The runway shows that changed fashion, or simply made everyone talk.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 1 November 2026
What are the most famous fashion shows of all time?
| Show | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Christian Dior, Spring 1947 | The New Look brought luxury back after the war |
| The Battle of Versailles, 1973 | American designers triumphed alongside French couturiers |
| Versace, Fall 1991 | The supermodels lip-synced to “Freedom! ’90” |
| Alexander McQueen, Spring 1999 | Robots spray-painted Shalom Harlow’s dress live |
| Hussein Chalayan, Fall 2000 | Furniture turned into clothes on stage |
| Alexander McQueen, Spring 2001 (VOSS) | An asylum-like mirrored box that the audience had to stare into |
| Alexander McQueen, Spring 2010 (Plato’s Atlantis) | Livestreamed online, with the armadillo boots |
| Chanel, Fall 2014 | Karl Lagerfeld turned the Grand Palais into a supermarket |
| Moschino, Fall 2014 | Jeremy Scott’s fast-food debut |
| Chanel, Fall 2017 | A full-size rocket launched in the Grand Palais |
| Versace, Spring 2018 | Donatella’s tribute to Gianni, closing with the supermodels in gold |
| Coperni, Spring 2023 | A dress sprayed directly onto Bella Hadid |
| Maison Margiela Artisanal, Spring 2024 | John Galliano’s porcelain-doll couture under a Paris bridge |
Read on Ayerhs: Voss is Forever · Chalayan Fall 2000 · Chanel Fall 2014 · Junk Couture: Moschino Fall 2014 · Margiela Spring 2024 · Karl Lagerfeld, Show by Show
What makes a fashion show legendary?
Clothes that change what people wear, a moment that captures its time, or theatre so strong it is remembered for decades. The greatest shows usually do all three.
Read on Ayerhs: Alexander McQueen · Chanel · Versace