paris” was however still a valuable
selling point. (Stark 2018 p.14-15).
Towards the early 1900s, the department store had become a popular retail format. Visiting a department
store was a social activity and there were often events such as concerts, exhibitions and fashion shows.
International buyers had seen the fashion show as an opportunity to showcase new designs in department
stores. For example, Harrods in London showed designs on living models as early as 1909 to attract
customers. (Stark 2018 p.16). The ‘shopping experience’ and ‘being fashionable’ had become features of
the city life and fashion show had developed into a method of making retail stores more attractive. By
1920s fashion shows were extensively held also by American retailers. (Stark 2018 p.16).
92.2 BIRTH OF FASHION MODELING
Already in 1700s well before emerging of fashion models, French dressmakers sent fashionably dressed
dolls around Europe to promote their work internationally. The dolls were 75 centimeters high and had
miniature adult figures. (Evans 2013 p.12). The Western fashion modeling became well established in the
1800s. The fashion show pioneers Paquin, Lucile, Poiret and Patou were developing the modern form of
sales, marketing and publicity. For example, Paquin had modelling stages, which was an innovation of
Lucile’s that soon became adapted by Parisian and American companies. There is evidence, that Paquin
had ballet performances concluded in her shows. However, fashion shows at the time were not open to
public. Living mannequins became part of the bourgeoning publicity industry and they were used in
advertisements of the couturiers. (Evans 2013 p.30-31).
In the beginning of the 1820s, tailors hired handsome men known as ‘mannequins.’ These mannequins
were the ancestors of the fashion model. While the fashion dolls mentioned earlier were always female, the
first fashion models in Paris were actually male and they were often poor and young men. They were
obliged to display fashionable clothing at races as well as other fashionable events and were paid in money
or clothes. Typically, paid mannequins had to return their clothes in the evening which was considered
pitiable. Professional actors, who worked as unpaid models, were however more admired. Young actors
were employed as mannequins to parade outfits in fashionable public spaces of Paris. (Evans 2013 p.12).
Many decades later, English fashion couturier Worth among others sent their female mannequins to the
races. According to Evans, Worth might have been feminizing an advertising practice long familiar to tailors.
Perhaps men’s freedom to parade unaccompanied explains why men were the first to model clothing in this
way and not women. (Evans 2013 p.12).
Slowly in the second half of the 19th century women began to be used
as professional mannequins, however only in the privacy of the couture
houses. By the end of the century the profession had become
feminized, as most fashion models were female not male. Before then,
society women did not visit their dressmakers’ premises and naturally
there was no need for young women to model there. In the 18th century,
a lady’s dress was made by a number of different individuals; tailor,
dressmaker, milliner etc. Only companies such as Worth, Virot or
Laferrière received customers in their maison, rather than attending the
customer at their homes. By 1880, private clients visited the couture
houses twice a year (in April and November) to see the new fashions
modelled by living mannequins. In the 1890s, it was common for
fashionable society women to spend the afternoon looking at the
mannequins in the couture houses. (Evans 2013 p.12-13).
(7) Model in mid 1800s at couturier Charles Frederick Worth.
102.3 HISTORY OF FASHION SHOWS 1920-2000
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3 FASHION SHOWS TODAY
Since the emerging of the first fashion shows in the late 1800s, the shows have evolved from private salon
shows into entertainment catered to the masses. As identified in the previous chapter, fashion shows have
evolved within the time and society. The shows have adapted each decade’s movements and therefore
represent well a certain time period. The essential features of the shows have involved the shift from
business to entertainment, the change in fashion show audience as well as the development of the fashion
show production and execution. One of the greatest changes identified through the history of the shows is
digitalisation, which has opened the before closed shows to new audiences.
3.1 FASHION SHOW ELEMENTS
Through a study on London Fashion Week (LFW), Rocamora and Entwistle (2006) observe how a fashion
week traditionally functions. As identified in the research, LFW has brought the key people of fashion
industry together; fashion designers, models, journalists, buyers, fashion stylists, celebrities and other
important figures. It is noted that these key people also include fashion students, who are on the margins of
the field because of their ‘outside status.’ (Rocamora & Entwistle & 2006). This particular research
demonstrates how different people have different status and appreciation in the industry, creating contrast
as well as strong division between the actors of the field. Fashion show audience has traditionally consisted
of fashion industry insiders, whereas today shows are live streamed to wide audiences without no specific
status in the field.
