Is Scenography the Alter Ego of Fashion ?

ALTER EGO IS SCENOGRAPHY THE

OF FASHION ?

SPACE PERFORMANCE ACTOR SPECTATORS FASHION SHOWS

AN INVESTIGATION ON THE PARALLELISM OF THE TWO PROFESSIONS

by

KYRIACOS GEORGIOU

Josef Svoboda testing his scenographic ideas

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my dissertation supervisor, Stephen Walker, for his guidance and direction.

Also, special thanks to my parents for always encouraging my ideas.

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Sophocles, Oedipus (1963)

32

Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2013

CONTENTS 06_INTRODUCTION What are the aims of the study? What is the methodology followed?

SCE NO G R A P HY

F AS H IO N 24_HISTORICAL

FACTS

The evolution of the fashion shows over the years.

10_PERFORMANCE

SPACE AND THE BODY

26_FASHION

WEEKS

The actor’s body within the performance space. / The role of the Scenographer within this spatial arrangement

Current organizational facts about fashion shows. / What does it make each fashion capital to stand out?

14_THE AUDIENCE

29_PERFORMANCE

39_ARCHITECTURE

SPACE AND THE BODY

SPACE AND THE SPECTATOR

The audience and the actor - their spatial relationship. / The characteristics of the audience.

18_ARCHITECTURE

SPACE AND THE SPECTATOR

The architecture of the space and its effects on the spectator. / The differences between a live and recorder perfromance.

The different types of fashion shows and their affect on the model’s body within space. / The role of the Scenographer within the context of fashion.

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What makes a live fashion show to differ from a recorded one? How does that affect the spectator?

40_THE FINALE: 36_THE AUDIENCE

The relationship established between the audience, the buyers and the model.

SCENOGRAPHY MEETS FASHION

INTRODUCTION “I saw it in my dreams, put it on my paper, gave it to the man that builds my set, and I think he worked it out beautifully.”

1

KARL LAGERFELD

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Scenography* , as the word suggests, is directly related with the design of the stage. Throughout history stage was the central part of any performance space and it was the space where the action took place. Since, theatre* -as one of the most ancient forms of live performance- has always been a place for viewing, the stage and its design have always been determinant in the theatre experience of the spectators.

Personally I am very interested in both areas of study and the fact that there is a gap at the moment in terms of bibliography on the correlation of the two fields, scenography and fashion, intrigued me to analyse it and examine whether the similarities of the two are content up to their superficial similarities or whether there are any deeper elements which make them differ.

However, there are many different opinions for the meaning of scenography; McKinney and Butterworth, for example, define it as “the manipulation and orchestration of the performance environment” 2 whereas Howard describes it as “the seamless synthesis of space, text, research, art, actors, directors, and spectators that contributes to an original creation”3. Therefore, scenography can be considered to be a complex factor within the whole theatrical experience, and its role is not limited just inside the borders of the stage, but it extends abstractly beyond that.

On the other hand, fashion shows, as a posterior form of performance, share superficially the same fundamental elements as theatre scenography: the stage, the body, and the audience; but nowadays, they acquired an even more complex character since apart from being expensive and elaborate shows they are positioned in the forefront of any brands’ promotional strategy. In the 21st century, both theatre and fashion are considered to be amongst the remained forms of performance arts which through their successful use of space and through the distinctive relationship between the person on stage and the spectator, they manage to pass across to a wide range of people, messages, ideas and innovative concepts. They act as mediums which represent the evolution in several aspects of life, as they reflect the changes in technology and in the lifestyle of people around the world. It might be that scenography is applied in a different way within the context of every field, but is that uniqueness which makes this research to evolve.

6 INTRODUCTION

SCENOGRAPHY

THEATRE

Word origin: From Greek skēnē meaning stage4

Word origin: From Greek théatron (θέατρον), itself from theóme (θεώμαι)5 meaning to watch

METHODOLOGY Since the bibliography about this topic was very limited; my methodology was to approach both fields, that of scenography and that of fashion, initially separately and in the process collect elements from both which could help me establish a foundation from where the comparison could be initialized. By doing this, both fields could be comprehended in a much better way and the similarities as well as the differences could become more evident.

Information about both fields was able to be found through many sources, therefore the research methods varied.

However, the main method used for the purpose of this study was a theoretical exploration of the topic through a library based research. Other methods included videos, films and photos as well as my personal experience of architectural education so far and my association with people who work in the fashion field. The results of each of these methods helped me in the process of understanding the subject and gave to the research the anticipated range of information.

LIMITATIONS Scenography and Fashion are individually very broad concepts and many of the topics which arose from the study of both of them could have been analysed further as individual studies.

Hence, using the results of the methodologies that were applied to research the question, only specific topics were taken forward from each one of the fields, which could add more depth in the analysis and help to establish a comparison.

FIGURE 0.1_ Hussein Chalayan Spring/Summer 2014 Paris Fashion Week

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S 8

SCENOGRAPHY

The aim of this first major chapter of this study is to bring to the proscenium those qualities and characteristics of scenography and therefore theatre and live performance, which will help explore the similarities and differences between scenography and fashion.

The themes which will be investigated in more detail, in conjunction with examples of the work of great scenographers, will guide and also help the analysis of fashion shows in the second part of this research. It will not be a chronological history of scenography, but through the main themes that will be discussed, theatrical and scenographical terms and theories will be introduced and understood, in order to bear on the analysis of fashion.

The main themes to be examined will evolve around the triptych: space (the stage) – body (the actor) – audience (the spectator). The different relationships which occur between those three elements as well as with other relevant factors which are introduced in the process such as the costume and the architectural space will help to unveil the dynamism which is lying behind this relationship.

9

PERFORMANCE SPACE AND THE BODY

FIGURE 1.1_

Some would think of the stage as an architectural space designed within a theatre, some would define it as a place for performance or a location for a living performance2 and some others would think of it as an object of itself within a greater space. All of the above are individually valid facts but their common theme is that the stage as a space will help in the creation of a fictional world, a ‘place’, where action occurs.

Stage could be the defined area within a theatre space where performance takes place or it could be a designated area by a designer within a non-theatre space. Therefore, a set designer approaches the design of the stage being aware of many different factors, such as the nature of the performance, the location where it will take place and the performers that will be part of it. By doing an extensive analysis of these elements, the design will respond to the needs of each different performance.

Modern scenography represents the reality and the qualities of a specific space (ie. the location in which the play takes place) without reproducing it. A representational space is designed which helps to enhance the reality of the characters, the script of the play and also manage to transfer those qualities to the audience. A church does not need to be represented as the actual church nor the village or the town has to be duplicated as the original; either abstract or real characteristics of the spaces will convey the spatial and architectural qualities of those spaces or locations.

In such a spatial configuration where the designer is trying through the manipulation and direction of the

10 SCENOGRAPHY

space to deliver a certain message, another important element, perhaps the most important of all, is the actor and his or her body within the space. For that reason scenographers tend to work closely with the actors as well as the director of the play to create the set design around them. Therefore the set design is personal and unique in relation to the people that occupy and use it. As Berlott Brecht (1898-1956) described, a good set designer should follow this process when designing a set: “He will test them [the performance ideas] constantly and revise them on the basis of results in rehearsals with the actors. The wishes and opinions of the actors are wells of discovery for him… Now ahead of the actor, now behind him, always together with him”3 The presence of the actors on stage is characterized as very distinctive, and they manage through their facial expressions and their eyes, but mostly through their body gestures to pass across their state of mind as well as the message of the play. Through the use of their body in three dimensions, the actors acquire a great power on stage, they engage with the set and the space and they can give life to any inanimate object. Through their movement within space they can make the audience believe that simple objects like a door or a chair on stage could be translated to the greatest space.

An extension to the previous scenographic sign systems,

“Scenography creates inhabitable spaces which are determined by the circumstances and purposes of the action in question and by the movement of the bodies within the space, in order, to create a formally coherent and dramatically functional system” 1

which would help the enhancement of the creation of the fictional ‘place’, is the costumes that the actors wear during the play. They are, as well, an important element of the theatrical experience since they can represent nationality, genre, age or social status of the person wearing them, or sometimes they could even stand by themselves on the stage without any scenery and yet can create an entire new world or even represent a whole historical period. They are the strongest medium for the actor’s body transformation on stage, his or her metamorphosis. The costumes can enhance the human’s body identity or even change it and they are the crucial factor which would determine the way the actors are moving through space. The costumes, though, can assign limited characteristics to the actor’s body. This observation is evident in a more exaggerated form through the human figure study of Oskar Schlemmer (figure 1.2).

As it has been seen from the previous example, the manner in which the human body moves in space is more complex than it initially looks and the actor, whose body is the one to participate in the action, needs to take in account many parameters in order to achieve the ultimate use of the space.

Hence, the scenography of the space and the design of the costumes have to work in harmony with each other, in order not just for the one to advance the other but also for both of them to enrich the actor’s performance and movement within the space. For that reason the costumes and all the relevant accessories are rehearsed by the actors not just for the prefect fitting but also for the actors to practice with them, feel their weight and their volume within space. By inhabiting them, the actors will familiarize their selves with the costumes and turn them eventually into their second skin. The costume is aimed not to be conceived as a secondary piece placed on the actor’s body: antithetically it should sculpt the body, making the actor’s figure look natural. In this way however unusual the garment looks, the audience perceives it as a natural extension of the actor’s body.

Additionally, costumes for some directors and scenographers could be a tool for an argument. It is proven throughout history that costumes communicate ideas and opinions; they were placed on stage not just to be seen by the audience, but they always intended to say something. This type of characteristic of the costume, gives to the actor and to his performance an extra layer of connection with the character. The actor has the opportunity to connect with the costume on another level than just the movement that the costume would provide to him. This kind of psychological connection will help the actor to adapt to his character’s needs and eventually manage to deliver them to the audience.

