Top 5 2000s fashion moments - the best catwalk shows of the decade (2024)

February 9, 2024

In the 2000s, catwalk shows were all about spectacle, with one over-the-top show succeeding another. They also produced some truly enduring individual garments and ensembles. Forget certain 2000s fashion trends of the early aughts like crop tops, leg warmers, belly buttons showing in low rise jeans, and trucker hats on the red carpet, Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, and Mariah Carey did have a certain kind of style, courtesy of brands like Juicy Couture in the early 2000s. But this is the real catwalk fashion. Here’s our Top 5 2000s fashion moments, giving you some of the very best.

Versace SS 2000

Table of Contents

Number one on our top 5 2000s fashion moments list has to be the green chiffon dress modelled by Amber Valetta for Versace Spring/Summer 2000. She looked awesome! And this dress went on to have lasting impact. When Jennifer Lopez wore it to the 2000 Grammys, people rushed to the internet to look it up. There were so many image searches that, it is rumoured, Google invented Google Images to make slaking this kind of curiosity much easier.

But that’s not all. Donatella Versace has always loved this dress and mentions it often. For Spring/Summer 2020 the time was right to get it out again. She persuaded J-Lo to wear it on the catwalk and the result was another sensation. The audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation. Versace used the green jungle print over again on other sell-out items too.

Top 5 2000s fashion moments – Dior Homme SS 2002

This collection was a shocker, in a good way. Hedi Slimane took over Dior menswear in 2000. He introduced his own signature cut – very very slender, very androgynous, very sexy. It was a massive change to previous collections and revitalised the House. Karl Lagerfeld longed for a Dior Homme suit. So much so that he lost a massive amount of weight to fit into one – unfortunately this type of silhouette doesn’t look so effective on bigger frames. It was very rock star.

In fact the signature black skinny suit did become the uniform for male rock stars of the period. It had narrow low-rise trousers. The jackets had narrow sleeves, and, while still structured, didn’t have much padding beyond small shoulder pads. If you see the entire collection this isn’t the most outrageous item, as beautiful satin kimono tops and trousers tied with silk obi belts paraded down the catwalk too. There was also an iterationof the suit entirely in scarlet, with a red shirt and tie in exactly the same shade as the jacket and trousers. However, 20 years ago the press did not run with the feminine pieces. They chose The Suit, and the world was a sexier place because of it.

Alexander McQueen SS 2004

What’s a list of top 5 2000s fashion moments without including Alexander McQueen? His references were often brutal and in Spring/Summer 2004 he based a collection on the 1969 film “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” This title is foreboding enough, however, far from being a movie about some unflinching cowboys in the hard-scrabble American past, it was about dance competitions in the hard-scrabble American past. Specifically, 1930s America, where it wasn’t Strictly Come Dancing levels of jolliness. “They Shoot Horses” is about the competitions where the couple who dances for the longest wins a cash prize. Which seems benign, until you realise that many lasted for hours and hours, fainting in exhaustion, feet bleeding, while their partner held them up.

MqQueen’s collection was called “Deliverance”. The models were joined by professional dancers from the Michael Clarke company. At first dancing in a spritely way, over the course of the 20-minute show they became more sluggish until at the finale, only Karen Elson, in a gorgeous silver sequin gown, writhes spasmodically on the floor alone. As she finally lies still, Lee McQueen and Michael Clarke enter and carry her off.

Top 5 2000s fashion moments – Fendi Great Wall of China Show 2007

In 2007, Karl Lagerfeld chose The Great Wall of China as his theme. However, he didn’t just decide to recreate a bit of it in some Paris warehouse, he wanted his models to actually walk on the wall itself. So, it was arranged. At a cost of $10,000,000, and with 12 months of preparation (the paperwork must have been extraordinarily!) 500 guests sat on the edges of the ancient fortification in Beijing and watched 88 models walk down the middle. Of course the antique stonework itself was protected from the high heels by a catwalk built on top. Unfortunately, the garments themselves, a combination of some spring/summer 2008 and some specially designed pieces, were pretty meh. But the setting was lovely.

LouisVuitton SS 2008

Top 5 2000s fashion moments - the best catwalk shows of the decade (1)

Nurse novel, like those which inspired Richard Prince. Image licensed under Creative Commons.

For Spring/Summer 2008, Marc Jacobs, head designer at Louis Vuitton decided on a collaboration with the edgy artist Richard Prince. An earlier collaboration with Takashi Murakami had gone stratospheric, so it was a good call. Prince is not the same kind of artist as Murakami however. The latter has easily loveable characters of smiling flowers in candy colours. Prince went for sinister nurses in translucent white vinyl uniforms and black lace masks. It easily makes our top 5 2000s fashion moments. In a lineup, their individually lettered hats spelled out “LOUIS VUITTON” in red on white, and their red lipstick showed through the black masks.

The whole styling, with 1940s hair, red lips and nipped in waists, was very 1940s and a lot like Nurse Ratched in Ryan Murphy’s recent Netflix series, “Ratched”. Except of course this came before – I wonder if it was where he got the idea? Although “Sinister yet Sexy Nurse” is, of course, a well-known trope. In Prince’s case, the live version was inspired by “Nurses” series of paintings, which were also used for the cover of Sonic Youth’s “Sonic Nurse” album. The original paintings, first exhibited in 2003, play on the covers of trashy romance novels from the fifties and sixties. Prince also created a range of handbags for the collaboration, though I don’t think they were as desirable or collectable as Murakami’s, as the previous artist’s work was far more easily read.

