Unforgettable Scandals
From bold fashion choices to tater fails, models have a lot to put up with, and we can’t help but remember their biggest moments. In fact, it’s safe to say that these 20 moments are going down in fashion history.
1. 2002 Peta Protestors
When Gisele Bündchen took the catwalk in the 2002 Victoria’s Secret fashion show, nobody was ready for the stage to suddenly be stormed by PETA protestors. Holding accusatory signs, this led to one of the most iconic photoshoots.
2. Jennifer’s Green Dress
Everyone knows about Jennifer Lopez’s iconic green dress, which was debuted at the 2000’s Grammy. Well, Versace brought it back in their 2020 and 2021 spring and summer show with none other than Lopez wearing the updated version.
Salvatore Delle Femmine on Wikimedia
3. Runway Crashers
Everyone fears the inevitable runway crasher, and that’s exactly what happened at the 2020 Chanel spring and summer show. It was actually a French comedian who managed to sneak in and got onto the runway just in time to make a scene before Gigi Hadid pulled her off.
4. Dangling Models
Valentino certainly knows how to up the ante, and that’s exactly what they did in their haute couture 2020 and 2021 show. They had their models hanging off swings and being suspended high up in the air to show the length of their dresses.
5. Spray Paint It
Alexander McQueen is known for his bold and rebellious style, and what better way to show that off than when two paint spray guns plastered Shalom Harlow’s dress in black and gold paint. That’s one of the reasons Alexander McQueen’s 1999 spring and summer show remains unforgettable.
Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash
6. Even More Spray Paint
To take the spray paint thing to the next level, in 2022 at Paris Fashion Week, Bella Hadid also got a spray paint dress. To make it even wilder, she was sprayed live on stage as the dress was made in real time.
7. Prada 2009
In the Prada Spring and Summer show in 2009, every fashion model's worst nightmare came to fruition. Despite being trained to walk in towering stilettos, several models actually collapsed on the runway. If the models struggle, the consumers certainly will.
8. Broken Benches
Fashion shows, especially those put on by big brands, are expected to be high-end and classy. So imagine how the attendees at the Balenciaga spring and summer 2012 show felt when the front row chairs collapsed underneath them.
9. Sending a Message
Sometimes, the models themselves are the ones sending messages. That’s exactly what happened in the 2019 Gucci runway when model Bones Tan-Jones wrote “Mental health is not fashion” on her hands to protest straitjackets featured in the collection.
10. The Louis Vuitton Shaman
While this is unconfirmed, many fans hold onto the rumor that Louis Vuitton hired a shaman to prevent rain on their show in 2019 in the South of France. And apparently, it worked, with not a rain cloud in sight.
11. Rip It Off
Betsey Johnson is clearly a fashion icon, and in her 1998 show, Alek Wek portrayed a moment of rebellion when she ripped off a blonde wig to stand against Eurocentric beauty standards.
The original uploader was Jgro888 at English Wikipedia. on Wikimedia
12. Faux Animal Heads
Fur already gets a lot of hate in fashion today, and rightfully so. But faux animal heads was taking it to a whole new level, and that’s exactly what happened at Schiaparelli’s haute couture spring and summer 2023 show.
13. Models on Models, Literally
Taking the bit pretty far, Rick Owens decided to switch things up for his designs at the 2015 Paris Fashion Week. He decided to dress models with other models. They had to use harnesses to support each other as they walked down the catwalk.
Aveda Corporation on Wikimedia
14. Walking On Water
Walking on water is practically sacred, but that’s exactly what the models were doing at the Balenciaga 2020 and 2021 autumn and winter show. Apparently, the message was about climate change, and models walked over a water-seeped runway.
15. Keeping It Campy
High fashion doesn’t have to be all serious, and Stella McCartney suddenly knew how to have fun when she dressed her models in large animal costumes. These animal mascots then closed out the show at the 2020 Paris Fashion Week.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Wikimedia
16. Kendall Jenner’s Debut
Nowadays, Kendall Jenner is known as a staple of the fashion industry, despite some fans hating her presence. Either way, Marc Jacobs was the first to give her a break and practically changed her entire look, making her totally unrecognizable in the Marc Jacobs autumn winter 2014/2015 show.
17. A Head In Hand
If you haven’t seen the Gucci autumn and winter 2018 and 2019 show, then be ready for the sheer craziness. Not only were miniature dragons also sent down the runway, but to add to the supernatural flair, one of the models even held her own head in her hands like a purse.
18. Launch a Rocket
At some point, these fashion shows just became a competition about how much money brands could throw at gimmicks. Well, as far as these gimmicks go, Chanel certainly set the bar high when they closed out the 2017 Paris Fashion Week with a rocket launch.
19. Yeezy Season 4
Kanye West is under a lot of scrutiny, and most of it is certainly deserved. But taking a trip back to his 2014 show, it's hard not to remember when models had to wear winter coats in the sweltering Roosevelt Island heat.
20. Popcorn Floor
Calvin Klein isn’t afraid of a little gimmick either, and that’s exactly what they did in their 2018 and 2019 autumn and winter show. They apparently showered the floor with popcorn and had models walk over it. Of course, guests were advised not to eat the popcorn.