It must be noted that the article by Rocamora and Entwistle, which is being referred to in this chapter, is
written in 2006. The fashion industry has gone through changes in the past years and especially while
writing this particular thesis during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an example of this evolvement, today LFW
is a digital gender-neutral platform. The platform was first launched in spring 2020 and it is accessible year-
round at https://londonfashionweek.co.uk/ (London Fashion Week 2021). Though it might be that the
circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic might not have as drastic change to the industry as one
might expect, it must be argued that the exclusivity of fashion week and fashion shows has diminished. As
stated by Stark (2018) fashion shows are no longer for the elite. Brands promote their collections directly to
the public and present their work through mass communication, which used to be a privilege only for the
industry insiders. In addition, consumers today can revisit the shows and watch them multiple times. (Stark
2018, p 79).
Rocamora and Entwistle (2006) rely strongly on Bourdieu’s field theory in order to explore institutional
settings and their role in the reproduction of the field they belong to. As identified by Bordieu, in addition to
other fields, also the field of fashion is a place where some people fulfil the conditions of access to play a
certain game whereas others are excluded. (Rocamora & Entwistle 2006). In order to understand how the
traditional field of fashion is organized by its players, this particular theory must be taken into consideration.
15Continuing and reflecting on the work of Bordieu, the article argues that LFW as an event has been a
materialization of the field of fashion. The main purpose of LFW is to showcase next seasons’ clothing and
‘to produce, reproduce and legitimate the field of fashion and the positions of those players in it.’ The
players who already belong to this particular field have a recognized position within it and gain access to
the event. (Rocamora & Entwistle 2006). Rocamora & Entwistle (2006) state that the fashion show’s function
is to promote the work of designers and also the field’s players. Rather than an open to public fashion
show, the event is a closed space which only few can enter. The division between ‘inside and outside’ is
strong. This notion mirrors and reproduces the boundaries existing around the wider field of fashion.
(Rocamora & Entwistle 2006).
When contrasting the theory above to modern fashion show culture, Bureau Betak (a world known
company focusing on fashion show production and set design) has produced fashion shows which have
been either completely or partially accessible to others than fashion show guests with an invite. For
example, the Mango Fall/Winter 2011 fashion show at Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris by Bureau Betak
- a fashion show which also the public could view from the outside. The fashion show hosted guests with
invites inside, but as the show took place in the see-through ‘Catepillar’ of the building it was presented to
both the public and the guests. (Betak 2017). In addition, it must be noted that through digitalization and
live-streaming of shows on social media, the traditional division of ‘the inside and outside’ has diminished.
The shows have been made accessible to wider audiences and especially others than only industry
insiders.
According to Rocamora and Entwistle (2006) the body itself is witness of a player’s membership in the field.
The body represents physical presence and the notion of ‘being seen.’ A person’s body is a signifier of field
membership as the appearance and habitus both are critical in reproduction of one’s position. This is made
stronger by the notion of ‘the gaze.’ This can be clearly identified on the catwalk and in the audience, where
especially the front row is a subject and object of others’ gaze. (Rocamora & Entwistle 2006).
The following two pages will observe the traditional fashion show elements adapted from Rocamora &
Entwistle (2006) The Field of Fashion materialized: A Study of London Fashion Week.
1617
3.2 BUREAU BETAK AND FASHION SHOW PRODUCTION
Through observing the work of Bureau Betak, a company focusing on fashion show production and set
design, high-profile productions are being studied in this chapter. Bureau Betak founded by Alexandre de
Betak, who has been credited for having the ability to transform a simple fashion show idea into
multi-sensory event and experience. (Business of Fashion 2020).
(8) Alexandre de Betak (on the right).
Bureau Betak has been credited for having revolutionized fashion shows. The company aims to approach
fashion shows as architectural, artistic and emotional expressions. According to de Betak himself, it can be
argued whether fashion is an art form or does fashion become art through the way it is presented. (Betak
2017 p.7). Historically speaking the very first fashion shows were more theatrical events rather than simple
fashion modeling. There is evidence of concluding ballet performance with dancers as early as the late
1800s. (Evans 2013 p. 30). In addition, when reflecting Bureau Betak to history of fashion shows, you could
make a comparison to for example Elsa Schiaparelli’s approach on fashion shows in the 1930s. Schiaparelli
approached fashion as an art form and was part of the Surrealist movement. (Stark 2018 p. 22). Later in the
1990s designers staged spectacular shows in order to promote their brands and names. Both John
Galliano and Alexander McQueen are perfect examples of this fantasy kind of fashion shows. (Stark 2018
p.40). Executing fashion shows with an artistic approach is nothing new, but Bureau Betak has the ability to
build a comprehensive fashion show experience in the modern world.
