Watching runway models parade the latest styles in Paris each year, it’s difficult not to eye the outlandish ensembles and wonder, “are these meant for real life?” To the uninitiated, these creations might seem less like wearable attire and more like artifacts from a journey through “Doctor Who’s” Tardis to a fantastical realm.
Fashion designers are artists, and runway shows are their blank canvas. Designers leverage the runway as a singular platform to unleash creativity, unfiltered by external influences like magazine edits or retail constraints. With just 10 minutes to captivate an audience, exaggeration becomes a strategic tool for conveying their vision, a tactic now amplified by the digital age’s demand for instant understanding.
Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons explained in 2014, the thought behind her show was “not making clothes.” This exemplifies the fashion industry’s conceptual side, intended to compel us to explore our own creativity within our wardrobes. Other brands, like Max Mara and Dries Van Noten, are more driven to market their designs directly to consumers.
Whether you prefer to merely be an observer of runway shows or draw inspiration from the outrageous outfits, feel free to take set your inhibitions aside and take a cue from the designers to incorporate the styles into your closet! As the fabulous Iris Apfel said, “When you don’t dress like everybody else, you don’t have to think like everybody else.” Embrace the boldness of fashion week and have fun!
