T magazine: Designers on What Happens When a Fashion Show Goes Wrong
“Fashion shows are the new art form, more exciting than the theater,” Andy Warhol said to the New York Times fashion critic Bernadine Morris in 1977. As a frequent front-row guest at Halston and Yves Saint Laurent, the artist witnessed the form’s evolution from intimate salon presentations to highly coordinated performances. As with theater, part of the thrill of watching that sort of event live is the knowledge that, at any moment, something could go wrong. At a fashion show, that might mean inclement weather, model collisions or late-arriving celebrity guests. In 1993, Naomi Campbell took her infamous tumble in eight-inch platforms at Vivienne Westwood; Marc Jacobs’s spring 2008 show started two hours behind schedule because the shoes were still en route; and in 1990, at a Michael Kors show, the music was so bass-heavy that it caused part of the ceiling to collapse.
credit: Firstview
Obviously, these mishaps are unwanted and especially daunting for those with fewer runway shows under their belt. At the same time, they can add to the heart and personality of the proceedings — and make the show memorable in a good way. Then, too, it might be a comfort, given this season’s many debuts, to know they can happen to anyone. With Paris Fashion Week underway, seven designers talk about the ordeals they experienced — and survived. (read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/t-magazine/fashion-show-mishaps.html)