By applying all the elements mentioned above, the actors advance their performance and also succeed in passing across

to the spectators the message of the play. The set or the costumes or the objects alone cannot communicate any ideas without the participation of an active member which is the actor.

THE ROLE OF THE SCENOGRAPHER The approaches mentioned above are crucial in the process of designing the space which will accommodate the play and also in the way that the actors will relate with it. Throughout history there were many great examples of scenographers who applied those principles, everyone in their own unique way, establishing either a distinct theory for scenography or even a whole new way of thinking for scenography as a subject. In this research the aim is not to represent their work chronologically, but through referencing examples or techniques that they used, the whole idea of scenography will become more clear and understandable and also the role of scenographer will become more apparent.

During the first decade of the twentieth century, a new scenographic attempt was evident by many masters of this field.

The new approach was characterized by a shift from the literal ‘pictorial scene’4 of the past decades to a more architectural

FIGURE 1.1_left Chekhov, The Sea Gull, 1972 (Scenographer: Josef Svoboda, Director: Otomar Krejca

FIGURE 1.2_top Oskar Schlemmer introduced the theoretical idea of the mechanical human figure: the marionette5. The artificial figure, unlike any human, is able to move in any kind of way acquiring any position for as long as it wants. In the two figures shown, the human figure is changing form in relation to certain laws which apply in the space around it.

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and abstract representation of the scene. Baugh described that the designers in this new scenographic era are “clearing away surface texture, detail, and scenic illusions in order to examine the inner mechanics of the place of performance”6.

Edward Gordon Craig (1872-1966) as a scenographic modernist of his time followed the above theory and his stage ‘screens’ (figure 1.3) were a true example of the design approach of the period. As he described them: “For the foremost characteristic of this scene is that it is an architectonic construction with a life of its own. It is a solid, three-dimensional unit which adopts itself to the actor’s movements, a group of screens which stand up by themselves” 7 Compared with older static examples of scenography, Craig’s innovative ideas engage the actor with the set thus creating a more interactive space which is brought to life through performance. They were not designed in such a way to reproduce an actual place, but through the performance they could help to direct the spectators to what they specifically represent. In 1913 he characteristically stated about the qualities which describe scenographic design: “Once upon a time, stage scenery was architecture. A little later it became imitation architecture; still later it became imitation artificial architecture. Then it lost its head, went quite mad, and has been in a lunatic asylum ever since” 8 Through this way of thinking, Craig showed his interest in the architectonic qualities of a location or a place relative to the imitative qualities of it. This observation also illustrates that the main drive of the scenographic design of that era was the elimination of any elements which imitated the past and

the experimentation with some which were completely new.

Josef Svoboda (1920-2002) another great pioneer in scenography who succeeded Craig as well as many others, still follows this general notion of scenography as a “machine for performance”9 but because of the new technologies, new materials and new structural solutions introduced in the historical period he lived, he managed to lift those ideas to a whole new level.

As Svoboda stated about the representation of a ‘place’ on stage: “I’m not interested in making a burning bush or an erupting volcano on stage, in creating an illusion of reality, but in acknowledging the reality of theatrical elements, which can be transformed nonmaterially into almost anything” 10 Svoboda’s approach could be referenced back to the Aristotelian belief which places action as the core of the drama. In his case though, action means the movement and the change from one point of the drama to another. Therefore one of his main concerns was the potential of scenographical kinesis within the space he designed whether that was going to be achieved by the movement of light or by the physical movement of parts of the stage or the set. Through the synchronized movement of scenography in relation to the development of the action and the emotions that it conveys, the three dimensional space can relate to both the psychological qualities of the action as well as those of the audience; a very important element that is going to be examined further in the next chapter. So, by controlling the space, it can express different kind of emotions as the drama progresses.

Taking as an example his set for Shakespeares, Hamlet (figure 1.4), he did not attempt to convert the theatrical space into the

FIGURE 1.3_ Stage ‘Screens’ (1910) Edward Gordon Craig

12 SCENOGRAPHY

location of Elsinore in which the play takes place, but designed a space that would be transformed into a dramatic space appropriate for Hamlet’s performance. To arrive into his final design resolutions, Svoboda tried to envisage the possibilities of the void of the empty stage. He tried through this design process to visualise his thoughts about the drama into that space.

Another example of Svoboda’s work which features another important element of his personal scenographic design, the stairs, is Sophocles, Oedipus (figure 1.5). It is included in this section as another great example of a stage design which is not imitative, but on the contrary focuses on the emotions and the feelings of the scene and the actor. At the end of the play where the story reaches its climax and Oedipus abandoned by everyone is leaving searching for the truth, Svoboda imagined that the only way to attribute his feelings and his misery way to let the actor disappear in the darkness walking up on a grand set of stairs. For Svoboda only stairs could express all these emotions together.

FIGURE 1.4_ Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1959 Scenographer: Josef Svoboda, Director: Jaromir Pleskot To create the scene for Hamlet, Svoboda used twelve black reflective movable panels and three types of light which transformed the actors into shadowy moving figures in space. The combination of materials and light gave him the flexibility to change the scene and the lighting twenty-four times during the play.

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THE AUDIENCE

FIGURE 1.5_ Sophocles, Oedipus, 1963 Scenographer: Josef Svoboda, Director: Miroslav Machacek The design of the lighting together with the design of the stairs as well as the placement of the actor within the scene passed across to the audience the psychological state of the character.

The design of the set, the costumes, the lighting, the sound, and the actors, are some of the main elements mentioned earlier that constitute as a whole the pictorial experience of a play. However, they do not fulfil their purpose in the space without the addition of a live audience.

The spectator is an inextricable element within that configuration which brings everything to life and makes every performance a unique and different experience.

As Otakar Zich pointed out about the actor’s presence on stage: there is the actor, the character that he plays, the spectators who conceive that character and in between them there is the ‘stage figure’, the “the physical manifestation of the character or persona constructed by the actor and the other artists involved in that production”11. Even though, according to Zich all these elements co-exist; there is always a relationship occurring between every two of them: the actor with the character, the actor with the stage figure and so on.

In this section of the chapter, the two-way relationship of the actor with the audience will be examined in more detail, as it will help with the analysis of fashion later in the study.

THE AUDIENCE AND ITS NATURE

in general is that of gender and class, more dominantly for the eighteenth, nineteenth and the first part of twentieth century for the latter one. According to the class the spectators fell in, they could experience very differently the same performance at the same location. The fact that accessibility in various part of the auditorium was controlled by class, the visibility and the audibility varied, thus making the whole theatre experience to differ. The importance of the placement of the spectator within the space in relation to the actor on stage is something that will be discussed in the next chapter. The differentiation, though, did not exist only in between different classes but the gender was an important factor for each of those classes.

Each gender, during each period, perceived the performance in a different way. During seventeen century, men were going to the theatre to be seen and look at women sitting in the audience whereas women did not want to be seen at all. Their location within the theatre (figure 1.7) as well as the accessories that they wore such as veils and masks were helping them to keep their identity secret13. In later periods of history, where the position of woman within the society was advanced, women were going to theatre nicely dressed, with the aim to be seen and also socialize with other people.

“The audience remains a mystery – a group of disparate people who have all decided to do the same thing on the same night and come together in a large space called theatre”

The actor, as an active element in this arrangement, has to resolve this ‘mystery’, bring all these strangers together as a unified body, a community, and configure a spatial dynamic which will allow him or her to put across the messages of the play. All these different people come at the same place for the same cause, but because of that as well as the fact that they are all placed in the same room in a certain spatial configuration, they acquire their own idiosyncrasies, their own energy and hence their own life as a collective entity within the space.

However, this flow of energy changes every night according to the different nature of spectators. The audience is by nature an unpredictable body of people. They react in every show in a different manner, laugh at different things or cheer for others. The mix of individuals attending the show every night is unlikely to be exactly the same, therefore the actors should be particularly conscious of that and be very receptive to any kind of different behaviours. The actors or even the production company cannot control the way an audience would act, since the factors that usually affect that, are external and not controllable by them.

Another important aspect which characterizes the nature of the audience throughout the history of theatre and performance

An additional aspect that characterizes the spectators apart from their gender and class is the society they come from.

12 The latter can be significant in the spatial behaviour of the spectator. According to Edward T. Hall, who was the first one to point out these social differences14, a human occupies the space around his or her body in various ways in relation with others, always relatively with his or her culture, setting up different categories of spaces (figure 1.6). Consequently, what people from one country will find as an appropriate distance, some others could find as a very intimate one.

Hence, this is another factor which would define the distance between the actor and the spectator in the theatre’s case.

Once again, the actor must be in a state to psychoanalyze the audience and be aware of any of these conditions in order to manage to communicate with it in the ultimate way possible.

The differences observed by the audience’s sociological variation can play also a significant role in the design of the production itself. In relation, to the location that a play would take place the scenographer might adjust his or her design to its special attributes and the culture of its people. Spectators tend to focus on objects or parts of the set which “carry a metaphoric significance in the space beyond their reality”15.

By taking this into their advantage, scenographers could with the use of light or other technological means, to emphasize

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S O CIAL SP A C E

PUBLIC SPACE

on certain parts of their designs more than others in order to tell the story in a better way. Depending on what kind of ‘scene’, scenographers want to create and what messages they intend to pass across to the audience they have to select, for example, certain objects or colours that will help to communicate the story by ultimately reminding the audience something from its past or its history. The scenographer’s expertise will be evident if with such a manipulation of the space and with the use of the right objects will manage to play with the audience’s memory, culture and background.

