Fashion shows are an integral part of fashion culture, uniting designers, models and other industry professionals for an evening of style. Unfortunately, some outfits presented at fashion shows can often look excessive or unwearable in real life; for instance, several pieces from Viktor and Rolf’s show earlier this week looked excessive and downright ridiculous – prompting many observers to wonder why fashion shows feature garments which cannot possibly be worn again; what message this sends about our industry as a whole?
Designers see their runway collections as works of art, using them to push the limits of traditional clothing design while setting trends for the forthcoming season and distinguishing themselves from competitors. Unfortunately, with fashion becoming ever more commercialized some designers have started to tone down their creative vision in order to remain competitive and maintain sales.
Fashion shows are designed to be spectacular events, intended to make an impressionful statement about designers’ brands and create an impactful spectacle. Costumes and sets used at these shows may be highly stylized and designed to evoke certain feelings or sensations; this is especially evident at runway shows held in high-profile locations that attract media coverage.
At times, designers use unwearable garments in fashion shows to add drama and intrigue for their audience. These extravagant pieces may feature loud music or dramatic lighting to amplify the impact of their appearance; this technique of fashion show production can increase sales and market share of participating brands.
Fashion shows are filled with unwearable clothes as an act of expression of creativity and originality, created specifically for this event and more evocative and extreme than items sold in stores. This serves to differentiate a brand from competitors while simultaneously showcasing artistic talent by the designer.
No matter the motivations behind fashion show clothing productions that produce unwearable pieces, they are an obvious financial loss. Most items created specifically for shows will never end up being worn and their production can be very costly. Furthermore, fashion show garments contribute significantly to waste and pollution issues; furthermore forcing models and other fashion professionals to conform to unrealistic beauty standards can have serious health and mental effects on them as well as force them into unrealistic beauty standards that may even cause psychological trauma and serious psychological trauma.
Fashion is an ever-evolving industry, and in the future we may see more unusual designs that are simply too far out for comfortable wearability. But this won’t stop couture and high-end fashion from continuing to thrive as part of a successful industry.