What's the Deal with the Bizarre Clothes at Fashion Shows?

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Fashion is an evolving beast with the fashionistas of the world endlessly attempting to create impossibly fabulous and unique new outfits for fashion shows. A commonly seen element of such outfits is that they’re often impractical, unwieldy and, to the layperson, hilariously bizarre looking. So why don’t fashion shows just show off clothes people might actually want to wear, instead of going with outlandish outfits?

Sources:

[Lyze]

Legitimately something I've wondered for years. My foremost theory was that fashion designers hate models.

[barbarianaggressor]

So, it's like firing off a flare gun, so you can sell an audience scented candles..?

[GratiaCountryman]

As to concept cars, I was watching the CNET coverage of the Detroit Auto Show two years ago, and Brian Cooley said that the way you tell which concept cars are future production models and which are not is by side mirrors. The concept cars that are future production models will have side mirrors. The ones that will never go into production have no side mirrors.

[Yotanido]

The most outlandish thing you could wear at one of those events is normal clothing...

[JimFortune]

I've never thought that finding out who can make the stupidest clothing was a good criteria in searching for someone to make practical clothing. I guess that's why I never pay megabucks for a pair of jeans with razor slashes in the legs.

[tymime]

This still doesn't make sense to me. If I were looking to hire somebody to design clothing for me, I wouldn't pick somebody who makes stupid looking, ill-fitting, nonsensical "clothes".

[Zeverinsen]

I've always viewed this kind of avant-garde haute couture shows as more of a high fashion art show than anything.
They're basically held to showcase what the designer and fashion house is capable of.

[thesimbon]

Since my mother has been a fashion show planner for some time for some brands, I can add that the extreme designs are used to give the idea of the style of the upcoming collection, so for example if they are going to sell a short skirt they will dress the model with a very short skirt (kind of almost showing underwear) but in the stores you will find the short skirt, just not that much short; that goes for pretty much everything else. Of course there will be clothes just for showing off or experimenting with materials. Fashion shows are not just for high fashion, also more normal brands have them but you will see less bizzarre styles as the budget used is definitely lower, so you need a compromise.

[strippinheat]

I get that it's advertising, but after they get attention, what are they actually selling? The brand, the designer? If you showed Me someone that made ridiculous things, and I wanted something not ridiculous, I'm not going to ask them for help.

[jameszetterman]

Simple answer: how else is Araki supposed to find the outfits for the next part of JoJo?

[kalaiarasanpushpanathan]

Short summary - It is used to grab one's attention and used as a free marketing tool.

[Fission_power]

We need more gothic and cyberpunk fashion

[nagoo]

skinny jeans were widely mocked when they were featured, even more widely mocked when people were wearing them all the time, and are still widely mocked now that they are showing up in thrift stores!

[stevestrangelove]

So basically its a contest to make the most ridiculous costume for the audience to see. Its almost like new type of clown making.

[notoriouswhitemoth]

As someone who's watched too many reality shows for their own good, I can tell you that the outlandish costumes you see at fashion shows are just grossly exaggerated versions of the clothes you'll ultimately see in stores. The cartoonish exaggeration helps to give a better idea of what exactly the designer has in mind, and their overall aesthetics and sensibilities. It's easier to start with one over-the-top mess and edit it down to a dozen different functional compositions than it is to start with something simple and functional and get a dozen different outfits out of that.

[Statsy]

I’ve been waiting for an answer to this question for decades. Now I have one. Thanks, Simon!

[michelenakamura]

A few years ago designers where showing different types of shoe heels. Round, square, plastic and one had gold fish in the heel. Now you can find them everywhere.

[anthonyrobertson]

Long ago, maybe the mid 90s, Oprah had some next season fashion thingy and they had a designer show his new "hot" fashion ideas. Of course it was rather outlandish looking. After several outfits, one woman in the audience really wanted to speak so Oprah gave her the mic and her comments were basically "WTF! Who's going to actually buy this." The audience was in agreement. That poor designers face at that point. I was thinking what's the point as well.

[amateurastronomer]

I always wondered why I never saw those wearable Picasso's on the red carpet like the Oscars or Cannes. Could never imagine anyone wearing one of those nightmares voluntarily and in public.

[iohjipd]

i thought it was because high fashion is basically art

nobody seems to bat an eye when someone draws something surreal
but someone makes a surreal outfit then people immediately have to have an opinion?