Such a use of the space is vital in the relationship of the audience with the actor, since the spectator’s imagination will help to complete the picture that the scenographer with the director wants to communicate. After all, the main driven force of the performance is the messages which get across to the audience, something which is quite apparent from the ancient tragedy. “Spectacle, as opsis, was quite low in Aristotle’s list of ‘ingredients’”16, stating that what we see in a performance by its looks and physical aesthetics is not the main purpose of the performance; looking behind that ‘mask’ there are more messages hidden, which are communicated to the audience through other means, such as the actor.

FIGURE 1.6_top Space categorization around the human body according to Edward T. Hall

FIGURE 1.7_left Loges Grilles: Lattice stalls used for privacy purposes within theatres during 17th century

16 SCENOGRAPHY

THE EXCHANGE OF ENERGY

“Catharsis: the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.”

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Aristotle first introduced this term in his work entitled Poetics18, to describe the power of the presence of the actor on stage to the spectator. Catharsis for him was the cleansing of emotions through the medium of theatre and drama.

By using this example, the importance of the actor on the stage is accentuated and it shows that its impact on the spectator was a vital and essential element from the birth of theatre. This unique two-way relationship, the exchange of energy between the actor and the spectator, remains the most fascinating element of a theatrical performance until nowadays.

However, for this ‘energy exchange’ to be established both the audience and the actors need to be dynamic and take part in the performance, each one from their own perspective.

According to Anne Ubersfeld, the term spectator “suggests a more active role than a ‘viewer’ and offers a sense of being part of the spectacle”19. This differentiation implies that the spectator is at the position where he or she can perceive the physical existence of the actor within the space along with the actor’s psychological state, as well as the actor on the other hand can feel the audience’s physical presence and their reaction.

Through the fact that both actors and spectators are present at the same time, both of them can feel the dynamism which exists in the space. The actors are energized by the physical presence of the spectators whereas the spectators are stimulated by the live presence of the actors on stage, compared for example to a static object or a projection. The actor, even though, is impersonating a character on stage and the ‘stage figure’ he or she created still exists in the space, is always communicating directly with the spectators in live time. This special way of communication, happens only for once, and every time it differs from the preceding one; for that reason the theatrical experience stands out from every other and the fact of actually being physically there is part of the whole synthesis of theatre.

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ARCHITECTURAL

SPACE AND THE SPECTATOR “Theatre consists of human beings in a defined space watched by other human beings and it is this reality that constitutes the basic apparatus of theatre” 20

The architecture of the theatre or of any space that holds theatrical performances, defines the crucial relationship of the audience with the performance and the actors. Thus, because of its importance in the whole theatrical experience and the way in which it affects the modification of the presentational space on stage, it had changed tremendously over the years as a part of not only the technological evolution, but also as a part of experimentation. Trying other ways of setting up a space for a theatrical performance using different kind of media, provides a lot of valuable information which can be used in the future in the improvement of the way in which theatre is communicated to the public.

Comparing the way theatres were designed and functioned over the years, shows the range of techniques used to approach the theatrical performance. However, these differentiations did not happen coincidentally, but for each period of history they were serving a certain purpose. Taking for example the layout of a typical ancient Greek theatre (figure 1.8), it reflects

18 SCENOGRAPHY

the social hierarchy of the period which accentuated the dramaturgy of the plays and its impact in the people’s lives. The audience as well as the chorus were allowed to enter the theatre only from the area of the ‘orchestra’, whereas, the royalties or heroes were entering from the ‘skene’, the focal area of the theatre situated behind the ‘proskenion’. In later examples, this social distinction was translated to centrally located seats in the auditorium during the Renaissance period and private seating boxes during the eighteenth century onwards.

Even though those social differences used to exist, their common denominator is the ultimate visual connection of the spectator to the stage, which leads to the establishment of the relationship of the spectator with the actor. The space in which a performance takes place and its architecture determines the audibility and visibility of the spectator, and hence the degree of concentration needed from him or her to watch the performance. An important role in the architecture of the space is played by the design of the auditorium itself, since its

size, its shape and its location in relation to the central stage is crucial. The design of the auditorium besides the level of visibility it provides to the presentational space, it additionally defines the visibility of the spectators to each other, the way they move around in space and the way in which they have to be seated, among others. A good viewpoint to the stage makes the audience to be more concentrated to the performance, since they are in a position where they can follow the actor’s eye line and be able to see his or her face and expressions.

Moreover, these factors could predetermine the location of the focus of attention of the spectator, for example towards a specific area of the theatre or towards a specific point of the performance. However, it is quite rare for the spectators in the audience to be focused at the same time on the exact same thing, since due to the nature of the performance they are free to concentrate on any part of the stage or even the theatrical space. Reminiscence of this is the use of lighting in the auditorium and on stage in earlier periods of history. Initially when the performance was taking place in the forestage (figure 1.9) – an area which because of its location within space has a more direct contact with the audience – both the forestage and the auditorium were lit. After the late nineteenth century the auditorium was darkened, thus the attention was directed to the well-lit stage through the proscenium. Through this technique, as Benjamin Wyatt stated the proscenium was acting as a “picture frame” 21. This ‘frame’, apart from emphasizing the performance, was also acting as an abstract separation between the audience and the imaginary world of the actor. This manipulation of space could provide a ‘frame’ for the scenographic image which is presented to the audience. This image acts as a medium which helps not only with the progression of the performance, but also acts as an object for contemplation to the audience. Through this image, the spectators can discover hidden meanings that are

not evident in the performance, which could relate with them personally. This type of spatial configuration would register a better relationship between the spectator and the actor.

Consequently, the physical distance which is provided by the arrangement of space between the auditorium and the presentational space where the action takes place, does not exist only for the matter of good visual sightlines but also for the beginning of understanding. The fact that the spectator realizes that the performance is taking place at a certain defined space and that the proceedings taking place within the ‘picture frame’ are real but at the same time are not real, shifts him or her from their current location to the fictional world of the play. This imaginary displacement could be feasible at the point when the actor as the physical medium works in harmony with the spatial arrangement of the stage and thus manages to ‘travel’ the spectator into the fictional world he or she is living in.

FIGURE 1.8_left Ancient Greek Theatre: Diagramatic representation showing the main elements of the theatre

FIGURE 1.9_right Contemporary Theatre: Diagramatic representation of the main elements of the stage

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LIVE AND RECORDED PERFORMANCES

“Once performance is documented or recorded it becomes something other than performance” 22

It is important to point out in this chapter the differences which occur between a spectator who watches a live performance, such as a theatrical play, and a spectator who watches a recorded performance, for example a movie. This is an aspect of theatre that is significant to point out in this chapter, since it will relate with fashion later on in the study.

A live performance, as mentioned above, is something that will never happen twice in the exact same way, compared to a recorded performance which will play repetitively in the same way during every show. Even though in this configuration the spectators could be located at exactly the same arrangement as in a theatrical space and under the same conditions, such as in a darkened space, the virtual presence of the actors takes away the theatrical experience.

The actors are not able to communicate with the spectators or react to anything that it might be happening in the audience. As McAuley stated: “actors are images on a screen that reminds us of the absence of that which is presented”23.

stage area, is free to watch at any direction, thus perceiving the performance through its position within the space and through its own individual angle of view, building in this way its own story for the performance. In cinema, the camera serves as the eyes of the audience and the spectator is able to watch only what has been capture by it. The actor becomes one element among many others on every frame and it immediately loses its direct connection with the audience.

On the contrary, in a live performance the camera does not serve as the mediating element, but the actor is the one who communicates the story and its meanings to the audience.

The audience interacts with the performance and the actor, becoming an active element rather than a passive one.

In such spatial arrangement, the spectator is placed in front of a bright screen, under some predetermined circumstances to watch a pre-organized and pre-recorded piece of performance.

The spectator is positioned directly in relation to what it has been recorded, focusing only on that. Compared to what it has been said in the previous sections of the chapter, the spectator, even though the action is centralized on the

SUMMARY

This first section of the study introduced the reader to the main aspects of scenography which will help to begin a comparison with fashion in the following chapters. The main key ideas that are going to be taken from scenography and brought forward in the discussion will be the exploration of the body within the architectural and the performance space, the audience’s characteristics and its role within this spatial configuration as well as the important role of the actor in the establishment of his or her relationship with the audience.

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FIGURE 1.10_left Wagner, Tristan and Isolde, 1972 Scenographer: Josef Svoboda Director: C.H. Drese

FIGURE 1.11_right Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1959 Scenographer: Josef Svoboda, Director: Jaromir Pleskot

F 22

FASHION

This chapter aims to introduce the reader to the basic themes which are related with fashion shows, starting with a brief historical study of the evolution of the shows as well as explain the current fashion calendar of the main fashion capitals around the world. This analysis will help set the context in which the fashion shows were evolved, since they are considered quite a modern phenomenon being just over 100 years old, compared to the 700 years history of fashion1 and the even wider history of theatre.

The historical facts will help understanding the initiatives behind the creation of these types of shows, which later will help in the comparison that is going to be made between scenography, as discussed earlier, and the new topics which will be introduced in this chapter relating to fashion.

Furthermore, the main spatial characteristics of the fashion shows will be discussed as well as the role of the designer, the scenographer, the audience and the model within this configuration. By using as guidelines the order as well as the content of the chapters of the previous section about scenography, a comparison will be established between the two fields; scenography and fashion. Examples of fashion shows, which differ in layout, presentation and location, will be used as precedents throughout the chapter in order to help make the terminology used much clearer.

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“Fashion show is quite a modern phenomenon in the world of fashion. Even though, it has remained throughout history as a presentation of clothes to a number of people, the way that it has been practiced over the years has changed. From simple presentations on fashion dolls, today fashion shows are generally considered among the greatest productions to be staged every year in various locations around the world.”

