What’s the purpose of the fashion show in 2022?

Fashion shows have long been one of the greatest spectacles and celebrations in the fashion industry. Each year, editors, buyers, stylists, designers, and influencers gather at Fashion Weeks around the world to see new collections, network, and revel in all that is both the glamour and perseverance of the fashion industry.

When COVID-19 put a pause on live events, the fashion industry had a moment to pause and recalibrate. Large-scale fashion shows were costly. Also, all that traveling around the world isn’t exactly eco-friendly. Also, in the digital age where everything can be seen online, why do hundreds of people need to gather in one space to see something they can view on Instagram or TikTok live?

Is the runway show still relevant?

The pandemic forced designers to get creative. Chanel opted to forge ahead with a runway show for their Métiers D’Art collection in 2020, with A-list actress and Chanel muse Kristen Stewart as their sole guest in attendance. In response to COVID-19, Gucci said they would leave the traditional fashion calendar and show off-season, calling for a permanent reset of the fashion system.

Nearly two years later, the fashion system is back to normal. Some designers opt to show off-season, but Fashion Weeks are back in full effect. The upcoming New York Fashion Week sees designers including Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Fendi, and Marni on the calendar. Attendees are expecting this will be one of the best New York Fashion Weeks in years.

In the era of the democratization of fashion thanks to social media, what purpose does the fashion show serve, though?

Fashion shows have a proven ability to generate buzz that just dropping a collection online does not. Hugo Boss x Russell Athletic’s spring/summer 2022 show at Milan Fashion Week made history as the most popular show in the history of Fashion Weeks. The show generated 4 billion impressions and 25 million engagements across their social media channels, and 2.2 billion views on the #bossmoves challenge.

Fashion shows have the power to generate a reach that just posting new season collections on social media via an Instagram Reel, TikTok, or ad campaign can’t. In a way, it’s similar to the shopping buzz generated around the holiday season.

Even for designers taking a see-now-buy-now approach to fashion shows, like Tommy Hilfiger, the proof of the necessity for Fashion Week is in the sale figures. In February 2017, when Hilfiger collaborated with top model Gigi Hadid for his fashion show, the products sold out almost instantly. Since then, Hilfiger has taken a see-now-buy approach to his runway collections that’s seen strong sell-through for each collaboration, including a follow-up collaboration with Hadid and another collaboration with Emmy-winning actress and singer Zendaya.

Often many pieces at fashion shows are never produced or aren’t actually wearable. Fashion shows are also about art. It’s a designer’s outlet to channel their creativity, and the purpose of shows is also to get press coverage. While runway reviews don’t move collections the way they once did, coverage in a top media publication can help give brands the exposure they need to grow.

Fashion shows are much more of a spectacle than they once were, as the era of social media demands more from brands to make impressions. However, the role of the fashion show hasn’t waned in the industry, and rain, sleet, snow, or post-pandemic, the fashion show must go on.