There's a reason so many people insist that the 90s were the best years for the runway, and while a massive part of that can be credited to the unforgettable collections and thought-provoking designers, what defined the decade most was the dramatic and all-encompassing attitude.
Naomi Campbell walks the runway of the Yves Saint Laurent fall/winter 1987 couture show in Paris, 1987. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
And it's no wonder. At the time, the runway was dominated by supermodels like Kate Moss, Shalom Harlow, Gisele Bündchen, and Tyra Banks, who all brought a sense of je ne sais quoi to the fashion realm that hasn't yet been matched.
But as we look at a vast majority of runway shows and collections today, there seems to be a common question that hangs over all of us: where did that go? Has the runway lost its dramatic flair? Will models ever exhibit that kind of fierceness during shows again?
Centuries in the Making
The first runway shows date back to 1860s Paris, when English designer Charles Frederick Worth first began to present his creations on live models instead of mannequins, though it took until the 1920s for fashion shows like these to become more mainstream.
When they did, however, it was no small event. The rise of the runway became the most prominent and coveted subject in the fashion realm and changed the high fashion game entirely. For decades, shows evolved every season, eventually becoming what they were in the 90s: one of the century's most iconic and era-defining occasions.
It was then that the term "supermodel" came to be, but the title wasn't handed out to just anyone. Few models out of thousands on the runway became known as true or "original" supermodels- also called "the big five." This iconic group included Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, and Tatjana Patitz.
The Big 5 Reunite for Versace Spring/Summer 2018 | Source: Indigital
But what made them so special? And what still sets them apart from the hundreds of other high-profile models today? The secret: supermodels didn't just make their names on the runway. Their cunning personalities under the spotlight bled into their daily lives and made them who they were as people. They weren't just models; they were fierce, untamable, cunning, and remarkable women who embraced a sort of power that wrapped the world around their fingers.
"They were more than a group of models - they were carrying a message and represented a lot of things at the same time," fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh described their rise. "It was extraordinary."
And that's never to say that today's most famous models aren't any less remarkable, but they certainly don't have the same flair. Today, the runway seems to have become a copy-and-paste environment. Unique and cunning walks, dramatic posing, and improv during shows are rarely longer exhibited, and instead, models are taking on what some critics have described as a robotic and vacant look.
Kaia Gerber walks for Saint Laurent SS18, Photography Lucie Rox
The difference between charisma and sex appeal has become a blurred line, and agencies have begun to take into account models' Instagram followers above their experience when casting for shows and campaigns. Former and current models agree, Rebecca Romijn emphasizing that we start differentiating between social media stars and supermodels. And, of course, this all begs the question:
Will the Supermodel Ever Return?
Whether the age of the supermodel will ever return isn't a question for the industry but for the people behind it. Designers and models alike have more creative power than many are led to believe, and in theory, it would be easy to re-adopt the 90s' bold, passionate runway trend. But would it really be the same?
Victoria's Secret tried to replicate the atmosphere with their annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, in which Stephanie Seymour was one of the first models to wear the famous Angel wings. Nonetheless, even she believes we need a new term to describe this generation of models. "They are completely different than we were," she points out. "Supermodels are sort of the thing of the past. They deserve their own title. [They] are beautiful girls, and I support all of them, but they need their own title."
The show was canceled in 2019 after declining sales and poor television ratings, with figures falling from five million in 2018 to 3.3 million in 2019. The brand was also mired in controversy after the former CEO Les Wexner's close links with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein came to light. Moreover, millions of viewers and even previous Angels argued that the show promoted an alarming emphasis on the popular "heroine chic" body type at the time. Due to rising demand, however, Victoria's Secret CFO Timothy Johnson confirmed the show's return in 2023, this time with a newer and hopefully more inclusive focus.
Still, whether it will remain as iconic is up in the air.
By: Mackenzie Ostrowski
Comentarios