The Runway, Reimagined

It’s that time of the year when the fashion world is back on the runway, with designers taking over cities like Paris, Milan, New York and Delhi to unveil their latest collections. The traditional ramp display has been done several times over, and this year has seen an interestingly high amount of variations of what a fashion show can look like. With libraries, theatre halls and public squares becoming sites for these garments to shine, there’s lots to uncover. These presentations remind us that fashion can be as much about the ideas it explores as the garments it puts forward. We look at the showcases that dared to think beyond the traditional catwalk this season.
 
The Ninety Nine Percent by Matieres Fecales
Set in Paris’s Place de la Republique, this show cast 99 models of colour and explored identity, race, belonging and freedom. It was an artistic performance that used fashion as a medium for political expression. By choosing the Republique monument, a historic site of public demonstrations, as its backdrop, the show made a statement about reclaiming space and challenging existing systems of power. As designer Steven Raj put it, ‘The Republique is ours.’
 
Different Faces of the Same Coin by Chanel
For Matthieu Blazy’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, the Grand Palais in Paris was transformed into a dreamlike landscape, with 95 illuminated bird sculptures suspended above the runway. The presentation explored ideas of identity, freedom and transformation, drawing on Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, which was recited at the opening of the show. The birds, caught mid-flight, added a sense of movement to the space, reflecting the collection’s interest in the many forms a person can take.

Antibiblioteca: Catalogue of the Unread by Valentino  
The theme at the centre of this Valentino show was that of the ‘anti-library’, a collection of books that are yet to be read, whose value lies in what they might contain. This parallel was drawn to the clothes being presented so as to say that fashion can exist in a multitude of possibilities without actually being worn as well. Alessandro Michele, the creative director, even asked guests to bring a book from their own shelves, to be donated to public libraries.

And Then the Clouds Were Beneath Us by Cord  
Cord’s first ever fashion show, since 11 years of making garments, culminated in a wondrous theatrical performance at the iconic Kamani Auditorium, Delhi. Bringing together elements of theatre and fashion, it followed a young child’s fantastical journey through forests, bazaars and talking dolls. Hooked within the nostalgia that they’re known for, Pranav Guglani and Neha Singh outdid themselves with this one.

Scintillations 20 by Bottega Veneta
German artist Florian Hecker was commissioned to create a site-specific installation piece for Bottega Veneta, which included 20 loudspeakers, creating a distinct soundscape that could form a cohesive experience for listeners. It was so uniquely constructed that it can never be duplicated again. This intersection with art has been a recurring theme that creative director Louise Trotter has practised: even the seating was unique, resin-coated cardboard block stools created by Ukrainian artist Illya Goldman Gubin. 
 
On a Day Like Today by Amit Aggarwal
At the Grand Finale of Lakme Fashion Week 2026, Amit Aggarwal brought the ‘5PM Glam Reset’ to life for the modern working woman. It featured the visual language of everyday India, reinterpreting familiar crafts, domestic objects and gestures through unexpected materials, textures and techniques. The runway was transformed into roads, to show commuting folks wearing the clothes, with quirky elements like ice cream carts, cotton candy feasts and balloon cycles.

GLISTER by Kai Ghattaura and Fin Forsyth
Taking place off the official London Fashion Week calendar, Kai Ghattaura and Fin Forsyth’s Glister was an intimate showcase held in a space of their own making. Drawing on Tumblr-era aesthetics, emojis, charity shop finds and car boot bric-a-brac, the collection embraced a world that was nostalgic, playful and a little absurd. A cardboard house transformed the venue into a whimsical setting, with crowns inspired by Maurice Sendak’s books.
 
A Hall of Reflections by Tom Ford
Tom Ford’s Spring/Summer 2027 show featured transparent panels arranged across Place Vendome, creating a shifting landscape of reflections for models to move through. Under creative director Haider Ackermann, the installation played with ideas of reflection and desire, as the models appeared and disappeared behind the translucent surfaces. The staging offered an interesting take on the traditional runway, turning the act of walking into a visual interplay between clothes and the body.

Words Platform Desk
Date 21.10.2026