FIGURE 2.1_

FIGURE 2.4_

FIGURE 2.5_

Fashion dolls wearing Christian Dior garments [Dior at Harrods Exhibition]

Modelling stage at Maison Beer

Modelling stage at Maison Poiret, 1909

FIGURE 2.2_below Fashion doll shown in Russian Court dress of ealy 19th Century

1900s

1860s

The Stage

America

Although, during 19th century, fashion shows found their way into the life of the Parisian designers, it was not until the early 20th century that they started acquiring their theatrical character, with the incorporation of staging in the performances. Parisian fashion designers Lucile, Beer, Paquin and Poiret were among the first to feature modelling stages in their salons. Characteristically, as it has been described by C.Evans, the stage at Paquin’s fashion house was a platform that was taking up the space of half of the modelling room, lit up by powerful lights from all different sides, “precisely as in a theatre”5. In 1913, a period when the social dancing, such as tango was at its peak, many couturiers integrated some dance demonstrations in their fashion shows, enhancing in this way their theatrical aspect that was becoming, as the years passed, even more apparent.

The early 20th century, was also a transformative period for fashion shows, since they started to be staged in America, in locations such as department stores. The fashion shows gained more drama, more theatricality and were organized at a much greater scale. Narratives were incorporated in the shows, which gave them a storyline and made the whole performance even more dramatic. In terms of spatial arrangements, the layout of the runway-like platforms reminded the modern fashion show layout rather than the small stages in Paris’ salons. It is evident by the chronological facts which are stated in the previous chapter, that both scenography and fashion shows were experiencing a transformative period, at the same period in history. The introduction of technology into the performance arts as well as the change of lifestyle made those changes inevitable.

Mannequins However, the modern fashion shows in a format similar to what we know today, with models who are presenting the garments to an audience, was conceived in the 19th century.

It owes its geneses in the development of the haute couture system in Paris and its expanding trade character across Europe and America during the same period. Since then, Paris was the ‘Mecca’ of fashion and it was the city were all the international buyers were heading to, twice a year, to get the latest fashion ideas. Back then, Parisian couturiers were not selling only their garments, but were also selling their designs with the rights to reproduce them in a mass scale.

1640s Fashion dolls The initiative for the creation of the fashion dolls* , the predecessor of the modern fashion shows, was the need to transmit fashion information to potential customers. It was a way of presenting the latest fashion innovations that was very popular especially between the 1640s and the 1790s2. [* Fashion dolls are miniature, to scale figures wearing replicas of the latest clothing3.]

During the 1860s4, French couturier C.F. Worth called the women who wore garments to present to his clients as mannequins and he is consider to be one of the first people to officially establish the presentation of his garments on live models. Up to that point in history, the term was used to describe a stationary object, a display doll. After that, many Parisian couturiers followed Worth’s way of presenting the garments on mannequin with a great success.

FIGURE 2.3_top The seated client watches the mannequins who wear Le jersey Parisien look.

IMAGE 2.6_

24 FASHION

Fashion show in the Egyptian Hall of the Philadelphia store, 1909

1920-50s

1970-80s

The Press

The Excess

The fashion shows both in Europe and America by that time, they were covered by the press such as fashion magazines and newspapers, who were writing rave notices for the designers, their work and the shows they were putting together. The fashion shows gradually lost their private and discreet character; since they were no longer staged just for private clients but through the press coverage they were presented to a wider range of audience. Therefore, during 1920s, the shows both in Europe and America shifted from being clearly dedicated for sales, to become strong promotional tools for the fashion houses and the sellers.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the fashion show format changed tremendously, since the well-ordered fashion parade of models gave its place to a stage performance, with models that were improvising, with music and dance. The sense of excess that was characterizing that period was directly reflected to the world of fashion. The fashion shows got even bigger in scale and they were established as popular public events. Also, because of their theatrical nature, the need of the set designer became a necessity.

2 1 st C e n t u r y Title of the note FIGURE 2.9_ Pierre Cardin Autumn/Winter 1980

Even though that during the 1990s the fashion shows started to show more real and minimal designs, in the 21st century, using the great technological advances available, they became media events once again.

It is evident through this brief chronological review that all the changes in fashion shows that occurred in the last 100 years, were results of the way of living and the progression in technology. The audience, which in this case are the potential buyers, were demanding for more and the fashion houses in this context were accelerating changes to stay in the fore scene of the industry. Having as origins the first fashion shows of Paris, the fashion shows developed, and are still developing, to stay in the core of the promotional and branding plans of the fashion industry.

FIGURE 2.7_ Magazine Article about Lucile Fashion Show in Paris

FIGURE 2.8_ Christian Dior Fashion Show, 1947

A significant change in the format of the shows happened in 19476, when Christian Dior asked his models not to simply present the garment and its design to the clients, but also to project through their performance the woman who wore his designs and her way of living. This innovative format, shifted the mannequins from being just presentational ‘devices’ and transformed them into more participative elements of the show.

Also, in 1949 the familiar fashion term prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) was born, which because of its mass production character expanded the consumer audience of the fashion houses. Until the 1970s, fashion shows remained as fashion parades of mannequins with the exception of the technological changes and improvements, in terms of lighting and music that were occurring with the passage of time.

FIGURE 2.10_ Marc Jacobs Autumn/Winter 2013

F A S H I O N W E E K S

26 FASHION

Historically, the major international cities which traditionally host fashion weeks twice a year are New York, London, Milan and Paris; with the shows starting every season from New York and following the afore-mentioned order end in Paris. However, in the 21st century there are many other cities which organize fashion weeks on a smaller scale, such as Berlin, Copenhagen and Rio. Furthermore, menswear fashion shows are held twice a year first in Milan and then in Paris, followed by the haute couture* shows in Paris. Figure 2.11 shows an indicative calendar of the main fashion events.

Nowadays, the fashion weeks in all the four fashion capitals mentioned above are equally important for those who are working in the industry. Every season, they produce different trends and ideas, but it can be said that every city carries its unique characteristics which make it quite special within the fashion map.

JAN Prêt-à-porter (Womenswear)

FEB/MAR

JUNE

SEP/OCT

X

X

Prêt-à-porter (Menswear)

X

X

Haute Couture

X

X FIGURE 2.11_

HAUTE COUTURE

PRÊT-À-PORTER

Is the French word for ‘high fashion’. As a term it can be used also to suggest the French industry and the French designers who are involved in the making of high fashion garments.

Is the French word for ‘readyto-wear’. As a term is used to suggest mass-produced garments.

NEW YORK

LONDON

The New York fashion week was founded in 1943 with the aim to decentralize the fashion event from Paris, especially during a period when the journalists and the buyers could not fly to Europe because of the Second World War. In 1999, New York began scheduling its fashion week before the rest of the fashion capitals, in an attempt to gain more publicity and more importance as a fashion city.

London was always characterized by its innovations and the introduction of young talented fashion designers to the fashion industry. It is a fashion city which experiments with new designs but at the same time it produces wearable collections.

New York, offers to the registered fashion designers, a framework within which they can showcase their designs.

This is translated to a common space with ready sets and runways –common for everyone- were every designer in turn presents his or her collection. This formula was later adopted successfully by both London and Milan.

British iconic fashion designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen verify the fact that London takes risks in terms of the presentations as well as the designs of the collections. Through the existing connections of the British Fashion Council, which runs the fashion week, with the fashion schools and the young fashion designers, it manages to maintain at high levels the creativity and the innovation which makes London to stand out.

“The British capital continues to offer a breath of fresh air year after year” 7

FIGURE 2.12_ Maison Martin Margiela Autumn/Winter 2013 New York Fashion Week

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MILAN

PARIS

Milan is the fashion capital which is characterized by top quality clothes and a great fashion tradition. Because of those qualities as well as the various design and high fashion activities taking place in Rome, Italy gained an important role in the fashion world. For that reason Made in Italy campaign, serves as a promotional trick for many Italian designers who use it in their designs. As a fashion city, Milan is famous internationally for its menswear presentations.

Because of its historical background, as it has been discussed earlier in this chapter, Paris holds until today the title of the fashion capital; the place where all the designers aim to show their collections and the place where all the important journalists, press and celebrities are present every season. The private manner in which the fashion shows are organized and also the strict requirements which exist by the Fédération Française de la Couture as for who is presenting during the Fashion Week, make Paris an exclusive place to showcase a collection. Also, it is the only city out of the four, which is capable of producing at the same time traditional and elegant fashion shows and collections as well as the most alternative, avantgarde and theatrical shows. Fashion houses such as Chanel and Alexander McQueen maintain the level of theatricality and performance that characterizes the Parisian fashion shows.

“You may be considered genius in London, but if you want to acquire a truly international status, you should hold a show in Paris. It has been like this from Worth to McQueen.”

DIDIER GRUMBACH, PRESIDENT OF THE FÉDÉRATION FRANÇAISE DE LA COUTURE

FIGURE 2.13_ Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2013 Paris Fashion Week

FIGURE 2.14_right Burberry Prorsum Autumn/Winter 2013 London Fashion Week

28 FASHION

8

PERFORMANCE SPACE AND THE BODY 29

FIGURE 2.15_ The theme of their latest show as Karl Lagerfeld, director of Chanel, explained was “the old and the new world” 9; the old represented by the theatre setting and the new by the futuristic backdrop on the stage. These spatial qualities of the set were translated to the garments through their contemporary design as well as their impeccable craftsmanship; a historic quality of the fashion house.

