The Craziest Fashion Runway Locations ever
A look some of the craziest places around the world used for fashion runway shows over the past few decades.
From John Galliano’s operatic extravaganza for Dior spring/summer 1998 to Kerby Jean-Raymond’s of black music for Pyer Moss spring/summer 2020, designers sometimes go too far outside the box to execute a typical catwalk that goes beyond the possibilities. The fashion show concept has humble beginnings. What began as a simple way for designers to demonstrate their creative ideas and workmanship on live models has evolved into a theatrical and expensive production event. Designers have discovered unique settings to exhibit their clothing throughout history; here are 9 of the most remarkable fashion show venues in fashion history.
In approximately 221 B.C., a series of fortifications were constructed across the historical northern boundaries of ancient Chinese kingdoms and Imperial China to guard against different nomadic tribes from the Eurasian Steppe. However, in 2007, the Italian fashion brand Fendi produced the world’s most magnificent, famous, and costly fashion show. Fendi’s 2007 fashion show atop China’s Great Wall was one of Karl Lagerfeld’s first off-the-cuff events. According to reports, the event took a year to prepare and cost the Italian label $1 million to produce. The event was intended to take place in May 2007, but it was moved back to October since the permit to hold the show only came through six weeks before the event, as numerous governmental bodies had to approve it, although it had been planned for almost a year. The Italian fashion house has since staged shows in Austria, Dallas, and Dubai, and Cuba to name a few.
2) Whistling (Singing) Sand Mountain
The Singing Sand Mountain is a group of dunes in Dunhuang, China, that make a singing or drumming sound when the wind blows. They are located in the Kumtag Desert. The “Gods” Sand Dunes’ were the original name for the Singing Sand Dunes. Sima Qian characterized the sound in the Records of the Grand Historian as “as if listening to music when the weather is fine,” Changing the name to Whistling (Singing) Sand Mountain during the Ming Dynasty.
In 2007, against the spectacular background of Whistling Sand Mountain, Pierre Cardin showcased his spring- summer (SS08) collection. This prominent site on the Silk Road set the tone for a remarkable collection. Some models rode camels, while others walked the catwalk that snaked through the desert’s undulating dunes. The desert’s long flowing lines and dramatic sparseness provided a stunning background for over 200 men’s and women’s garments.
3) A Provence Lavender Field
The area, which is located between the Durance Valley and the Verdon Gorges, is home to several farms that produce both lavandin and pure lavender. in 2019, Jacquemus celebrated its tenth year in the lavender fields of Provence, France. Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus sought to rekindle the tradition by putting on a stunning spectacle called “Coup de Soleil” – or “Sunstroke” – on a more vibrant pink carpet than ever before. Pastel colors, “oversized” pinch jackets and pants, flowery motifs, layering, and dresses constructed in a tight mesh were highlighted in the collection.
Jacquemus’ Spring/Summer 2020 collection embodied youth while paying respect to designer Simon Porte Jacquemus’ Southern French heritage. The paintings of David Hockney, Paul Cézanne, and Jean Lurçat served as the inspiration for the collection, which was named Le Coup de Soleil or The Sunburn - a reference to both the designer’s “not too bourgeois” trademark and the vivid color palette of the garments.
4) The Grand Canyon
Located in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a natural feature defined by stratified bands of red rock that show millions of years of geological history in cross-section. The canyon is massive in magnitude, averaging 10 miles broad and a mile deep over its 277-mile length. It is one of the world’s most studied landscapes, and in 2013, it was used to stage the World’s Highest Fashion Catwalk. J Autumn has staged some spectacular runway displays, from the London Bridge to a riverboat in Paris, for her most
recent collection. But her Spring 2013 display at the Grand Canyon, which took place 4,000 feet above the Colorado River, takes the award for the most magnificent location possible. In an hour-long catwalk, the show displayed an exquisite mix of human creative brilliance and Mother Nature’s greatest wonder on the technical marvel “the Skywalk,” also known as the “best new bridge” constructed of glass. Jessica Minh Anh obtained special permission from Great Canyon Resort Corporation to organize the grand show on the iconic bridge, and the full production was completed in less than 60 days.
5) Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a massive, mostly Gothic abbey church located in the City of Westminster, London, England, immediately west of the Palace of Westminster. The Hall was constructed in 1097 by William II (Rufus) and restored in 1245 by Henry III as a shrine to King Edward the Confessor. In addition to royal coronations, marriages, and burials, Alessandro Michele showcased his Gucci pre-spring/summer 2017 collection in Westminster Abbey in 2016. The location, a historical and cultural landmark, provided an excellent setting for the brand’s collection, which pushed the limits between elegant and punk. “I chose Westminster Abbey because everyone has this idea of London being cool, but for me, the history is what’s really cool,” said Alessandro Michele.
6) Trevi Fountain in Rome
The Trevi Fountain is a fountain in the Trevi neighborhood of Rome, Italy, designed by Nicola Salvi and built by Giuseppe Pannini and others. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world, standing 26.3 meters high and 49.15 meters broad. Tossing one coin into the Trevi Fountain, according to legend, indicates you will return to The Eternal City (Rome), two coins means you will return and fall in love, and three coins mean you will return, discover love, and marry.
In 2016, Fendi celebrated its 90th anniversary with one of its most spectacular exhibitions to date: a transparent plexiglass runway extended across Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain. “Legends & Fairytales” was the theme of the couture collection. It was the first fashion show ever held at the Italian landmark. Karl Lagerfeld, the brand’s creative director since 1965, was making history in the fashion world.
History that, it turns out, had been years in the making, as Fendi invested $2.4 million towards the repair of the Trevi Fountain in 2013, proving their commitment to giving back to their hometown. “When you actually see the extraordinary couture pieces, you’re reminded of the 90-year legacy of the artisanship of Fendi, and there is something magical about that”, stated Justine Picardie, editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar magazine, after the show.
7) Valley Of the Temples
On the southern coast of Sicily, just outside Agrigento. A UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of eight Greek temples and ruins. The Tempio Della Concordia, as it is known in Italian, was constructed between 440 and 430 BC and consists of a peristasis of six-foot-tall columns on a crepidoma of four steps. This was the earliest temple erected in Agrigenta’s valley. This temple’s construction was finished in the late 6th century BC. The landmark, of course, is a crown treasure in Italy’s cultural inheritance, therefore the discussions to exhibit the Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda collection, which was originally shown in Taormina in 2012, took two years and were quite complicated. The collection was naturally influenced by the location, with ensembles named after and inspired by ancient Greek and Roman gods. Domenico and Stefano’s 125-look runway display was a memorable moment of epic proportions.
8) Wheatfield
The spring-summer 2021 Jacquemus collection “L’amour” (The Love), created a new landscape: a country spirit, all humility, marched across wheat fields an hour from Paris. The collection honors the power of love and unity, even when individuals are forced to be apart. As the Spring/Summer 2021 Fashion Week was presented digitally, online, Simon Porte Jacquemus was the only one to conduct a fashion show. “It was important for us to parade because it is at the heart of our brand, and our strategy revolves on this moment,” Jacqemus admits. The catwalk was simple and free of outbidding, and the collection was designed around the “celebration theme”.
9) Underwater
This was one of the most surprising fashion shows ever seen! one would be astounded to witness models strolling on the floor and then abruptly plunging into deep clear water. That was the exhibition at Russian designer Jana Nedzvetskaya’s Spring/Summer 2015 fashion show in 2015. Models made the leap right off the edge of the runway and into the pool below, where they very much put Project Runway to shame with gorgeous poses that truly highlighted the apparel most perfectly.
