From the Catwalk to Your Closet: The Fashion Cycle

This season has taken us on a trip through London, Milan, Paris, and New York, as Fashion Month concluded and the looks are in review. While we sit back and watch the behind-the-scenes clips and on-the-runway moments spam our magazines, televisions, and social media, it’s easy to feel as though these looks are unattainable. Most of the couture items have entailed multiple measurements and fittings, and many pieces fit in the range of $300,000, so the exhibits showcasing these items are millionaire-tailored. The pieces appear as art, and they genuinely are; yet, sometimes we forget that the framework shaping these iconic designs doesn’t disappear. While runway pieces don’t remain on the catwalk forever, the vision remains constant, with the only changing factor being time. And so, for those who yearn for these exclusive garments that seem out of reach - you’re in luck.

Before we break down the cycle of fashion from the runway to stores, it’s important to understand that there’s also a “fake cycle”. The idea of designers stealing concepts from others isn’t a new one. Unsustainable sites such as Shein, FashionNova, Zaful, and others are repeatedly caught plagiarizing others' designs on their site as their own. Name brands such as Ralph Lauren, Dr. Martens, and Levi Strauss have been piling copyright and trademark infringement lawsuits on Shein this year, and rookie designers rely on online support to battle such e-commerce giants. These fast-fashion websites create exact copies and mark them as inspiration, even when the side-by-side comparisons are uncanny. While many people might view these sites as an alternative source to replicate a “runway ready” moment on a budget, this is unjust, disenfranchising, and destructive.

Most of the pieces on runways are simply a concept for what the actual collection will rely on and what will be manufactured and available in stores. They present perfectly curated, often crazy looks on the runway just as samples, and a way to introduce the collection’s theme, rather than sending more “basic” designs into their shows that wouldn’t attract magazines and photography. Even if the abstract theme isn’t fully understood by the viewer, “designers want to move viewers, stir an emotion. They want to get consumers to look their way. And ultimately, buy their clothes”. After the runway, these items go on tour and travel to shows where retail buyers can make their selections of what will be used in larger stores. This is defined as “market week," and it can take about a month to confirm the information on advertisements, vendor contributions, alterations, sales, and more. After this, you can fill your closet with the products from the designer, as the pieces that either look similar to what was shown on the runway, match the message, or have been modified for the mass, can be found in-person and online depending on the buyer and realtor.

While this is the typical process of fashion getting from the runway to our local retail stores, there are many special looks that can’t simply be found in department stores. There are garments that are kept in museums, auctioned off for charity, gifted to high-profile figures, and more unique situations. But, it’s not impossible to get your own. For example, Monica Sallay, an avid vintage-lover, hit jackpot after entering a Goodwill a few blocks from her apartment in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. A beautiful, white dress in the window caught her attention, and after asking the salesperson to try it, she discovered it was a “rare Balenciaga dress from the fall 2006 collection designed by Nicolas Ghesquière” which she then bought for just $100 and wore on her wedding day. There are more stories from people who've had similar experiences and had the exhilarating feeling of finding a one-of-a-kind piece. To discover your own trash to treasure, it’s important to ask the workers in stores about their favorite store sections, to check tags for distinguishing information, and to examine each piece slowly so you don’t miss special details. You truly never know what hidden gem you might find.