The ultimate goal in organizing a fashion show is to present the designer’s collection, the ideas behind it and the messages that the designer wants to pass across to the audience, the press and the buyers. In order, for all of these to be achieved, several elements which comprise the show need to come harmoniously together. This might include the audio components of the show, the visual components (lighting and video recording facilities) but most importantly the physical layout of the show, the staging. The staging is a major element of the show, since it gives the first impression to the viewers and sets the atmosphere for the whole presentation.

is not as dominant in fashion. The hierarchy is altered since the priorities change. The models, theoretically, take the place of the actors but they do not engage their bodies with the set in the degree that the actors do neither the stage is designed around them but around the garments. Also, the garments are not designed specifically for them but for the average potential buyer. As Roubaud writes: “Everywhere the dress is made for the woman. Here the woman is made for the dress”10.

The interaction of the set with the objects and of the human body (actor or model) with the costumes is present but the interaction between the two categories has been changed.

As it was explained in the respective chapter about scenography, the configuration that it was set up between the set, the objects, the actor and the costumes, changes in the context of fashion. The same layers do exist during a fashion performance but they acquire a different value and power. The determinative position that the actor has in this arrangement

Many set designers and art directors agree that the selection of the location for a fashion show is the most important element to start the project with. The same way, in which a theatre director or a producer chooses the perfect space to stage a play, an art director has to find the best possible place where the fashion designer will showcase his or her collection. There

30 FASHION

“The design of the presentational space in fashion has to be more expressive and real, because it serves the opposite goal, to help the models enter into the fictional world which is already set up for them.

They interact up to a certain degree with it by their pre-arranged movements, but not up to the level of interaction of the actor.” is always though, limitability to that, which is dependent upon the selection of the framework under the designer presents the collections. For example, the fashion event (e.g. Fashion Week), the location of the fashion event, the facilities that are already provided and the budget available.

Through the above clarification, it can be said that there are two main categories that the fashion shows can fall in, the classic and the theatrical. The classic show aims to focus all the presentation around the garments without any additional elements added which may drift away the audience’s attention from them. For this type of shows the location of the different physical elements within the space is very important, such as the runway, the press and the lighting. The runway can take different shapes but the most common configurations include the U, I, and T (figure 2.16). The length and the width of the runway can vary according to the size of the location and the number of models that are going to be on stage at the same time. The location of the runway as well as its height plays a crucial factor in the relationship of the stage with the audience and the press. Shows such as the one’s by Narciso Rodriguez and Donna Karan which take place during the New York Fashion Week, are more simplistic and they tend to follow the basic rules of producing a fashion show and most of the times they could share the same venues. The focus of attention is on the garments and the lighting and the music are the variable factors in this type of arrangement. Examples

press

press

of fashion shows which still preserve the characteristics of a classic show but with the addition of more theatrical elements are evident during most of the Fashion Weeks, especially from more established brands, who present their collections on a separate venue with completely different scenography from the rest of the shows. Burberry is a great example to illustrate the combination of a classic show with some more dramatic elements. For the last couple of years they present their collections on the same venue using the same classic T-shape runway layout with similar backdrops. The difference, as it can be seen from the pictures above, is that for every show they use elements from the scenery as well as the shape of the building itself to introduce new scenographic tricks which reinforce the theme of the collection but at the same time maintain a continuous character for the brand.

Effects such as the snow, the petals and the live band along with the differentiations in the music and the lighting, make the show every season a unique experience (figure 2.17-2.18).

Antithetically, in the case of the theatrical shows the design of the space is more imitative rather than representational.

These types of shows are staged and choreographed to the last detail in order to achieve their maximum potential. In contrary to the classic shows, where all the elements are placed on the runway, in this category the theatricality is extended on the whole space and the limits of the runway are not as obvious. This is relative to the points made earlier about the

press

FIGURE 2.16_ The most common runway layouts include the U, I and T.

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differentiation which occurs between the interaction of the models with the space and the objects placed within that frame.

“On the one hand it can be seen that scenographic space shapes the way performers physically inhabit the stage space and the way they negotiate it during the course of a performance. On the other hand, the way performers use the space through their gestures, movements and physical actions is a fundamental consideration for scenographers and a constituent part of the creation of scenography”11 The actors through their interaction with the physical space around them, their facial expressions and with the help of the progression of the story have the advantage of translating a more abstract scene to something more

32 FASHION

realistic. On the contrary, the design of the presentational space in fashion has to be more expressive and real, because it serves the opposite goal, to help the models enter into the fictional world which is already set up for them. They interact up to a certain degree with it by their pre-arranged movements, but not up to the level of interaction of the actor.

Traditionally, the most theatrical shows take place in Paris during the Haute Couture Fashion Week and a great example to illustrate that is the fashion shows of Chanel (figure 2.15). Chanel showcases its collections for the past years at the same location, the Grand Palais in Paris and it uses the building’s openness and scale as a blank canvas to produce elaborate shows. Taking here two of the latest examples of the fashion house’s shows, the dramatic and

forever”12. Therefore, the role of the scenographer in this configuration is very crucial since he or she is the one responsible for the creation of these memorable images.

THE ROLE OF THE SCENOGRAPHER “To understand the future, retailers need to be in tune with the creative thinkers of the present, and harness images which become old almost as quickly as they are seen” 13

IMAGE 2.17_left Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2013

IMAGE 2.18_top Burberry Prorsum Autumn/Winter 2012

theatrical character of them is clearly evident. The usual arrangements and layouts of the runway are not applied; on the contrary the movement of the models within the presentational space is pre-arranged by the shape of it. Even though the designer had a theme behind the creation of the show, the means in which those ideas were represented are rather more realistic than representational compared to the previous types of shows. All the objects are represented at their original form and shape, in order to provide an existing fictional world where the collection is going to be presented.

It is evident through the analysis of the shows that the aim is to synchronize all the elements which comprise the performance in order to create, as T. Dreyfeus said: “those moments where the emotion makes it last

In both fields technology plays an important role in the invention of new theatrical solutions, as it was evident from the work of different scenographers throughout history, but in the case of fashion shows it has a major effect in the promotional aspect of the shows. Fashion shows in the 21st century transformed into marketing tools and they are essential live advertisements. Their theatricality and extravagance are very effective in promoting fashion products and trends. Usually, because of their promotional character they tend to follow and be part of the whole brands’ advertising strategy, in order for the theme of the collection to be coherent throughout the stores, the advertisement campaigns as well as the fashion shows (figures 2.19-2.21).

Therefore the scenographer in collaboration with the fashion designer’s team, have to keep up with the development of technology to understand what is new, what is already old and what could attract more audience in the future.

These are points which come in contradiction with the role of the scenographer in theatre and in fashion, as they have been discussed in the previous chapters about scenography.

The priorities change and move away from just the design of the presentational space. In fashion, the promotional aspect of the show comes first, and that can be proved from the fact that expensive shows continue to be produced year after year. Haute Couture shows for example, despite the fact they present garments targeted for a limited number

33

of buyers, are still produced because they add value to the brands’ image and identity. They manage on one hand to push the limits of fashion in terms of the clothing but also, to maintain the existence of the brand on the fashion map.

Even though the priorities have changed, the scenographer is still the mediator between the fashion designer’s vision and the audience. He has to translate the vision of the designer for the collection but at the same time maintain the identity which characterizes the designer throughout his body of work. As Alexandre de Betak explained “The most important part of my job is to come up with a long-term vision, a visual identity for the shows and then to maintain it every season.

Certain elements are set, but you need to make them evolve every season”14. Therefore, the scenographer needs to also make certain that he will create that particular ‘atmosphere’ in the show which would translate into the characteristics of the brand. Dreyfus points out that “each designer wants to ensure that when you see an image from his show, you can immediately identify his particular look. The show has to illustrate the brand”15. There are designers or brands that rely completely on the 10 to 15 minutes of the show to promote their work and there are others for whom the show is part of their broader advertisement campaign such as Burberry, Louis Vuitton or Chanel. For each of these cases the fashion shows are structured in a different way in order to give back to the brand or the designer the anticipated results.

For this reason, the consideration of the photographers and the cameramen is crucial within the spatial arrangement of the whole space since the scenographer aims to create the perfect images for the press, to promote the collection.

press

FIGURE 2.19_top Diagramatic representation of Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013 Fashion show

FIGURE 2.20_left Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013 Paris Fashion Week

FIGURE 2.21_right Window Display for Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013

34 FASHION

THE AUDIENCE From the inception of fashion shows more than 100 years ago until now, every fashion show, independently from its type, has an ultimate receiver which is the audience. Regardless of whether the audience could be potential buyers, or just normal spectators, the fashion shows were always characterized, as in theatre, by a two way relationship between the audience and the people on stage, in this case the models who act as mediators for the fashion designer’s creations.

THE AUDIENCE AND ITS NATURE From the private shows clients during the late 19th century to the private live shows of the 21st century, fashion shows have always had a private character. However, the degree of privacy and the way that it is perceived during every period of history differs a lot. The advances in technology since the late 20th century broaden the audience and made the shows being private to watch live in person but public for people to watch from television or from the internet. Therefore, the parameters which are applied in determining the character of the audience have changed.

Determining who the audience of the fashion show will be is as important as designing the show itself, since the success of the latter is directly related with the good execution of the first. For the case of a fashion week show, such as the shows explained earlier, printed or online magazine and television representatives as well as celebrities are amongst the most popular audience categories that have to be targeted. However, the selection of the audience could also vary according to the type of the show and the framework that it falls in. For example consumer oriented fashion shows or charity fashion shows have a different agenda in terms of the people who are invited, since the goal of the performance completely changes.

Within a fashion show context, it can be said that the audience could be categorised as guaranteed and created16;

36 FASHION

with guaranteed being the audience which is establish concurrently with the design of show and created the audience which has being attracted as a result of the promotion of the show. For fashion shows such as the ones which take place during Fashion Weeks both of the categories could be applied since the spectators who watch the show live at the venue are part of the guaranteed audience, whereas the people who watch the show from the internet or television are part of the created audience. The latter could be the one which is mostly equivalent to the character of the audience in a theatre production because of the randomness which characterizes it.

