Talks

From Salon to Runway: A History of Fashion Shows
TALK (EN)
By Caroline Evans
Thursday | 29 January 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot

As part of the array of events accompanying the exhibition »Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show«, renowned fashion historian Caroline Evans will talk about the history of the fashion show from around 1900 to the present day.

Fashion shows have become huge media spectacles. Above and beyond presenting clothes, they engage with the human form and debunk cultural myths – society events with a social message.

A leading expert in the field of fashion history, Caroline Evans is Professor Emerita at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Her key works include »Women and Fashion« (1989), »Fashion at the Edge« (2003), »The Mechanical Smile« (2013), and »Time in Fashion« (2020). She has lectured at design schools and universities all around the world and has acted as a consultant for international museums ranging from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museum of London to the MoMu Fashion Museum in Antwerp and the Palais Galliera in Paris. Her most recent articles have appeared in exhibition catalogues including »Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto« (2020), »Exploding Fashion« (2022), »Dirty Looks« (2025), and »Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show« (2025), the catalogue accompanying the current exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum.

The event will be held in English.

Admission is free. Please register at events@design-museum.de