These Glam and Gutsy Fashion Week Looks Are Guaranteed to Make Your Jaw Drop

From Thierry Mugler's futuristic runway, in which he created the bionic fembot, to Moschino's literal take on a floral dress, relive these iconic fashion week moments.

By Alyssa Morin Sep 10, 2021 1:00 PMTags
Watch: Alessandra Ambrosio Gets Fitted to Open PatBO at NYFW

It's that time of year again!

Fashion is one of the few things that can transport you to another world with something as simple as a piece of fabric or pint-sized embellishment. And in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it's safe to say that everyone deserves a little escapism.

In fact, last year's fashion week presentations, which were mostly held virtually, brought an entire fashion fantasy with collections that featured daring, over-the-top and electrifying designs.

While 2020's creations left people in awe, New York Fashion Week spring/summer 2022 has already made a major comeback. After all, style fanatics have already gotten a taste of what's to come. During Moschino's runway extravaganza on Sept. 9, creative director Jeremy Scott put an over the top spin on children's toys and imagery. 

So, before you ooh and aah over this year's latest collections, take a walk down (fashion) memory lane and see the most iconique looks to ever debut during fashion week.

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Moschino's Spring/Summer 2022 Runway Show at New York Fashion Week

From Thierry Mugler's futuristic runway, in which he created the impressionable bionic fembot, to Moschino's literal take on a floral dress, relive these OMG style statements in our gallery below.

Dream Machine

At the start of the internet age, Thierry Mugler gave the fashion world a futuristic fantasy in the former of his fall/winter 1995 couture presentation during Paris Fashion Week, during which supermodel Nadja Auermann channeled a bionic fembot in a reflective silver metal bodysuit. Interestingly, the creation was designed in collaboration with aircraft specialist Jean-Pierre Delcros.

Seeing Double

With the appearance of Ming porcelain blended with baroque style, Guo Pei's 2019/2020 show was truly a work of art.

Crown Jewels

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, indeed! Richard Quinn's silver sparkly design proved that head-to-toe jewels are always a good idea.

Seeing Double

Gucci pushed the boundaries for its fall/winter runway in 2018. From the jarring head props to the wild prints and over-the-top layers, this was a show to remember. Of the striking line, Alessandro Michele said, "We are the Dr. Frankenstein of our lives. There's a clinical clarity about what I am doing. I was thinking of a space that represents the creative act. I wanted to represent the lab I have in my head. It's physical work, like a surgeon's."

Little Black...Bra

Chanel is known for more than its famous tweed jackets and diamond-encrusted brooches. Thirteen years after he helmed the fashion house, Karl Lagerfeld pushed the envelope with the 1996 spring/summer collection, which featured itty-bitty bikinis, bum-baring dresses, muzzle-like accessories and more.

Outside the Box

Dior gave the phrase "out of the box" a whole new meaning with its daring and dazzling design for the fall/winter runway in 2019.

Bouquet Beauty

Gigi Hadid traipsed down the runway in a Moschino dress that looked like a literal bouquet of flowers at the spring/summer 2018 show.

Cross the Line

If there's one thing Iris Van Herpen knows how to do, it's steal the show with electrifying pieces. Case in point? The 2012 fall/winter collection was worthy of a museum display. The designer's collaborator, Julia Koerner, summed up the creations, saying they look like "a second skin on the body."

Naked Truth

Jean Paul Gaultier's spring/summer 1993 collection lit up the fashion world after he debuted this au natural look. Creating the illusion of a naked body, the bedazzled catsuit managed to appear both angelic and ethereal.

Hair for It

Designer Kerby Jean-Raymond sent fashion fans into a frenzy with this larger-than-life creation. From the multitude of rollers that created a cape-like silhouette to the ultra-chic velvet robe, we were hair for it.

Think Pink

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Claudia Li gave people an escape from reality with unique creations—like this voluminous pink dress, which offered a dramatic neck bow, over-the-top puffed sleeves and layers of ruffles.