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Top 5 2000s fashion moments - the best catwalk shows of the decade (2024)

FAQs

Top 5 2000s fashion moments - the best catwalk shows of the decade? ›

This is the list of fashion weeks/events/shows held annually or two times a year all around the world. The "Big Four" events are the Paris Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week,and London Fashion Week.

What are the 4 top fashion shows? ›

This is the list of fashion weeks/events/shows held annually or two times a year all around the world. The "Big Four" events are the Paris Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week,and London Fashion Week.

What was the 2000s known for in fashion? ›

Popular accessories of the early 2000s include white belts, aviator sunglasses, trucker hats, hoop earrings, block heeled mary janes, leg warmers (worn with mini skirts), ugg boots, flip-flops, jelly shoes, lace-up sandals, newsboy caps, ponchos, and jelly bracelets.

What was the biggest trend in the 2000s? ›

The Mid-2000s

The 'boho-chic' trend stemmed from the popularity of low-rise jeans, yoga pants, cowl-neck tops, and peasant blouses. Following the boho, was the military-inspired which lasted until the end of the decade.

What is the most iconic runway show? ›

1. The Thierry Mugler fall-winter 1984-1985 and fall-winter 1995-1996 shows. Thierry Mugler was the first – and probably the best – showrunner in fashion. He made his mark in 1984 with an anniversary show of unprecedented scale, ten years after the creation of his house.

What are the 5 main fashion weeks? ›

The most prominent fashion weeks are held in the fashion capitals of the world—in chronological order, New York City, London, Milan, and Paris, or the "Big Four." The foundations of fashion week began in Paris in the late 1800s before spreading to New York, Milan, and London in the 20th century.

What are the 5 types of fashion? ›

There are five primary types of fashion design:
  • Haute Couture.
  • Luxury Fashion.
  • Ready-to-wear Fashion.
  • Economy Fashion.
  • Fast Fashion.
Jul 12, 2022

What events influenced 2000s fashion? ›

Many clothing trends in the 2000s were born out of globalization, the rise of fast fashion (affordable clothes based off runway designs usually found in department stores like Mervyn's, J.C. Penney, and Macy's), and celebrities' growing influence as style icons.

What is Y2K fashion 2000s? ›

Imagine bold colors clashing with metallic fabrics, logos so big you could see them from a mile away… that's Y2K for you! Originating from the late 90s and early 2000s, this style was all about optimism, embracing technology, and standing out. Today, the Y2K look is making a major comeback.

Who was a fashion icon in the 2000s? ›

These celebrities and Hollywood socialites— like Sarah Jessica Parker, Christina Aguilera, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Lindsay Lohan— set the fashion trends of the 2000s; all we did was copy.

How did girls dress in the 2000s? ›

Casual and leisure wear- casual and sexy

Many trends from the 90s continued into the 2000s due to the continued influence of pop stars like Britney Spears. Starting around 2001, low-rise pants, bell-bottoms, silk or satin cargo pants, or even white jeans paired with crop tops or hoodies became popular.

What is the 2000 decade called? ›

The 2000s (pronounced "two-thousands"; shortened to the '00s and known as the aughts or noughties) was a decade that began on January 1, 2000, and ended on December 31, 2009.

Is Y2K still trending 2024? ›

As we approach the 20th anniversary of Y2K, its unique style is still catching the eye of fashion lovers worldwide. This guide for Y2K fashion Style in 2024 will break down the key fashion trends & styles for 2024, giving a fresh spin to those classic Y2K styles that never go out of fashion.

Who invented catwalk? ›

Costantino explains that this all changed in 1901 when another English designer, Lady Duff Gordon, debuted what we can probably consider the very first 'catwalk show'.

Are there any 5 7 runway models? ›

However, there are notable exceptions—for example, Kate Moss is famously 5'7”. While these height requirements are still stringently followed across most of the industry, the good news is that size standards are changing, and plus-size models are becoming more common on major runways.

What are the big 4 fashion weeks? ›

Big 4 Fashion Week Dates
  • New York Fashion Week. New York Fashion Week (NYFW) takes place twice a year in February and September. ...
  • London Fashion Week. London Fashion Week (LFW) takes place after New York in February and September. ...
  • Milan Fashion Week. ...
  • Paris Fashion Week.

What is the Big 4 fashion brand? ›

I would like to remind you that The Big Four in Fashion and Beauty comprise Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Chanel. Those high-end fashion, fragrance, and luxury beauty brands have formed a league of their own and every other brand would love to achieve their status.

What are the 4 seasons in fashion industry? ›

Fashion is typically split into four seasons: Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter, Resort, and Pre-Fall.

What are the fashion 4 cities? ›

WHY ARE PARIS, MILAN, NEW YORK AND LONDON THE FASHION CAPITALS OF THE WORLD? The “big four of fashion” refers to cities that are usually leaders in innovative designs and clothing. The term fashion capital is nowadays used for the cities that hold fashion weeks.

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