Spring Fashion Week Through the Years
By Makayla Gill
Spring Fashion Week has long been a space where fashion moves beyond clothing and into art, performance, and cultural commentary. Looking back at past seasons, certain moments didn’t just define their year. They reshaped the way fashion is presented and remembered.
One of the most unforgettable runway moments in history, this show featured model Shalom Harlow standing on a rotating platform while industrial robots spray-painted her dress live. The performance blurred the line between fashion, technology, and art, cementing McQueen’s reputation as a visionary who treated the runway as emotional storytelling.
Alexander McQueen - Spring/Summer 1999
Presented in Brooklyn under designer Kerby Jean-Raymond, Pyer Moss delivered groundbreaking Spring collections that celebrated Black creativity, history, and culture. These shows shifted attention away from traditional fashion capitals and remain among the most talked-about American runway moments of the era.
Pyer Moss - Spring 2019/2020
At Paris Fashion Week, Coperni created a modern viral moment when a spray-on dress was painted directly onto Bella Hadid on the runway. The performance merged innovation, science, and fashion, demonstrating how spectacle continues to evolve in the digital age.
Coperni - Spring 2023
Often referred to as the beginning of fashion’s “golden age,” Dior’s New Look redefined femininity in the post–World War II era. With sculpted waists and full skirts, the collection reshaped women’s fashion and laid the foundation for modern couture.
Christian Dior - 1947 (The New Look)
Versace’s Spring 1991 show ushered in the supermodel era, blending technical craftsmanship with pop culture influence. The runway became a celebrity-driven spectacle, marking a pivotal shift in fashion’s relationship with fame and mass culture.