It’s Always Sunny on the Runway: 12 Fashion Shows With an Endless-Summer Mood
I don’t mean to be apocalyptic, but this weekend is officially the last of the summer. Panicking? I definitely am. There are so many floral shirts, seashell anklets, and tropical trousers I’ve yet to wear that I’ve entered a fugue state. How will I possibly manage to fit all these important ’fits into the next four days? If you too are feeling overwhelmed by the arrival of fall and all its sartorial traditions—argyle, plaids, trenches, bourgeois Celine skirts!—may I offer a small solution: Live like it’s summer all year long by taking fashion inspiration from 12 of the most summery fashion shows we have covered on Vogue Runway.
From Chanel’s beachside set in the Grand Palais to Thom Browne’s poolside couture, fashion loves nothing more than an homage to hot sun, great tans, and that easy-going, summertime spirit. Relive the best ones below.
Photo: Condé Nast Archive1/12Calvin Klein’s Spring 1996 collection was a rare entrée into the world of color for the famously monochrome designer. This maxidress, worn by Kirsty Hume, evokes the colors of a beach day.
Photo: Condé Nast Archive2/12Gianni Versace’s Spring 1997 butterfly prints have become one of the most recognizable Versace signatures, especially after his sister, Donatella, brought them back into circulation for her 20th-anniversary collection. On the runway the lepidoptera-printed dress was accompanied by a beach tote and towel.
Photo: FirstView3/12Long before over-the-top sets were the norm, Dolce Gabbana created a summer haven for its Spring 2000 show meant to replicate the alfresco stalls of a Sicilian market. What to wear there? Printed tights, micro-minis, and blouson tops. Only for the brave.
Photo: Indigital.tv4/12Neoprene and scuba seaming have long been obsessions of Nicolas Ghesquière. For his Spring 2003 show at Balenciaga, he combined his interests into this tropically minded minidress.
Photo: Marcio Madeira/ Style.com5/12Offering a practical solution to summer heat is Martin Margiela, whose Spring 2006 show featured models wearing colored ice as necklaces. As the ice melted it left dye marks over the white garments. Think of them as the progenitors of this summer’s viral wine jumpsuit.
