VOGUE World New York opened on September 12 2022, for NYFW. Expertly designed by Anna Wintour and her crew, the event stylishly commemorated Vogue Magazine’s 130th anniversary. One of the most significant fashion events of the year was celebrated on the streets of Manhattan. Designers, performers, models, and fashion fans were all in attendance. A mix of celebrities, press, and ticket holders watched from the sidelines. Comparatively, iconic figures in fashion strolled down the cobblestones.
“Fashion is changing and Vogue is doing something special to celebrate it—a fashion show-meets-street fair that captures the creative spirit of our community now. New York is the perfect place for this—a city that is as restless, as dynamic and as revitalised as fashion is today.”
Anna Wintour, chief content officer, Condé Nast and global editorial director, Vogue.
Vogue’s presentation was the first of its type to stream one of the most significant fashion editorials live, drawing inspiration from Fashion’s New World. On a grand stage, VOGUE World showcased various brands and their fall/winter 2022 designs. Notable brands include Burberry, Collina Strada, Dior, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, Valentino, and many more. Both in-person and online showgoers could purchase the outfits immediately after the event. Along with the street fair, partners like Ssense, Nordstrom, and NET-A-PORTER allowed customers buying opportunities.
VOGUE World Begins: Opening the Show
Several Olympic runners opened the performance wearing flags from around the world knotted around their necks. This ode to globality can symbolise fashion’s future in general, as well as the melting pot of cultures that is the city of New York. Serena Williams, dressed in a silver metallic Balenciaga gown and cape, descended onto the stage shortly after. The show’s background music featured a voiceover quotation from Serena Williams discussing her goals. Fashion can connect to this message as it continuously aspires to inspire the world.
People enthusiastically descended upon the area, taking selfies of the surroundings and other people as the music became more upbeat. Before runway models wore sports luxe outfits from autumn/winter 2022, bikers rode out while doing wheelies and high-fiving the audience.
Models, Celebs, and Performance Galore
Before Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz-Beckham walked down arm in arm for the show, street dancers performed between models and celebs, from hip-hop to cheerleaders. The stunning outfits ranged from printed and polka-dotted dresses to leather outerwear and heavy knits. Of course, themes kept aligned with the season’s weather. Some models were accompanied by furry canine companions strolling by their sides to match their attire. As they wandered down freely, having fun, it became clear that the models were transported away from their usual day-to-day. Their body language and facial expressions expressed their enthusiasm for this freedom, as they could move to the music any way they pleased.
More street musicians busked and played the drums after a muppet made a brief cameo. Following this perhaps unexpected cameo and music performance, a flash mob of all the dancers joined them to round out this section of the night.
Vogueing Through the Night
As Madonna’s world-renowned song “Vogue” came over the speakers, lights atmospherically dimmed, and some of the most iconic runway models began traversing the catwalk wearing various designers. Metallic eveningwear styles were a recurring element in their outfits, reflecting the studio lighting and creating sparkles, reflections, and glimmers through the night. Models included Emily Ratajkowski, Gigi and Bella Hadid, and Kendall Kenner, among other household names. Being my favourite portion of the presentation, it captured the glamorous side of New York fashion in all its splendour. Moreover, it closely adhered to the event’s concept and, from my perspective, captured the city’s architecture and nightlife through several designer pieces.
Lil Nas X, who had been watching the event with Anna Wintour and Jared Leto, performed his smash song, “Industry Baby,” to cap off the spectacular evening. The models reappeared, following the rapper and vocalist down the street. He performs between them in the style of a Victoria Secret show before concluding by following Gigi, Bella, and Serena Williams down the remaining catwalk.
Unsurprisingly, many well-known and well-recognised faces appeared at the performance. The front row hosted particularly famous figures, including Travis and Kourtney Kardashian-Barker, Doja Cat, and Ansel Elgort, to mention a few.
Closing Out on VOGUE World 2022
It was the ideal time to celebrate the magazine’s lengthy reign and the long-term accomplishments of fashion. VOGUE World put on a spectacular parade unlike any other runway display you’ve ever seen. For one evening, it has brought the fashion industry together to showcase the talents of numerous designers. This showmanship is crucial to recall and recognise the incredible talent, creativity, and opportunities the industry offers.
Truly, it does not matter whether it was a marketing gimmick to raise money through exorbitant ticket prices and auctions or a networking event for the most notable celebrities to improve their connections. VOGUE World was a much-needed night out for fashion.
