Fashion week isn't always as glamorous as it seems.
From pre-show pranks and catwalk crashers to backlash and after-party arguments, there have been a number of major scandals both on and off the runway over the years. Who could forget when Cardi B and Nicki Minaj got into a heated fight at the 2018 Harper's Bazaar Icons Party in New York, or when Gigi Hadid stopped an intruder from interrupting the 2019 Chanel show in Paris?
Now, New York Fashion Week for the fall/winter 2021 season is about to begin, with shows running Feb. 14 - Feb. 18. Jason Wu and Rebecca Minkoff will host in-person, socially distant presentations while brands like Badgley Mischka, Rodarte, Alice + Olivia and Nicole Miller will showcase their collections through virtual livestreams, lookbooks and other forms of programming.
Granted, NYFW will still feel different this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and fashionistas won't see all of the same designers, stars and parties they've seen in years past. But considering the big event is just about to begin, who knows what could unfold over the next few days?
Look back at the scandals that hit fashion weeks around the world in our gallery below.
In October 2016, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was robbed at gunpoint inside her hotel during Paris Fashion Week. The men stole $10 million worth of jewelry, including the 20-carat emerald cut diamond ring her husband Kanye West had gifted her. Kim recalled the devastating moment on E! True Hollywood Story.
"That 10 minutes really changed my whole life," she explained. "You're just kind of bracing yourself for the moment that they're gonna shoot you and kill you. They tied me up. They wrapped duct tape over my eyes and my mouth."
Handling the situation like a pro, the 25-year-old model saved the day when a prankster jumped up onto the runway at the Chanel Paris Fashion Week show in October 2019. Doing her best to blend in with a tweed monochrome outfit, the intruder, who was later identified as YouTuber and comedian Marie Benoliel (a.k.a. Marie S'Infiltre), joined the line of models during the finale. It wasn't until she crossed paths with Gigi that she was reprimanded. The runway star blocked Marie from getting away once security was notified and escorted her off the stage.
At Gucci's spring/summer 2020 fashion show in Milan, model Ayesha Tan Jones protested an outfit that resembled a "straitjacket" by walking down the runway with the words "mental health is not fashion" written on their hands.
"As an artist and model who has experienced my own struggles with mental health, as well as family members and loved ones who have been affected by depression, anxiety, bipolar and schizophrenia, it is hurtful and insensitive for a major fashion house such as Gucci to use this imagery as a concept for a fleeting fashion moment," Ayesha stated on Instagram in a since-deleted post. "It is in bad taste for Gucci to use the imagery of strait jackets and outfits alluding to mental patients, while being rolled out on a conveyor belt as if a piece of factory meat. Presenting these struggles as props for selling clothes in today's capitalist climate is vulgar, unimaginative and offensive to the millions of people around the world affected by these issues."
Gucci responded by stating, "Uniforms, utilitarian clothes, normative dress, including straitjackets, were included in the #GucciSS20 fashion show as the most extreme version of a uniform dictated by society and those who control it. These clothes were a statement for the fashion show and will not be sold."
Rumors alleged the designer spitefully delayed the start of his NYFW 2019 show to make attendees late for Rihanna's Savage x Fenty lingerie presentation, which was slated immediately after his. Spectators claimed this delay was unheard of for the notoriously punctual runway pro. The reason for the alleged shade? Reports claimed it was because he'd lost the 7:30 p.m. slot, which had become his coveted spot for several seasons, to Rihanna.
Taking to Instagram, Marc put the rumors to rest, writing, "I sincerely apologize to anyone and everyone who was inconvenienced by my lateness at our Spring/Summer 2019 fashion show. For anyone interested, below is not a list of excuses but rather a list of facts. I fully understand people have plans, lives, commitments, flights, families to return to, etc and that I fully RESPECT."
During the 2018 Harper's Bazaar Icons Party, the two rappers were involved in a heated altercation after Nicki allegedly made a disparaging comment regarding Cardi's parenting skills. In footage from the fight, the Hustlers star could be seen lunging and shouting at Nicki. It was also later revealed that she even hurled her shoe at the "MEGATRON" artist.
"It was so fast!" an eyewitness told E! News. "I heard someone screaming—everyone recognized Cardi's voice. People either got out of the way or took out their phones and started filming. Nicki was surrounded by a bunch of guards and barely even looked at her. Next thing you know, shoes were flying and Cardi was on her way out."
For his 2018 NYFW show, the designer made a bold statement by wearing a white tank top that read, "Tell your senator NO on Kavanaugh," declaring himself against former president Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. The controversial justice was later sworn into office in October 2018, but it marked a pivotal shift as more designers began using their runway slots to raise awareness for pertinent issues.
During a 2015 fashion show in Milan, Claudio Cutugno received backlash for having models walk down the runway in a full face of black makeup. The designer issued an apology and shared his intention—claiming, in part, that the "black makeup we decided to use was actually a translation" of a black veil.
"I am extremely sorry if many people thought this makeup would result offensive and also that I am racist, but that was not my intent," part of the statement read. "I am extremely respectful of the Afro-American culture and extremely sorry for each type episode of racism. Furthermore, my inspiration was coming from a completely different idea, which has nothing to do with the theme of Afro-American culture. I would have never thought someone could have find the makeup offensive, otherwise I would have never used it."
As the *NSYNC alum made his way into the 2019 Louis Vuitton Paris Fashion Week show with his wife Jessica Biel, he became the target of another Vitalii Sediuk red carpet prank. The infamous prankster grabbed Justin's foot and held on with a tight grip, ending up on the ground in dramatic fashion. After he caused quite the stir, security removed Vitalii from the scene and Justin and Jessica continued to enter the venue.
