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What a lot of individuals don’t understand about runway fashion is its practicality, it seems its only purpose is to be worn by a gorgeous model and strutted by a model to walk for 5 minutes. But this is a common misconception. While all of the pieces are expensive to make the designers, sales, and marketing all work together to understand which pieces are financially liable. What I mean by that is these garments and gowns can sometimes cost thousands to make from the manual labor to the price of the fabrics themselves. So it all goes above and beyond if the dress or gown can be worn beyond the runway it’s more can this dress be sold or rented or used again.
This is why you still see these pieces popping back up years later in advertisement campaigns or won by celebrities down a red carpet. There are a lot of other factors that go into the making of this one-of-a-kind piece and it’s interesting to understand that the runway is more than a magazine it’s a platform for creativity and inspiration from other designers.
It’s also important to note that while some designer’s pieces are practical and not everyday wearable fashion they can adapt them to be worn if that makes sense or maybe you would get individuals grand enough to wear them. Either way, there are always adaptations whether it’s from the designers themselves or others are copying them. This explains why runway fashion is called slow fashion. It doesn’t happen overnight and as they are always timeless they will have their moment again on some celebrity in some prestigious fashion event.
Adapting The Grand To Wearable Pieces
While these grand pieces aren’t the most practical, they usually include features, shapes, materials, color combinations, and many other elements that stay with designers. They usually want to translate those accents into something more practical. For example, as we’ve seen on ‘Next In Fashion’ the designers that loved streetwear fashion made exaggerated puffer jackets where shoulders were high and the arm length draped past them. While this isn’t practical there is a base to translate into something practical. He also chose an electric blue color with a yellow element. This can be used in his coats in the future or further inspire them to create something that could be worn on the streets.
Function and Fashion Go Hand In Hand
Runway fashion has commonly been compared to avant-garde designs that are made for tactics and aesthetics moving way beyond practicality. While this is not always the case a lot of house names do make pieces that will be sold in stores. It’s interesting to know that even though fashion needs to be functional, designers are creating these aesthetic pieces as more of a work of art. Some big house names, such as Prada and Gucci, have begun to make a lot of pieces that blend both practicality and comfort. Especially with the rise of athleisurewear, we have seen this down the runway more often than not. This has forced designers to see what they can craft while still keeping the practicality of sportswear true. For example, little boxers and leggings have been represented many times on the runway.
These pieces are much easier for fast fashion brands to steal and copy, making these designs a much more popular wearable fashion piece this summer. Not everyone can afford thousands for the original idea, but as trends come, go, and then come back, you should always invest in quality pieces but also in styles that suit you.
Sustainability
While we are talking about fast fashion, we cannot forget that in more recent years, sustainability has been a priority and driving force. Designers are choosing eco-friendly fabrics and methods when making both their runway and wearable fashion pieces. They are still promoting slow fashion and investments are key in the world of fashion. You don’t need a new coat every single winter and while you don’t need to spend a fortune, it’s a good motivation to keep things simple and classic.
Final Thoughts
When we look at the evolution of runway fashion, we have seen it continuously maintain a reputation for outstanding and extravagant pieces that aren’t necessarily practical but are a form of self-expression and art. For example, at the Coperni show last year, Bella Hadid was painted a spray-on dress. This blends the factors of wearability and practicality. These are one-of-a-kind looks that, with time, can be transformed into something we can all appreciate on the streets.
It’s key to recognize sustainability throughout the years and they continually remind us that trends come and go and these looks aren’t going anywhere. It’s a reminder that we should keep things that we love and adore and pass them on to the next generation, whether it’s your men’s full tracksuit or a pair of kitten heels.