As it was discussed about theatre, the gender of the spectators and their social background are factors which play a determinative part in the creation of a fashion show, as well. Along with those, the income, the lifestyle and the interests of the spectators are some additional characteristics which are very crucial in the development of several aspects of the show. As Betak pointed out about the audience: “[you need to know] what may or may not impress them.

You need to know what they’ve seen before and what they haven’t…cultural knowledge is extremely important”17.

MANNEQUIN : THE EXCHANGE OF ENERGY The mannequin was throughout the history of fashion an ambiguous and contradictive figure; one which surpassed many cultural, and substantial changes; from being a static

guided object, to a moving subject and a role model of today. The mannequin acquired more freedom in terms of movement, but still remained a silent figure, who speaks through body gestures. Similarly with the actors, mannequins have to be dynamic and establish their physical existence in space, in order for their presence to be acknowledged from the spectators.

The models on stage, through the garments they wear, acquire a different identity, a diverse personality of their own. As Evans stated: “The mannequin is a gesture of figural absence, not a real woman but a literary trope - the sign of appearing and the sign of disappearing”18. The model, acts as a “modern caryatid” 19, an ornamental figure that carries the weight of any social changes and expresses them through her body. The moment she touches the stage, physically she walks before the potential buyers, but metaphorically she walks as being the potential buyer. Alike an actor who uses his ‘stage figure’s’ character to create a two-way relationship with the audience, the model through the image and the lifestyle she provokes communicates with the audience. She reflects to the spectators their image or the image they want to be, as the society may demand, and through this psychological game manages to communicate with them ideas and concepts.

MANNEQUIN The term which was used to describe a person who modelled. During the 1820s it was used to describe men who modelled and after approximately 1870s it was adopted for women.

Today the term model is commonly used instead.

The difference which is more evident in this relationship in relation to the actors is the patterns of choreography that exist in fashion shows until nowadays, which restrict the movement of the models’ body within the presentational space. The direction in which they move is strictly predefined in relation to the design of the set and the layout of the seating, correspondingly with the actors who are free to move and engage with the set. This configuration questions whether the model can feel the audience’s presence as much as the actor and react to it. The audience is open to the messages that the model communicates, but the model on the other hand is uncertain whether is in a position to respond to their reaction.

FIGURE 2.22_top The couturier guides the mannequin as she presents the garment in front of a client

FIGURE 2.23_below Top model Cara Delevingne being transformed from backstage to runway.

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38 FASHION

SPACE IN RELATION

with the SPECTATOR LIVE AND RECORDED PERFORMANCES

The factors which were pointed out in relation to the spectator within space in the context of a theatrical performance could be applied for fashion shows, as well. The differentiation that mostly stands out here is the elimination of the ‘pictorial frame’, the proscenium. The stage expands within the auditorium, hence producing an interactive space where the limits between the ‘stage space’ and the ‘architectural space’ cannot be detected. Since the fashion shows are essentially presentations of garments, the visibility factor here plays a more advantageous role. The spectators aside from the fact that they have to engage with the collection and the brand, they have to be placed at a certain location within the presentational space where they will be able to see the garments and evaluate their design; to create a sense of understanding.

Therefore, good sightlines are equally important in the spatial configuration of performances in both fields.

Another factor which needs to be added in this pattern, and which is directly related with the categorization of the audience, is the broadcast of this shows either live or on demand via internet or television. Fashion shows involve performances which at the same time need to lend a sense of understanding to the live audience as well as to the audience from home. The differences between the two categories of performances were stated in the corresponding scenography chapter. However, it is really important to point out here that the fashion brands take what in theatre is considered to be a disadvantage and use it for their benefit. For instance, the directive character of a recorded performance tends to focus on specific sightlines and on certain elements of the scene. This is an advantage for fashion designers since they can enhance the concept of the fashion show even more by creating a pre-arranged story, which focuses the attention of the potential buyer on features they want to promote first.

The spectator, who falls into the created audience category

and watches the show online, because of the advances in technology has every year more options in his hands. For example, the increasing use of social media like Facebook and Twitter, allow the users to have access to various parts of the shows, before or after the show, from people who attend the live event. Also, fashion designers tend to incorporate technology in their shows, such as Burberry (figure 2.24) and Diane Von Furstenberg (figure 2.25), allowing the audience as the latter stated to have “a unique perspective into fashion” 20.

FIGURE 2.24_facing page top The Autumn/Winter 2014 fashion show of Burberry was broadcast live from the brand’s official website and the collection was ready for the audience to pre-order online right after the completion of the show.

FIGURE 2.25_facing page Diane von Furstenberg used in her Spring/Summer 2013 show in collaboration with Google, the Google Smart Glasses. The models as well as she wore the glasses during the process of putting together the show, in the backstage as well as during the live performance.

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THE FINALE:

SCENOGRAPHY MEETS FASHION

FIGURE 3.1_ Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2013 Paris Fashion Week

Many magazines and websites in their reviews always characterize fashion shows as being theatrical, as having a very theatrical atmosphere, many theatrical elements and so on. But is it really the same thing designing for a theatre and designing for a fashion show? Or is it just another promotional trick?

When I first picked the topic of my research I was expecting that both of these fields would share many similarities, since they both fall into the performance art category and as it has already be said, they share similar fundamental elements. However, what I found really interesting is the fact that through the process of researching and writing, a lot more differences were becoming evident, which started distinguishing one from the other.

Through the layout of the chapters and the focus of attention on certain aspects, it is apparent that both theatre scenography and fashion shows share similar basic elements, spatial concerns, and central relationships. Since the fashion shows are quite a recent form of performance compared to theatre, it was presumable that the most of the spatial terms used to describe scenography in general were more related to theatre rather than to fashion. With the help of

40 THE FINALE

the existing bibliography on fashion shows, similar factors were taken into consideration for the analysis of both fields, but the terms were adjusted accordingly and have taken a different meaning which suited their corresponding context. For example, the audience, the actor, the space, did exist as principal elements in both fields, but the different characteristics and priorities which occurred in each of them, gave to those elements a completely different meaning.

The audience was and will continue to play the most configurable role within the spatial arrangement of a performance. As Meyerhold stated “his productions were ‘unfinished’ when they reached the stage and required an audience to make the ‘crucial revision’”1. This implies that scenography, no matter the context within it is designed, will remain an inanimate element until the point that people will engage with it. At that point, it has the power to transform anything contained by its boundaries, into something new and exciting. The enchantment of creating a fictional world inside the reality of an architectural space will always fascinate regardless of the context that it falls in. This kind of flexibility is the one which drives the theatre directors or the fashion designers respectively, to experiment with new ideas and show every

season a different scenographic approach to the audience. By doing this, scenography will keep on evolving, changing face over the years and will be adapting, as it has always been, to the changes of every period, either sociological or technological.

Having as an example, one of the latest fashion shows of this season, Rick Owens presented a very unconventional performance (figure 2.27) which did not remind the conventional shows, described earlier, by any means. He shifted towards a more accessible and realistic show in terms of the selection of garments and the models. It was a concept which conflicts with the norms of the period and illustrates a possible notion towards a new form of presenting garments.

Referring back to the roots of drama and theatre, the impact of the performers on the spectators was the driving force, which until today, motivates the creation of new types of performing arts, such as the one mentioned above. Each type of performance passes across to the audience a message, an idea, a concept, which influence each of the spectators in a different way. It makes the spectator think or to question them and eventually at the end react on them. In theatre that could be a political statement, in fashion that could be a new collection, but both of them build on that crucial relationship to shape their performance. They both share a similar approach and build on an analogous spatial relationship, but each of them takes its own way on how that will be executed.

Hence, both are superficially comparable, but at the same time contradictory from within.

acquire his or her stage character which will metaphorically convey to the audience the message or the concept of the collection and to promote consequently the garments.

Based on the latter, the promotional aspect of the fashion shows is another important factor within the context of fashion which differentiates dramatically the spatial manipulations which occur as well as the point of view of the creation of the whole performance. Whereas in theatre the main goal of the director, the scenographer and the actors is to stage a certain play at the best of their capabilities and manage to tell the story and the messages of it to the audience, in fashion the level of complexity is different, since the priorities alter. The promotional aspect that the fashion shows have obtained in the last decades set them among the best advertising tools for the fashion brands around the world. The identity of the brand needs to be coherent throughout all of the main elements which comprise the promotional plan of the fashion brand, such as the seasonal campaigns and the window displays in the stores. For that reason, fashion shows need to follow a distinctive design concept which would tell the story of the brand and emphasize more on the actual collection. It is usually the one which sets the departure for the new collection and hence it should promote through the design of the space and the selection of the models the character of the new product, by keeping identifiable the basic character of the designer or the brand. The experience which the potential customer – which forms part of the initial audience of the performance – would receive from seeing all these elements, from the fashion show to the window display, should be characterized by continuity and distinctiveness in order for him or her to relate back to the initial product and understand the values and the characteristics of the respective brand.

“The models because of the lack of their engagement with the space, wait for the space to help them enter into the ‘world’ which is created for the purpose of the performance”

Even though, the model looks like he or she takes the place of the actor within the equivalent spatial arrangement of a fashion show, still he or she does not engage with the entire set and the architectural space of the location at the degree the actor does. As the main text has demonstrated, albeit the fact that the images seen from fashion shows might not reflect the latter, the models because of the lack of their engagement with the space, wait for the space to help them enter into the ‘world’ which is created for the purpose of the performance.

