The best shows of the fall 2021 runway season were defined by great artists.
The disruption to the rhythm of the industry brought on by last year’s global pandemic made us recognize the power of a show’s physical presence more than ever before, and we are thrilled to see how creative directors stepped up to this opportunity.
Prada’s brilliant creative duo of Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada continues to mine the wealth of the house’s codes for an artful and intellectual vision of sophisticated femininity. At Louis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquière continues to assert himself as one of the most forward-thinking designers today, always finding unexpected ways to marry past and future. His latest combination of the golden age and sci-fi aesthetics is another example of his amazing ability to create totally new pieces that we didn’t know we needed until we saw them.
Part of an artist’s power lies in shaping the future, and this season saw a healthy dose of futurism.
Both Paul Andrew of Salvatore Ferragamo and Rick Owens blew us away with cutting-edge visions of the future. Andrew designed as if unfettered from previous creative restrictions, shattering expectations for a more traditional house like Ferragamo. Many may have accused Owens – the modernist mastermind behind our favorite collection – of shying away from color, but he proved instead that he uses it with subtle confidence and precision.
Here are The Impression’s Top 10 fashion shows of the Fall 2021 season as selected by our Chief Impressionist, Kenneth Richard.
