How to analyze a runway show
If we learned anything from the 2006 film “Devil Wears Prada,” it’s that what we wear and see in stores didn’t end up there haphazardly.
In one of the movie’s most memorable scenes, highpowered fashion editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) pontificates about her assistant’s (Anne Hathaway) choice of blue sweater (“it’s actually cerulean”) and its journey from the red carpet, to the runway, to retail.
“It’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry,” Ms. Streep’s Anna Wintour-inspired character preaches. “In fact, you’re wearing a sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room.”
This week in New York City, Fashion Week is underway — with more shows unfolding across London, Paris and Milan in the coming weeks. (Meanwhile, back in Pittsburgh, Settlement Engine Fashion Week Downtown by the Pittsburgh Downtown Community Development Corporation has its own lineup later this month.)
With so many shows in full swing, it’s only a matter of time before fresh trends trickles down to stores. But how do fashion editors and store buyers interpret the looks that designers send down the runway and turn them into something wearable for the masses? Here are tips and tricks for analyzing a runway show (or the photos you see from one on social media or in a magazine) like a fashion insider. Miranda would be proud! •A collection should tell a story: A strong runway show should have a beginning, middle and end. Looks within a collection typically share similar traits, such as color palette, texture or silhouette, yet they should evolve as the show progresses. Therefore, a solid collection should be cohesive in its overall look, but build in drama, from more understated or casual pieces early on to ones with a “wow” factor for the finale. Sometimes, a creative backdrop or soundtrack set the mood. Critics and buyers also compare a collection to a designer’s past work to determine whether it offers
something creative and refreshing, while staying true to the brand’s aesthetic. • Look for common
threads: Some seasons, it seems designers all draw from the same inspiration pool. When a color, print, theme or cut pops up in collection after collection, there’s a good chance that it will turn into a trend. These ebb and flow, though, depending upon how wearable (and marketable) they are.
(For example, ’70s influences have been turning up on the runway since early 2015 — and are still going strong for fall 2017. In other cases, a trend fizzles after a single season.) If a celebrity takes a liking to a particular trend, that helps its staying power. • Show pieces vs. what’s actually wearable: Some things seen on the runway are exotic, extreme or just, well, strange — and that’s the point. They’re attention-grabbers, not garments meant to go right from the runway to reality. While there are lots of instances of an outfit sold exactly as it’s styled on the runway (this is common for ready-to-wear collections), sometimes watered-down versions of pieces make it to retail. Or, an outfit might not reach retail at all if it fails to attract buzz. • From runway, to retail: If you see something you love, you might have to wait before you can buy it. Traditionally, New York Fashion Week’s September shows preview trends for the coming spring and summer, whereas the February ones unveil what’s to come for the following fall and winter. However, in recent seasons, more designers have begun taking advantage of the spike in exposure their brands get during Fashion Week and have started offering designs immediately after their runway debut. (Banana Republic, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Rebecca Minkoff and Club Monaco are a few examples.) • Hair and makeup matter, too: Clothing at Fashion Week isn’t all that shapes what’s in style. The hair, nail and makeup looks worn by models also impact industry trends. Designers collaborate with stylists — sometimes for months! — to put together beauty looks that complement their collections. In turn, these styles influence hair and makeup trends on the red carpet, in fashion magazines and, ultimately, at your local salon.