As earlier mentioned in this thesis, many of today’s fashion show’s essential features were already
established in the first decades of the 20th century (Evans 2013 p.30-31). For most of the history of modern
fashion since the turn of the 19th and 20th century, modeling new clothing styles has been about “the walk.”
The presentation of clothing has happened for small audiences in a dress salon or department store by
slowly walking around. (Betak 2017 p.7). Though in our time we might consider street style as a new
phenomenon, displaying fashion and new styles as well as ‘style-spotting’ has its origins in the 19th century.
People used to stroll in fashionable places, like avenues and races, and observe what others were wearing.
18(Stark 2018 p.9). Since the 1960s the character of fashion shows has evolved even more with new
approaches such as plastic arts, fine arts, video arts as well as new technologies. (Betak 2017 p.7).
Today, fashion show is strongly a creative form of expression. It can be an experience combined with set,
location, light and performance. Fashion show is more than just a background for what you see – the shows
are full of a-list celebrities, influencers and inspiring clothing. According to de Betak, a fashion show is also
a platform where to communicate attitudes and show concern. (Betak 2017 p.7).
(9) Dior Couture Spring/Summer 2017 Musée Rodin, Paris. By Bureau Betak.
In April 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, Alexandre de Betak discussed the future of fashion
shows in an interview with the 10magazine. (Bonacic 2020). As de Betak explains:
“I think that the discussion about switching is happening, even if it’s not as fast as I wished. The mentality and the habits of
over a century of fashion shows and fashion weeks are hard ones to change yet I think they will. In order to see the positive
side of that negative situation, it will force us to do so. Coming out of it, doing things exactly the way we did them before
won’t make sense. The environmental benefits on the planet of the slowest time in our lives, as far as we can all remember it,
will hopefully make us realise that we shouldn’t go back to the way things were.” (de Betak in Bonacic 2020).
“…I don’t think anything will ever kill a fashion show. It’s a live event – and even if you see it only reported to you digitally, you
understand you’re seeing a live event. I think our world needs live experiences. Once things get better again, our world will
continue to want to celebrate it, just maybe not as wastefully as it did. (…) I will always try to find a better solution to a 100%
old-fashioned live show. What I’m sure of is that I don’t want to revert to a 100% virtual and digital life. Our world needs
human interaction and we shouldn’t let go of it entirely for any reason.” (de Betak in Bonacic 2020).
In the following chapter, five of Bureau Betak’s fashion shows are observed more closely. The material
is adapted from Adapted from Betak. (2017). Fashion Show Revolution. Phaidon Press Limited.
193.3 FASHION SHOW OBSERVATION ON BUREAU BETAK CASES
20Fashion shows often require building a massive tent, which can be annoying to the city’s inhabitants. This
particular notion of frustration and annoyance resulted in de Betak coming up with the idea of a mirror box.
“A non-disruptive device to investigate urban environments, reflecting the beauty around you.” The first
mirror box was made for Jil Sander “Pure” fragrance launch in 2003 and they continued to develop the
concept with Christian Dior in several different locations such as Red Square in Moscow and Musée Rodin
in Paris. (Betak 2017 p.17). The Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2013 fashion show by Raf Simons at Red Square,
in Moscow, featured also a mirror box. Rather than being just a simple black fashion show tent, the surface
of this constructed venue adapts to the environment allowing the public to be part of the experience. In
addition, the venue does not only serve as a place for the fashion show, but rather an installation in the city.
In planning a fashion shows the importance of the location becomes crucial. This requires careful planning
and especially appreciation of both the location and culture. According to de Betak, the rise of the
globalization in early 1990s destroyed the identity of a location and changed the way fashion shows or
events were developed. Globally brands looked the same wherever they were. However, when a brand
goes to a different culture they should embrace that particular culture. For Bureau Betak it has always been
important to incorporate a country’s values and culture into everything they create and produce there.
(Betak 2017 p.17).
Bureau Betak is well known for playing with contrasts and they always aim to present the perfect
juxtaposition. If a collection is youthful, they will show in a more sophisticated venue, for example a
museum or a gallery. A venue can also signify a transition or a change in brand’s message. In the world of
fashion, a new designer brings new perspective and new ideas to a brand. In this case, a venue telling a
new story or a place reflecting a new chapter, would be chosen. Sometimes returning to a favorite venue
signifies keeping with tradition. (Betak 2017 p.17).
The Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2016 fashion show by Raf Simons at Louvre, Paris, allowed both the
city’s inhabitants and museum visitors to follow the construction process from the beginning. This enabled
the crowd to understand better what it takes to build a fashion show in this enormous scale. In addition,
creating a contrast between a historical place such as Louvre and modern fashion, is Bureau Betak at its
best. The idea of allowing the public to be part of the fashion show is a relevant and a participatory
experience. After the fashion show, the delphinium mountain stayed put as an installation and people could
take flowers to their homes. Similar to the Fall/Winter 2013 show, the venue did not serve as a single use
purpose as it was left in place as an installation after the show.
Today images and other digital material of fashion shows spread around the world in within seconds.
Historically speaking fashion shows have always been considered as closed events, which only privileged
fashion insiders can attend. Until the 1990s only few had the chance to witness the runway as it happened.
The Mary Katrantzou’s Fall/Winter 2016 fashion show at Central Saint Martins, in London, was staged with
silver balloons. This particular show and especially the images of the finale are a perfect evidence of the
change in the fashion show culture. What was interesting about the show, was the finale and especially the
way the audience responded. The audience was mesmerized by the sight of the silver balloons and wanted
to record the finale on their mobile devices. Today, there is less clapping at the end of the shows than
before as everyone is capturing moments on their phones. (Betak 2017 p.92). When the world entered a
new millennium, the fashion show and documenting a fashion show turned digital. This phenomenon
changed the direction of fashion show evolution and the way shows were perceived by the public. (Stark
2018 p.42).
21An example of a participatory fashion show experience is Bureau Betak’s H&M Fall/Winter 2015 show “On
the Moon” at Grand Palais, in Paris. This set design of the show was used as both a fashion show venue
and an after party. By allowing fashion show guests into the set offers them a participatory experience and
the audience becomes more involved with the show. (Betak 2017 p.94).
The Mango Fall/Winter 2011 fashion show at Centre Georges Pompidou, in Paris, allowed the public to
follow it from the outside. The fashion show guests with invites could view the show from the inside, while
bypassers got a glimpse of Mango’s new collection. This was the first time a fashion show was organized at
the Pompidou’s caterpillar. (Betak 2017 p.45). The Mango Fall/Winter 2011 fashion show is an interesting
example how to involve both the public and the invited fashion show guests. It could be argued if this type
of event reduces the exclusivity around fashion shows and the glorification around them? As consumer
culture has evolved, is it more suitable to show collections to everyone than rather to a small audience? In
this case the show was designed for Mango, a high street fashion brand, so it could be stated that at least
in this particular case allowing others than only the event guests to see the show was surely efficient and
suited the brand.
In addition to fashion shows, Bureau Betak has designed performances for brands such as Berluti, Hussein
Chalayan, Viktor & Rolf and Jacquemus. (Betak 2017 p.192). Bureau Betak continues to set new standards
in fashion shows and in spring 2020 the company received certification from the Swiss International
Organization for Standardization for sustainable event management. The certification ISO 20121 requires
that Bureau Betak adhere to strict standards; the company will focus on reusable materials, green energy
and banning single-use plastic in show production and catering. In addition, the company is working on
better digital solutions and for this purpose they launched Bureau Future, a branch dedicated to creating
multimedia-first experiences. These experiences include creating “everything from diverse visual assets to
live-streams, all assuring that physical presence at shows doesn’t become imperative in their reach.”
(Bonacic 2020).
224 MODERN PHENOMENA SHAPING FASHION
SHOWS
This chapter aims to identify current phenomena shaping fashion shows. As observed so far in this thesis,
fashion shows have since their birth evolved through society and time. Historically, designers have for
decades presented their visions and collections through fashion shows. Fashion show has been
traditionally considered as a way of communication of the designer’s philosophy. (Stark 2018 p. 48).
4.1 TOWARDS MORE RESPONSIBLE FASHION INDUSTRY
In recent years there has been an active discussion about the need to create a more responsible future for
the fashion industry. Consumer culture, the fashion cycle and especially the ever-speeding pace of fashion
and trends do not necessarily meet the future standards. Mass production, rapidly changing trends, poor
fabric quality and garment construction result in quick replacements in our wardrobes. Mass production
has also resulted in the fact that garments are bought in multiples. The perception of cheapness as well as
volume are the key features when describing the consumer culture of today. (Fletcher 2010).
