Although modern runway shows typically last no more than 15 minutes, they require extensive preparation, often involving months of work, substantial financial investment, and a team of highly skilled professionals including technicians, set designers, and tailors. These brief spectacles have the potential to establish a designer's reputation for a lifetime. Even for those who are not avid fashion enthusiasts, some iconic moments on the runway are well-known—think of the robotic spray-painters at Alexander McQueen's Spring-Summer 1999 collection or Chanel's life-sized rocket launch during its Fall-Winter 2017 show.

If you've missed these groundbreaking events, they are now part of a new exhibition in London titled "Vogue: Inventing the Runway," displayed at the Lightroom. The exhibition features a mix of behind-the-scenes and runway footage projected onto the venue's towering 39-foot walls, immersing visitors in the heart of fashion's history. "This is an opportunity to bring people into the experience," said Chioma Nnadi, the head of editorial content at British Vogue, at the exhibition's opening. "They get a glimpse of (what it's like to attend a runway show) on their phone, but this is the full immersive experience," she added.

In the era of social media, the importance of creating memorable catwalk moments has only grown. Designers today must consider an audience that extends far beyond the front-row guests. For instance, footage from John Galliano's dramatic Maison Margiela Fall-Winter 2025 show, which was held under the Pont Alexandre III bridge in Paris in January, has garnered over 2.5 million views on a popular social media platform. Similarly, Saint Laurent's recent show in Paris attracted millions of additional viewers on social media, primarily to see Bella Hadid's return to the runway in an oversized suit and slicked-back bun.

A clip of the pioneering transgender model Alex Consani walking the Victoria's Secret runway in luxurious satin angel wings last month has also amassed more than 16 million views on the same platform. While luxury fashion, with its high price tags, may still cater to a select few, the spectacle of the runway has become mainstream entertainment.

However, this was not always the case. Those who witnessed Pharrell Williams' takeover of the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris last summer for Louis Vuitton might find it hard to believe, but the fashion catwalk was once a more subdued affair. The origins of runways can be traced back to the mid-19th century when dressmakers like Charles Fredrick Worth replaced mannequins with live models and opened their atelier back rooms to select clients. "(Worth) took the step of inviting people to his salon in Paris and showing them what he had to offer," Dr. Kate Strasdin, a fashion historian at England's Falmouth University, said in a phone interview. "It really switched the dissemination of what was fashionable on its head."

Previously, dressmakers worked according to the specifications provided by their customers. Clients would dictate the fabric and style of what they wanted to be made, often based on what they saw in the fashion press or worn by their friends. But Worth and other visionaries, such as the British seamstress Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon, decided to prioritize their creative vision. They evolved from dressmakers to designers, largely due to the concept of the runway. "(They were) saying, ‘I’ll invite you to my salon and I’ll show you what I’ve got, and then you’ll be inspired and want to order something from me,'" said Strasdin. "The runway did open up a whole other world of engaging with fashion beyond your immediate circle."

The layout of these early fashion shows was also different. There were no theatrics or narrow runways; instead, a few carefully selected models (chosen for their unique charm rather than specific height or body measurements) would mingle among guests as they walked around the room. These were leisurely events, lasting an entire evening, in contrast to the brief, minutes-long time frame of modern catwalks. "It was more of an event," Strasdin said. "People would come and spend more time, perusing things afterwards or having conversations… There was more opportunity to engage."

Years later, in the early 20th century, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel would stage intimate catwalks on the first floor of her apartment building in Paris; she would hide herself away to watch the procession of models—and the audience’s reaction—in the reflection of her mirrored staircase. Cristóbal Balenciaga’s runways were similarly exclusive, with journalists banned from attending entirely in the 1950s. (He also dramatically banned Italians, after discovering an "underground copying ring" selling mock-up garments to New York). Yet while the allure of the private, salon-style show endures—Marie-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s label, The Row, prohibited the use of phones at its February show—the industry generally considers larger shows to be more effective.

"It’s such a powerful tool for designers and brands to make a statement about who they are, what they stand for, and what their creative vision is," said Nnadi. "Vogue: Inventing the Runway" explores the cultural evolution of catwalk shows, from Worth’s private studio demonstrations through to the impossible fantasy of the late Karl Lagerfeld’s productions. Included in this rapid tour are some of the industry’s most provocative, glamorous, and awe-inspiring moments, such as McQueen’s revered Spring-Summer 2001 show, “Voss,” in which he positioned the audience behind four walls made from double-sided mirrors so he could control what they saw and when.

For almost two hours before the show began, he reflected the photographers and attendees back to themselves—facilitating an uncomfortable confrontation and sending a message on the rampant consumerism of fashion. "It was a landmark in cultural history," says Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour’s voice as the footage rolls.

But larger-than-life theatrics are no longer reserved for blockbuster brands like McQueen, Chanel, and Dior—now, even smaller names must join the spectacle if they want to be noticed. "Inventing the Runway" reminds us of recent viral moments: the controversial butterfly-filled terrariums at Japanese label Undercover’s show in Paris last year, or Coperni’s now-iconic spray-on dress from 2022. "It’s much more about brand visibility," said Strasdin. "People aren’t shopping at these shows; these are performances."

The shows featured in Vogue’s exhibition were selected based on whether they "moved the needle" or not, explained Nnadi. "I wouldn’t say it’s an exhaustive list," she added. "There are shows that we weren’t able to include that I think changed the world of fashion. So this is really a snapshot of the last 100 years." Extravagance alone does not make a runway iconic, and Nnadi has a method for distinguishing what is worthy of reflection from what’s just spectacle. "It’s about having an emotional response," she said. "If I feel the hair standing on the back of my neck, or I’m thinking about the show long after the 10 minutes I’ve been at it, then that’s what I would call a great show."