Also, the strict choreography which predetermines the movements of the models within the presentational space of the performance tends to accentuate that. All the above key factors point out that the scenography in fashion should be prioritized since it is the main element which sets the right atmosphere of the performance. Compared with the more abstract character of the theatrical scenography, in fashion it should be more literal than representational in order to reflect the concept in a more directive way both to the models and to the audience. If that is achieved, the model would

A crucial aspect which determines the success of the promotional aspect of the fashion show is also the way in which the audience will watch the performance and consequently the elements that a spectator will see and judge as being important or not. For that to happen good sightlines from the spectator to the presentational space is an important factor, which could limit the connection of the spectator with the performance both in theatre and in fashion. The objects within a theatrical arrangement take another value since they are presented to a live audience which watches the performance from a location within the same space that the action takes place. On the contrary, in the case of a fashion show the spatial arrangement even though it might look

41

similar to that of a theatre, it is designed with the consideration that the show is going to be recorded at the same time. The priorities here change again, and certain objects within this configuration have to be accentuated more than others in order for the audience which is not present to start building up all the layers of the space and also for the fashion designer to focus the audience’s attention to certain aspects of the show.

By setting those distinctions between the two fields what becomes apparent is the fact that even though they tend to look similar to the spectator, in reality there are many differences that set them apart. This study showed that the parameters of putting together a theatrical or fashion performance are modified by the context in which the performance takes place. Every performance has its own limitations and priorities, which might start from the selection of the location and the actors to the promotional aspect of the show and its budget. The rules and principles are not universal and cannot be applied to every kind of performance; and that is what makes every show either in fashion or in theatre to be unique.

Scenography, theoretically, would always serve as the mediator of the message of the creator of the show, either in theatre or in fashion, to the audience and that cannot change. Without the transformation of the space into the ‘fictional world’ of the performance a “mere garment” cannot be turned “into an object with seemingly mystical transformable powers”2, neither an actor could acquire the qualities of the character that he or she plays. The development that scenography experienced throughout its theatrical history in various aspects - technological, sociological, political – in order to gain its transformative ‘power’, is what serves as the base for today’s fashion shows and what influences their design in such a great degree.

What drove me initially to make this parallelism between those two fields is probably what fundamentally makes people think that they share many similarities and that fashion shows are theatrically based performances. Theatre is a place where you have to physically present in order to experience the scenography of the space, whereas fashion shows are performances which are accessible to almost everyone without any cost – even as recorded pieces of work. Therefore, they managed to be embedded, one way or another, into many people’s lives, set trends and give people the impression that these performances are the latest examples of theatrically based shows and technology. Once again, it is a mind game which plays with the superficial similarities of both fields to gain people’s attention to qualities which are more familiar to them. Theatre, because of its long history, has already been embedded into people’s lives well before even fashion shows existed; hence scenographic techniques which were applied in theatre were more familiar

42 THE FINALE

to people. The possibility, therefore, of attracting people’s attention by using something that was already known and tested but at the same time sell it as something innovative and new was a great way to promote an idea or a product.

Technology, however, changes the way the audience perceives scenography year after year. The spectator is becoming even more involved with the performance and the power which is gained within this spatial configuration is more crucial than ever before. The audience’s attendance, reviews and comments are able to make the designers question their techniques and evolve their scenographical approach. Therefore, scenography will always influence fashion’s theatrical approaches, but the way and the degree in which this is made lies upon us, the audience; therefore if we truly want a difference and a change in what we watch and experience, we may need to demand one.

Scenography was once all about cleansing the spectator’s emotions and spirit by engaging the spectator into the ‘fictional world’ it created. Stripping back to the simple elements that initiated the geneses of theatre could be the start of a new era for scenographical design; one which would initiate again the audience to question rather than to be passive and to dream rather than being controlled.

FIGURE 3.2_right Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2014

43

notes bibliography list of illustrations

44

NOTES INTRODUCTION 1

Chanel Reinvents The Grand Palais, 2013

2

McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 3

3

Howard, 2009, p. 209

4

Oxford English Dictionary, accessed 28 September 2013, < http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/scenography>

5

Babiniotis, 2002, p. 743

SCENOGRAPHY 1

McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 5

2

Baugh, 2005, p. 47

3

Baugh, 2005, p. 76

4

McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 109

5

Collins , Jane; Nisbet, Andrew;, 2010, p. 264

6

Baugh, 2005, p. 47

7

Gordon Craig, Edward, “Scene”[London: Humphrey Milford and Oxford, University Press, 1923] cited in Baugh, 2005, p. 48

8

Gordon Craig, Edward, “Towards a New Theatre” [London: J.M. Dent, 1913] cited in Baugh, 2005, p. 54

9

Baugh, 2005, p. 86

10

Svoboda & Burian, 1993, p. 18

11

Zich, Otakar, “The Aesthetics of Dramatic Art” [1931] cited in McAuley, 2000, p. 94

12

Howard, 2009, p. 189

13

McAuley, 2000, pp. 243-44

14

McAuley, 2000, p. 103

15

Howard, 2009, p. 197

16

Baugh, 2005, p. 7

17

Oxford English Dictionary, accessed 28 September 2013, <http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/catharsis?q= catharsis18 Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - http://www.iep.utm.edu/aris-poe/#H3>

19

McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 176

20

McAuley, 2000, p. 245

21

McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 106

22

McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 8

23

McAuley, 2000, p. 245

45

NOTES FASHION 1

Evans, 2013, p. 11

2

Everett & Swanson, 2013, p. 5

3

Ibid

4

Evans, 2013, p. 13

5

Lang M., Evelyn, “Great Parisian Dressmakers” [The Ladies’ Realm, 1902] cited in Evans, 2013, p. 30

6

Everett & Swanson, 2013, p. 13

7

Vilaseca, 2010, p. 64

8

Tungate , 2012, p. 134

9

Horyn, 2013

10

Rounaud, Louis, “Au pays des mannequins: le roman de la robe” [Editions de France, 1928] cited in Evans, 2013, p. 261

11

McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 123

12

Vilaseca, 2010, p. 49

13

Rasshied, 2000, p. 197

14

Jaeger, 2009, p. 183

15

Tungate , 2012, p. 136

16

Everett & Swanson, 2013, p. 69

17

Jaeger, 2009, p. 178

18

Evans, 2013, p. 261

19

Everett & Swanson, 2013, p. 258

20

Sullivan, 2013

THE FINALE: SCENOGRAPHY MEETS FASHION

46

1

Braun (Editor), “Meyerhold on Theatre” cited in McKinney & Butterworth, 2009, p. 7

2

Tungate , 2012, p. 6

BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Babiniotis, Georgios. Dictionary of Modern Greek (Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας). Second Edition. Athens:

Lexicolog y Centre, 2002 Baugh, Christopher. Theatre, Performance and Technology: The development of Scenography in the Twentieth Century .

Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.

Burian, Jarka. The Scenography of Josef Svoboda. Wesleyan University Press, 1971.

Celant, Germano. Unveiling Prada Foundation - OMA / Rem Koolhaas. Prada, 2008.

Collins, Jane and Andrew Nisbet, Theatre and Performance Design: A Reader in Scenography. Routledge, 2010 English, Bonnie. A Cultural History of Fashion in the 20th and 21st Centuries: From Catwalk to Sidewalk. Second.

Bloomsbury, 2013 Entwistle, Joanne and Elizabeth Wilson, Body Dressing: Dress, Body, Culture. Berg Publishers, 2001 Evans, Caroline. The Mechanical Smile: Modernism and the First Fashion Shows in France and America, 1900-1929 .

First Edition. Yale University Press, 2013 Everett, Judith C. and Kristen K. Swanson. Guide to Producing a Fashion Show. Third Edition. New York: Fairchild Books, 2013 Hameide, K Kaled. Fashion Branding Unraveled. Fairchild Books, 2011 Howard, Pamela. What is Scenography?. Second. Routledge, 2009 Jaeger, Anne-Celine. Fashion Makers, Fashion Shapers: The Essential Guide to Fashion by Those in the Know. Thames

and Hudson, 2009 Koolhaas, Rem. Rem Koolhaas OMA / AMO - Projects for Prada Part 1. Prada, 2001 Mackintosh, Ian. Architecture, Actor and Audience: Theatre Concepts. Routledge, 1993 McAuley, Gay. Space in Performance: Making meaning in the theatre. The University of Michigan Press, 2000 McKinney , Joslin and Philip Butterworth. The Cambridge Introduction to Scenography. Cambridge University Press, 2009 Oddey, Alison and Christine White, The Potentials of Spaces: The Theory and Practice of Scenography and Performance.