Seeing Red

A model walked the runway in a red-hot inflatable look during the Craig Green fall/winter 2022 show at The Factory in London.

Less Is More

Sometimes, being risqué means wearing something as simple as a black bustier and matching trousers. Miley Cyrus' added leather gloves and zebra-print coat gave this Marc Jacobs fall 2020 design more edge.

Red Hot, Hot, Hot

Only Valentino could make something both sexy and sophisticated all in one. This fiery red gown from the 2020 spring/summer runway was proof.

Mother of Pearl

Thierry Mugler debuted this breathtaking gown in 1995, which gave the illusion of a pearl in an oyster. It was a work of art, quite literally, as it was inspired and named after The Birth of Venus painting by Botticelli. And if it looks familiar, Cardi B dropped jaws at the 2019 Grammys wearing the vintage design.

Floral Fetish

Richard Quinn made a case for bondage face masks for the autumn/winter 2020 collection. The juxtaposition of the daring accessory mixed with the virtuous floral print made it a knock-out.

Speaking Volumes

As Mae West once said, "It's better to be looked over than overlooked." It's safe to say all eyes were laser-focused on this one-of-a-kind Comme des Garçons design, which debuted during the fall/winter 2020/2021 collection in Paris Fashion Week.

Heavenly Body

Guo Pei has clearly mastered the art of creating extravagant and ostentatious designs. For the spring/summer 2017 show, this diamond-embellished gown and its equally jewel-adorned headpiece made everyone ooh and aah.

Got It in the Bag

Moschino always brings electricity to the catwalk with deliciously kitschy and quirky designs—and this cheeky shopping bag dress wasn't any different.

Pretty in Pearls

John Galliano's 1997 runway collection for Dior fused the old with the new. His line was so breathtaking at the time, Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH, compared him to the Christian Dior saying, "He has the same extraordinary mixture of romanticism, feminism, and modernity."

Out-of-This-World

Rick Owens perfectly blended grunge, edge and style for the autumn/winter 2019 collection, in which models sashayed down the runway in futuristic-looking ensembles. The designer summed up his line perfectly, telling Vogue, "I felt like I needed some grim, determined glamour."

Go Big or Go Home

Bold and blinding accents were clearly Schiaparelli's theme for its spring/summer 2021 haute couture collection. 

Flower Power

Thom Browne's decadent piece featured an explosion of flowers and mixed patterns for the 2020 Menswear spring/summer show. Let's just say the word "basique" wasn't part of the designer's vocabulary when creating this collection.

Sugar Rush

Charlotte Olympia brought whimsy and camp to the runway for its 2017 spring/summer presentation. From the delicately placed jewels to the over-the-top strawberry shape, the designer proved style can be both playful and dashing.

Making Waves

Iris Van Herpen's spring/summer 2017 show was chock-full of glitzy, glamorous and otherwordly pieces. Each design, such as this wave-like dress, deserved to be displayed in a museum.

Orange You Glad

When in doubt, go for something bright and bold like this Emilio Pucci number from its fall/winter 2017 runway.

A Parade of Flowers

Guo Pei made the fashion world swoon over this lavish design, which gave the illusion that the model was laying on a bed of flowers.

Shiny Cover-Up

A model walks the runway at the Paco Rabanne Ready to Wear spring/summer 2021 fashion show as part of Paris Fashion Week.

Suited Up

It's a tale as old as time: Wearing latex clothing is only for the brave. So, when this head-to-toe latex suit graced the Balmain runway in 2020, jaws were dropped. In fact, this lewk was so captivating that Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian both wore a variation of the design.

White-Hot

There's no denying Tom Ford is the king of subtle, yet striking fashion. The proof was in the pudding during Gucci's ready-to-wear runway in 1996, in which the designer made it clear that simplicity can be oh-so-sexy.

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