The logic of growth is well established in the fashion industry as the basis of power and success. Large
retailers and global brands have great economic power which builds pressure in countries where fashion is
manufactured at low cost and especially on workers within the industry. (Fletcher 2010). Unfortunately
garments today are often perceived as having little value and they are thrown away after little use. As
Lidewij Edelkoort, a famous trend forecaster states, prices suggest that clothes are to be thrown away and
even unwanted before being loved, teaching us that fashion has no value. (Edelkoort 2015).
Edelkoort has written ‘a manifesto for the next decade’ in 2014, stating ten reasons why the fashion system
is outdated. Edelkoort shares her insights on fashion education, materialization, manufacturing, designers,
marketing, presentation, advertising, press and blogging, retailing as well as consumers. According to
Edelkoort (2015) all aspects of marketing fashion are seen from one perspective, which is to produce better
figures rather than to produce better products or to generate a better culture and working environment.
Designers are under pressure as they are requested to produce multiple collections. One significant
problem in the industry is that consumers are invited to shop ever earlier to take in money as soon as
possible, “showing cashmere in May and swimwear in November.” (Edelkoort 2015).
23According to Stark (2018) if simply considering fashion show as a spectacle, the runway is questionable in
both sustainable and ethical matter. Behind the spectacle lies consumers’ obsession to owning something
new and buying new trends. (Stark 2018 p. 73). In contrast to the growth-obsessed fashion industry, a
movement of slow culture and slower values in fashion has emerged. According to Fletcher (2010) slow
culture is an invitation to think about the change of systems in the fashion industry as well as question the
role of economic growth. In addition, slow fashion invites to rethink the values and views in fashion in order
to develop a more responsible society. Slow culture aims to support healthy dialogue between the rules
and the goals in the fashion sector that challenge values and economic priorities in the future. (Fletcher
2010).
Several players in the industry, including fashion weeks, have been lately focusing on sustainability
initiatives. For example, Copenhagen Fashion Week for season Autumn/Winter 2021 focuses on digital
platform combining both talks and shows. Sustainability is the main focus of Copenhagen Fashion Week
and it aims to explore alternatives to shows in order to reach even wider audience using digital solutions
and therefore minimizing traveling. (CPHFW 2021). In their Sustainability Action Plan for 2020-2022,
Copenhagen Fashion Weeks aims to help make a change in the industry and accelerate both necessary
and comprehensive sustainability efforts. The main focus is to push sustainable development through the
fashion week and to reduce negative impacts, innovate the business model and accelerate industry
change. Copenhagen Fashion Week aspires to become zero waste and targets to make the event more
sustainable in terms of climate change, consumption and waste creation. According the action plan,
collaboration is a vital part of transition towards a more sustainable fashion week and the industry over all.
(CPHFW 2020).
244.2 REIMAGINING FASHION SYSTEM AND FASHION CALENDAR
In May 2020, a proposal for the fashion industry called #rewiringfashion was posted on Internet at
www.rewiringfashion.org aiming to “rewire” the fashion calendar and the industry model. #rewiringfashion is
a platform of active conversation between an international group of independent designers, CEOs and retail
executives who joined together during the COVID-19 pandemic to rethink the industry future. The initiative
claims that the fashion system does not serve the designers, the retailers or the customers. The practical
issues are an out of synced fashion calendar and an outdated fashion show format, to mention few.
(Rewiringfashion 2020).
The proposal states, that the fashion show format has not changed in 50 years and is therefore out of date.
According to #rewiringfashion, fashion labels should be free to reimage the presentation of their collections
in order to better target products to their consumers. The previously closed industry events for press,
buyers and other insiders now welcome celebrities and influencers. This change in fashion show audience
results that the events are captured and shared online for everyone to see. One other problem highlighted is
that fashion shows are not optimal for the digital world. In this digital age, fashion imagery spread fast and
limits the return on customer desire created by the investment to fashion shows. #rewiringfashion suggests
repositioning fashion shows as events primarily designed to engage customers and create awareness as
well as desire for collections just before deliveries arrive in stores. (#rewiringfashion 2020).
(10) #rewiringfashion Instagram post, May 2020.