Intellect Books, 2006

47

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Posner, Harriet. Marketing Fashion. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2011 Rasshied, Din. New Retail. First Edition. Conran Octopus Limited, 2000 Shijian, Lin, ed. Communicating Fashion Brands. SendPoints Publishing, 2012 Svoboda, Josef (Author) and J.M.(Editor/Translator) Burian. The Secret of Theatrical Space: The Memoirs of Josef Svoboda. Applause Theatre Book Pubilshers, 1993 Tungate , Mark. Fashion Brands: Branding Style from Armani to Zara. Third Edition. Kogan Page, 2012 Vilaseca, Estel. Runway Uncovered: The Making of a Fashion Show . First Edition. Spain: Promopress, 2010 Warwick, Alexandra and Dani Cavallaro. Fashioning the Frame: Boundaries, Dress and the Body. Berg, 1998 JOURNALS – ARTICLES Author Unknown, Chanel Reinvents The Grand Palais, KNSTRCT, accessed 17 February 2013,

< http://knstrct.com/2013/01/28/chanel-reinvents-the-grand-palais/ > Author Unknown, New models: how Rick Owens’s dancers conquered Paris fashion week, The Guardian: Fashion Blog,

accessed 02 October 2013, < http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2013/sep/27/rick-owens-models-

dancers-paris-fashion-week > Author Unknown, The Model Deconstructed, New York Times, accessed 21 February 2013,

< http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2013/02/15/fashion/20130215_MODELS_fw.html?ref=fashion#8> Armstrong, Lisa, Paris Haute Couture: Chanel Spring/Summer 2013, Telegraph, accessed 21 February 2013,

<http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2013/02/15/fashion/20130215_MODELS_fw.html?ref=fashion#8 > Cheong, Ang Chee, Complex Structures and cultural Constructs Conversations with Ole Scheeren-OMA, Buro Ole

Scheeren, accessed 10 August 2013, < http://www.buro-os.com/complex-structures-and-cultural-constructs- conversations-with-ole-scheeren-oma/> Duerson Hart, Meena, Google glasses walk the DVF runway at Fashion Week, New York Daily News,

accessed 10 October 2013, <http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/fashion/google-glasses-walk-dvf-runway-

fashion-week-article-1.1156041> Healy, Murray, The Vuitton Set, in Love Magazine, Spring/Summer 2013, Issue 9 Horyn Cathy, Here Comes the Giant Artificial Sun, New York Times, accessed 19 February 2013,

< http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/fashion/marc-jacobss-encounter-with-identity.html >

48

BIBLIOGRAPHY Horyn, Cathy, Chanel’s Shimmering City, New York Times Ipad Application, accessed 3 July 2013 Horyn, Cathy, Marc Jacobs: Seperate States, New York Times Ipad Application, accessed 14 September 2013 Horyn, Cathy, Dior: Letting Loose, New York Times Ipad Application, accessed 3 July 2013 Jencks, Charles. Symbols or Something Else?: Charles Jencks in conversation with Rem Koolhaas, in Architectural Design, Fashion and Architecture, 2000 Menkes, Suzy, Chanel’s Kinetic Look at a New World, New York Times Ipad Application, accessed 3 July 2013 Sullivan, Danny, Google Glass Meets Fashion: Smart Glasses Part Of DVF Fashion Show, Marketing Land,

accessed 22 September 2013, < http://marketingland.com/google-glass-glasses-used-to-record-dvp-fashion- show-20993> Trochu,Eugénie, Artist Daniel Buren creates windows for Louis Vuitton, Vogue Paris, accessed 23 February 2013,

<http://en.vogue.fr/fashion/fashion-news/articles/artist-daniel-buren-creates-windows-for-louis-vuitton/17715> Walker, Harriet, How to design a catwalk show, The Independent, accessed 23 April 2013,

< http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/how-to-design-a-catwalk-show-8135810.html> WEBSITES Burberry, < http://uk.burberry.com/> Bureau Betak, < http://blog.bureaubetak.com/> Elle Uk, < http://www.elleuk.com> New York Times, < http://www.nytimes.com> OMA, < http://oma.eu/> Style.com, < http://www.style.com/> The Guardian, < http://www.theguardian.com> YouTube, < http://www.youtube.com/> FILMS Lagerfeld Confidential, 2007, [Film], Rodolphe Marconi dir. France: Realitism and Backup Films The September Issue, 2009, [Film], R.J. Cutler dir. USA: A&E IndieFilms and Actual Reality Pictures Valentino: The Last Emperor, 2008, [Film], Matt Tyrnauer dir. USA: Acolyte Films

49

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS COVER

Daniel Jackson for Dazed & Confused September 2013, Pier59Studios, accessed 20 August 2013, <http://www.pier59studiosblog.com/daniel-jackson-for-dazed-confused-september-2013/> AKNOWLEDGMENTS

Svoboda & Burian, 1993, p. 125

CONTENTS Left:

Burian, 1971, p. 56

Right top:

Chanel Reinvents The Grand Palais, KNSTRCT, accessed 17 February 2013, < http://knstrct.com/2013/01/28/chanel-reinvents-the-grand-palais/ >

Right bottom: New models: how Rick Owens’s dancers conquered Paris fashion week, The Guardian: Fashion Blog,

accessed 02 October 2013, < http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2013/sep/27/rick-owens- models- dancers-paris-fashion-week > INTRODUCTION Figure 0.1:

Bureau Betak, accessed 06 October 2013, <http://blog.bureaubetak.com/image/62511063743>

SCENOGRAPHY Figure 1.1:

Svoboda & Burian, 1993, p. 25

Figure 1.2:

Collins & Nisbet, 2010, pp. 273-4

Figure 1.3:

Baugh, 2005, p. 50

Figure 1.4:

Svoboda & Burian, 1993, p. 57

Figure 1.5:

Ibid. p. 61

Figure 1.6: Graphic by Kyriacos Georgiou based on diagram by Libb Thims, accessed 10 July 2013, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reaction-bubble.png> Figure 1.7: French Opera House, New Orleans – 1871, Vintage Ephemera, accessed 13 September 2013, <http:// vintageephemera.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/french-opera-house-new-orleans-1871.html > Figure 1.8:

50

Graphic by Kyriacos Georgiou based on image: “Ancient Greek Drama : The Theatre and the Play”, accessed 10 July 2013, <https://sites.google.com/site/cecileboddaert/

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ancientgreekdrama:thetheatreandtheplay.> Figure 1.9: Graphic by Kyriacos Georgiou based on image: Stage directions and terminology, accessed 10 July 2013, < http://izmarkhan.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/stage-directions-and-terminoly.html> Figure 1.10:

Svoboda & Burian, 1993, p. 59

Figure 1.11:

Ibid. p. 56

FASHION Figure 2.1:

Photograph by Kyriacos Georgiou

Figure 2.2:

Everett & Swanson, 2013, p. 5

Figure 2.3:

Evans, 2013, p. 21

Figure 2.4:

Ibid. p. 31

Figure 2.5:

Ibid. p. 36

Figure 2.6:

Ibid. p. 80

Figure 2.7:

Ibid. p. 40

Figure 2.8:

Everett & Swanson, 2013, p. 13

Figure 2.9: Pierre Cardin Autumn-Winter 1980-1981 Fashion Show, Corbis Images, accessed 09 October 2013, < http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/0000175654-004/pierre-cardin- autumnwinter-19801981-fashion-showl> Figure 2.10: Marc Jacobs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fall 2013 Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, Metro, accessed 19 February 2013,

< http://metro.co.uk/2013/02/15/gallery-marc-jacobs-fall-2013-mercedes-benz-new-york-fashion-

week-3478600/new-york-ny-february-14-models-walk-the-runway-the-marc-jacobs-collection-fall-2013-

fashion-show-during-mercedes-benz-fashion-week-at-new-york-armory-on-february-14-2013-in-new- york-city/> Figure 2.11:

Graphic by Kyriacos Georgiou

Figure 2.12:

Maison Martin Margiela â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fall 2013, Marie Claire, accessed 17 February 2013, < http://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/trends/fall-2013-runway-looks#slide-1 >

Figure 2.13:

Still from video, Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2013, accessed 17 February 2013, < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XqTkOpVuI4 >

51

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 2.14:

Burberry Prorsum Fall 2013, Style Rumor Mag, accessed 05 October 2013, < http://stylerumor.com/blog/2013/02/19/burberry-prorsum-fall-2013-backstage-beauty/ >

Figure 2.15: Still from video, Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2013, accessed 24 September 2013, < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KdjKGwjVyI> Figure 2.16:

Graphic by Kyriacos Georgiou

Figure 2.17: Burberry Summer/Spring 2014, Burberry, accessed 24 September 2013, <http://uk.burberry.com/shows-events/womenswear-ss14/#runway-made-to-order> Figure 2.18: Burberry Autumn/Winter 2012, Lucire, accessed 24 September 2013, < http://lucire.com/insider/20120222/more-from-burberrys-front-row-and-behind-the-scenes-with- london- fashion-weeks-models/> Figure 2.19:

Graphic by Kyriacos Georgiou

Figure 2.20:

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, accessed 25 February 2013, < http://blog.slh.com/2012/10/09/paris-ponderings-my-favourite-spring-2013-shows/ >

Figure 2.21: Artist Daniel Buren creates windows for Louis Vuitton, Vogue Paris, accessed 23 February 2013, <http://en.vogue.fr/fashion/fashion-news/articles/artist-daniel-buren-creates-windows-for-louis- vuitton/17715> Figure 2.22:

Evans, 2013, p. 22

Figure 2.23 (from left to right): - Model Make-up Bags, Elle Uk, accessed 08 October 2013,

<http://www.elleuk.com/beauty/beauty-notes-daily/model-make-up-bags> - Cara Delevingne: Backstage at Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2013, LazyGirls, accessed 08 October 2013,

<http://www.lazygirls.info/Cara_Delevingne/Backstage_At_Marc_Jacobs_Ss_2013_Jo8fN7gj> - Burberry Autumn/Winter 2013, Elle Canada, accessed 08 October 2013,

< http://www.ellecanada.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/london-cara-delevingne-burberry-001. jpg> Figure 2.24: Burberry Autumn/Winter 2013, Burberry, accessed 19 February 2013, <http://uk.burberry.com/shows-events/womenswear-aw13/#!/show/>

52

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 2.25: Google glasses walk the DVF runway at Fashion Week, New York Daily News,

accessed 10 October 2013, <http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/fashion/google-glasses-walk-dvf- runway-fashion-week-article-1.1156041> THE FINALE: SCENOGRAPHY MEETS FASHION Figure 3.1:

Still from video, Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2013, accessed 17 February 2013, < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XqTkOpVuI4 >

Figure 3.2: New models: how Rick Owensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dancers conquered Paris fashion week, The Guardian: Fashion Blog,

accessed 02 October 2013, < http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2013/sep/27/rick-owens- models- dancers-paris-fashion-week >

53