2017 Defining Moments in Fashion

2017 has been a year of surprises amid the fashion industry. A series of unexpected announcements, designer switch-ups, high-profile hires and iconic model moments have collectively contributed to a year of excitement and change. Here’s a reflection of the number of happenings that have occurred throughout the past twelve months…

FIVE AMERICAN HOUSES DEPARTED FROM NWFW TO SHOW IN PARIS 

During the first half of 2017, five well established American fashion houses broadcasted their pronouncement to withdraw from New York Fashion Week to make the catwalking transition to Paris. Monique Lhuillier, Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra, Rodarte and Thom Browne all converted to France, albeit Rihanna’s label Fenty Puma illustrated the opposite actions, opting to leave Paris in favour of New York. The collection transpired to be one of the key highlights amid NYFYW’s Spring 2018 shows.

COUNTLESS DESIGNERS TAKING ON HISTORIC HOUSES 

A total of eleven design houses have witnessed much change amongst their sartorial ranks, with some of the most iconic fashion brands adopting major debuts in the form of new Creative Directors. These have included Natacha Ramsay-Levi at Chloé, Olivier Lapidus at Lanvin, Francesco Risso at Marni, Paul Surridge at Roberto Cavalli, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia at Oscar de la Renta, Clare Waight Keller at Givenchy, Lucie and Luke Meier at Jil Sander, Casey Cadwallader at Mugler, Shayne Oliver at Helmut Lang, Paul Andrew (responsible for women’s ready-to-wear and footwear) at Salvatore Ferragamo and, undoubtedly the most acknowledged, Raf Simons at Calvin Klein.

HIGH-PROFILE HIRES 

With the exclusion of creative directors, the year also saw an array of influential-name hires making headlines amongst fashion’s elite. Such new editions included previous designer for Marc by Marc Jacobs Luella Bartley being announced as the latest head of global design for Calvin Klein Jeans, Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet transitioned to Farfetch as its co-chairman, Robbie Myers stepped down her position at Elle in favour of Nina Garcia and known to all as the biggest news to break out of British publication history, Alexandra Shulman announced her twenty-five year realm at British Vogue to be over, appointing Edward Enninful as its new Editor-in-Chief.

ICONIC MODEL MOMENT 

Who could forget the emerging model moment that arrived in the form of Cindy Crawford’s breathtakingly beautiful spawn Kaia Gerber, who, at only sixteen, took the spring 2018 catwalks by storm? Strutting her remarkable resemblance to her 90s supermodel mother, the emerging talent walked in a total of nineteen runways throughout the four major capitals of the fashion world, including making a catwalk appearance amid Chanel’s Métiers a’Art 2018 show in Hamburg. And this is only just the beginning for Kaia.

Words by Kate Farley

Images courtesy of Calvin Klein, British Vogue and the BFC / Fashion Awards 2017