Over the years, some of fashion’s most talked about creative moments have come from the catwalk, and these showcases have historically been a space for performance, music and theatre as well as introducing the world to new season designs.
Specific shows and designers have often been celebrated – like the stunning kimono exhibition called ‘Kyoto to Catwalk’ at the V&A back in 2020 that featured designers like Alexander McQueen, and the Chanel exhibition that was so popular last year it was extended – and now, in collaboration with Vogue, the splendour of the catwalk is having its moment to shine in a new exhibition in King’s Cross. ‘Inventing the Runway’, which is running until 26th April at Lightroom, is an immersive experience exploring the history of the fashion runway in the 20th century. It is a celebration of the artistry and influence that these presentations have had on the fashion landscape and the continued relevance of physical shows.
Back in 2020, I wrote a column on the future of the catwalk, set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, it looked as though events like Paris, Milan, London and New York would be irrevocably changed, as brands adapted quickly by moving towards digital solutions. There was the ‘Metaverse Fashion Week’ which launched in 2022 off the back of limited travel restrictions and smaller events, and labels around the time of the pandemic streamed the shows live instead of hosting a real audience. However, somewhat unexpectedly, the shift towards digitalisation has slowed and, instead, five years later, there is now a greater swing towards the in-real-life shows that were once so revered.
Last week, Men’s Fashion Week arrived in Paris for Autumn/Winter 2025, and it featured 37 shows and 32 presentations from heavyweights including Dior, Prada and Louis Vuitton. In years gone by, men’s fashion weeks have perhaps been seen as the poor relation to the ‘main event’ of womenswear, with less fanfare and theatre. But this outing flipped that pre-conception on its head, bringing with it a sense of excitement about the direction in which men’s fashion might be heading because of boundary-pushing catwalks, and collections.

One show that truly exemplified this was Willy Chavarria. To present the latest collection, the label partnered with Bureau Betak, a company that is well-known for producing extravagant shows centred around its ethos of ‘reshaping the show’. It has been doing this for over 30 years and has created experiential catwalks for brands like Gucci and Fendi, in locations that have included palaces, lavender fields, the Eiffel Tower and the streets of Japan. When it comes to Bureau Betak, choreographed horses or dramatic fire are par for the course. In Willy Chavarria’s case, the backdrop to TARANTULA was the romantically dressed American Cathedral in Paris.
The eye-catching location set the scene for the collection which has since been lauded as the standout of Paris. On display was everything from oversized suit jackets with 70s-inspired collars, relaxed slacks and a take on casual streetwear. There were neckerchiefs, felt hats and velvet flowers attached to suit jacket lapels. The collection quietly championed a level of androgyny without placing it as the ultimate focus, and its diversity – from clean tailoring to the shortest of shorts – showed the breadth and potential of the men’s fashion space.
Across the week more generally, the budget was clearly up from previous years when it came to the scale of the catwalks, as brands put emphasis on the production of the shows – for example, Dolce & Gabbana had tens of models staged as paparazzi as the models wearing the collection walked. In terms of the fashion itself, there was a sense that it was skewing towards formalwear, but not necessarily in the traditional way that we’ve seen time and time again.
Tailoring remained key for Kim Jones at Dior Homme, with precise lines and sleek silhouettes, while Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons went for formal yet relaxed drop waist slacks and chinos at Prada. Dunhill also opted for tonal jackets, waistcoats and sweaters to open its show, with tuxedos and smarter pieces sitting at the heart of the collection. There was a sense that formalwear was being presented as something that can be worn casually, and now, the world feels as ready as ever to get out and experiment with fashion.

Having said that, Paris also showed that the relaxed, streetwear trend that really came to the fore a few years ago, was here to stay. BAPE joined forces with American streetwear brand KidSuper on a collection that BAPE CEO, Mahmoud el Salahy categorised as being of “fearless self-expression”, displaying prints that were bold and clothes that were oversized, but with silhouettes that, despite obviously being streetwear, were somehow in line with silhouettes from labels that were focussing on less casual wear. The lines between casual and formal wear were blurred in Paris and Willy Chavarria also included an element of this in his most recent collection, with an Adidas collaboration that has been universally acclaimed.
What is clear, is that catwalks – barring a small blip in and around Covid-19 – certainly have a justified place in the fashion calendar. Despite social media trends chopping and changing, these shows undoubtedly set up the trends for the season to come, shaping and influencing the almost immediate trickle down to the high street. They are an opportunity for true creativity from designers who are either institutions of the fashion world, or are just being introduced to it, and they are a time where suspension of disbelief and theatre is expected. In the men’s space, this season has been an opportunity for labels to go big, with budgets seemingly up, and creativity at a height we haven’t seen for some time.
Next up, it’s the turn of womenswear in New York, which will kick off four weeks of innovation and creativity. If it’s anything like Paris last week, we’re in for a treat.