25In spring 2020, Saint Laurent announced that they will not attend Paris Fashion Week in September. The
brand stated to focus on reshaping the schedule for showing collections during this break. (Saint Laurent
2020). At the same time, also Gucci announced they are going seasonless. The brand decided to slow
down the pace of fashion shows and in the future show only twice per year. In a diary entry posted to
Gucci’s Instagram account, The Creative Director of the brand Alessandro Michele stated:
“I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call.”
(Michele in Deeley 2020).
“We will meet just twice a year to share the chapters of a new story. Irregular, joyful and absolutely free chapters, which will
be written blending rules and genres, feeding on new spaces, linguistic codes and communication platforms.”
(Michele in Deeley 2020).
Alessandro Michele published also diary notes on the company website stating:
“As for me, in my own small way, I feel the urgent need to change a lot of things in the way I work. I have always been
professionally inclined to change, after all, bringing with me a natural and joyful creative restlessness. But this crisis has
somehow amplified such transformative urgency, which can’t be deferred anymore.”
(Michele in Deeley 2020).
In an interview with The New York Times Magazine, Editor of Vogue and Artistic Director of Condé Nast
Anna Wintour stated that the COVID-19 pandemic clarified the long-term conversations the fashion industry
had been having for a while already. According to Wintour, there will definitely be something in the future,
but nothing like the fashion week as we knew it before the pandemic. The article states that fashion week
might be over and ‘certainly the collective circus that travels from New York to London to Milan to Paris
twice a year.’ (Aleksander 2020).
In May 2020, an article by Business of Fashion discussed the effects of the pandemic on the fashion
industry. According to the article, COVID-19 has enabled global communication and future collaboration
instead of competition. Revolutions are made in a similar matter and fashion needs one, the article
declares. If it took a worldwide pandemic to create the conditions for change, it shows the measure of how
great the need for the revolution has been. (Blanks 2020).
264.3 DIGITAL FASHION SHOWS AND PRESENTATIONS
Though digital concepts in fashion are a rather new phenomenon, fashion films date back to 1990s and
already in the 1980s brands produced films instead of runway shows. However, film as an alternative to
runway did not become widely popular until the 2000s. (Stark 2018 p.77). In 1998 Helmut Lang was one of
the first designers to present a collection online (Goodman 2018) and in 2009 Alexander McQueen became
the first designer to live-stream his Spring/Summer 2010 show “Plato’s Atlantis.” (Knight 2019).
In recent years, digital solutions and especially live-streaming of fashion shows have become widely used
among fashion brands. The use of digital alternatives increased even more during 2020 as the COVID-19
pandemic forced the fashion industry to rethink its patterns. As live fashion events and fashion shows were
not allowed to organize due to the pandemic restrictions, the use digital platforms allowed presentations to
continue. As an example, the Met Gala could not be arranged in spring 2020 and instead Vogue hosted a
YouTube livestream to raise money for the American Fashion Industry. The CR Fashion Book in turn
launched a virtual fashion show and the event raised money to fight against COVID-19. (Mondalek 2020).
Fashion weeks such as Copenhagen Fashion Week and London Fashion Week will both run as digital
platforms today. London Fashion Week (LFW) is run as a digital gender-neutral platform, which was first
launched in 2020. The LFW platform accessible year-round at https://londonfashionweek.co.uk/. It is
constantly updated for all players in the field from industry professionals, retailers, media and consumers
worldwide. The platform serves as the Official LFW Digital Hub and is freely accessible to everyone.
According to the LFW, this enables collaboration and brings together fashion, culture and technology.
(London Fashion Week 2021).
An example of a fashion brand using digital solutions instead of live fashion shows is the Prada FW2021
Menswear collection presentation. Following the presentation, Prada debuted an online conversation
between students from all over the world and co-creative directors of the brand Miuccia Prada and Raf
Simons. Students from Italy, USA, China, Japan, South Korea, UK combining fields of fashion, art, design,
architecture and philosophy – these conversations show the passion and interest both Prada and Simons
have towards educations and nurturing the future generation of creatives. On the brand website you can
find the collection in detail, the conversation in full, as well as rich information. you also get to explore the
show space more in detail through 10 images. (Prada FW21 2021).
In the conversation with the students, when Miuccia Prada is asked about which technological innovation
has affected her most, she answers that this new situation without live shows and people – this was the
biggest change. How technology connects you to people, they are searching for humanity in this. How to
make technology at the service of your ideas and feelings. Simons adds, that technology is so present right
now due to Covid-19 pandemic and we can’t have live fashion shows. We are used to live shows and now
feelings and visuals are showed worldwide through technology. (Prada FW21 2021).
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