Thankfully, the "Man of the Woods" singer had a great sense of humor about the whole ordeal. On Instagram, he shared a picture of himself and Jessica from the event, writing, "Last night at @louisvuitton. Human anklet not included."
Vitalii had also targeted Kim Kardashian at Balmain's Paris Fashion Week show in 2014.
The British fashion house was under fire for a hoodie that had a rope noose replacing its drawstrings. Following the backlash, Burberry chief executive officer Marco Gobbetti issued a statement and removed the offensive piece from the collection.
"We are deeply sorry for the distress caused by one of the products that featured in our A/W 2019 runway collection," he told CNN. "Though the design was inspired by the marine theme that ran throughout the collection, it was insensitive and we made a mistake."
Members of the fashion community were quick to call out the brand. Among them was model Liz Kennedy, who slammed the fashion house via Instagram. "Suicide is not fashion," Liz continued. "It is beyond me how you could let a look resembling a noose hanging from a neck out on the runway."
Fans were excited to witness Kanye West's Yeezy Season 4 NYFW show back in 2016, but their expectations were quickly squandered as the day unfolded. Taking place on one of the hottest days in New York, the rapper announced the show would be happening on Roosevelt Island. Those attending the show were asked to take a shuttle bus to the show, which they were surprised to find had no air conditioning, snacks or water.
Slated to begin at 3 p.m., the show had a delayed start despite the Yeezy models being dressed and standing in position on the field. As they waited, several models began to sit down after feeling exhausted and one report claimed one had even fainted from the heat. Unfortunately for Ye, the issues didn't stop once the show started. Several models were unable to walk in their custom Yeezy heels, which resulted in some ditching their shoes as they made their way down the runway.
With an A-list lineup including Kendall Jenner, Adriana Lima, Karlie Kloss, Kaia Gerber, Irina Shayk, Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid, the designer was accused of cultural appropriation after having the models walk the runway wearing multicolored dreadlocks. Insisting that wasn't the case and that their look was inspired by cyber goths, Marc addressed the backlash and called it "nonsense," which made critics even more outraged.
He later addressed the matter in an interview, where he said, "What I learned from that whole thing, what caused me to pause after it died down a little bit, was that maybe I just don't have the language for this." Changing his position, he took to Instagram and apologized for "the lack of sensitivity unintentionally expressed by my brevity."
Always one to put on a show, the singer made fashion week history when she walked the runway of Jean Paul Gaultier's amFAR fashion benefit show topless in 1992. Donning a dress that exposed her breasts and walking hand in hand with the French designer, Madge flashed the crowd of over 6,000 people a big smile as she made her way down the catwalk. After the show, she said, "I was supposed to wear a top and jacket like Jean Paul's, but at the last minute I decided it was better to go out topless!"
Taking place two years after the singer's cone bra corset made its debut during the Blonde Ambition Tour, the moment, as Director of The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Nathalie Bondil put it, "proclaims feminine power."
During the Italian fashion house's 2019 show, models walked the runway wearing a turtleneck that many viewers said resembled blackface. Unlike traditional turtlenecks, these black sweaters were designed to be worn over the nose and featured red lips around a cut-out for the mouth. After receiving backlash, the company issued a statement on Twitter.
"Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper," it read. "We can confirm that the item has been immediately removed from our online store and all physical stores. We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected and at the forefront of every decision we make. We are fully committed to increasing diversity throughout our organization and turning this incident into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond."
Streetwear brand Bstroy designers Brick Owens and Duey Catorze came under fire for featuring bullet hole-ridden sweatshirts in their 2019 New York Fashion Week show in an attempt to share their stance on gun violence. To make matters worse, the garments had "Sandy Hook," "Columbine" and "Stoneman Douglas" written across them to bring awareness to America's deadliest mass school shootings.
Critics found the collection to be insensitive, but the duo claimed the blunt statement was a necessity. Speaking to The New York Times, Duey said, "That's for you to know who we are, so we can have a voice in the market."
After Anna missed Giorgio's Milan Fashion Week show in 2014, the designer spoke out. And while he didn't mention the Vogue editor in chief by name, many assumed he was referring to Anna. "There are some who prefer to snub the Giorgio Armani show and go to Paris," he said, per WWD. "She took an airplane, dumped Mr. Armani and went to Paris."
According to the outlet, he then added, "Why should I always be the moron [translating from an Italian expletive] to be penalized because of a person, who, for better or for worse, like or dislike it, is powerful? I feel penalized. She said she was sending her people. But if you go to see your dentist and he puts you in the hands of his assistant, what's your reaction? They told me, 'She went to see the Privé in Paris; she has no time to see the ready-to-wear in Milan.' She is influential and powerful. But, perhaps, I'm influential as well."
In a statement shared with WWD, Vogue Communications Director Hildy Kuryk said, "Anna has the greatest respect for Giorgio Armani and everything he has done for Italy and fashion worldwide."
"Unfortunately, with the fashion calendar now running for more than a month, there are some shows that Anna is not able to attend," the statement continued.
Back in 2010, the ladies of The Real Housewives of New York City brought their drama to the runway during Pamella Roland's NYFW show. Former co-stars Bethenny Frankel and Luann de Lesseps got into a heated argument when The Countess seemed to take a few digs at the Skinnygirl mogul over her feud with Jill Zarin. Not holding anything back, Bethenny said, "I don't like you, and I think you're a snake," to which Luann replied, "You're nasty, and I'm not going to do this here."
This story was originally published Sept. 14, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. PST.