What is Vogue World? A Celebration of Sport and Fashion Through the Ages.
Photo via Vogue Runway
Vogue World All the Best Looks
Sunday marked the third-ever edition of Vogue World, this year located in the magical city of Paris. Held at the Place Vendôme, just across from France’s Ministry of Justice, this eclectic event was a tribute to fashion and sport throughout the ages. Hosted by the renowned actress and model Cara Delevingne, and spearheaded by Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, this year’s event aimed to raise money for charitable causes, with proceeds donated to organizations such as Restos du Coeur, Emmaüs, and Act for Kids.
The Olympics in Paris are right around the corner, and the whole city is abuzz with talk of sport – in that way, this show made complete and utter sense. In execution, it sometimes struggled to actually connect sport and fashion in a meaningful way. Attendees and models included Emma Chamberlain, Katy Perry, and Sabrina Carpenter, and there were appearances by Bad Bunny and Maluma. Performers included artists like Christine and the Queens and Jung Kook of BTS.
It was innovative and exciting to watch. It was also utterly beautiful – from all of the different performances to the fashion itself, this show was a feast for the senses. As with any performance, some pieces worked better than others, which is why I have broken down the whole show, starting with Vogue World’s homage to the 1920s.
Chanel at Vogue World
1920s x Cycling
This traverse through the years started in the 1920s with a nod to the Tour de France. The show started with dancers, dressed like servers, bouncing around the circle on the Place Vendome. The servers carried trays of glasses and carafes of water, and each one had their own running-style bib donning the name of a beloved local cafe — Nemours, Cafe de Flore, and so on. Then, as cyclists came through the square, models in 1920s flapper-inspired dresses strutted around the circular stage. This performance was beautiful, though bizarre and perhaps a little disjointed, as the connection between the flappers and the cyclists was nowhere to be seen. This event seems to be part fashion show, part modern dance performance, with just a hint of sportiness.
Photo via Vogue Runway
Balenciaga at Vogue World
1930s x Track and Field
Models, including Karlie Kloss herself, walked through the square modeling Balenciaga looks that were recreations of Balenciaga’s first ever show. These all black and white looks, including black lipstick, were juxtaposed to the models wearing simple white track costumes. Once again, the connection between the show itself and the sport element was disjointed.
Photos via Vogue Runway
Jacquemus at World Vogue
1940s x Aquatics
To kick off this era, dancers streamed onto the Place Vendome in swim caps, carrying large swathes of blue fabric to mimic the moving water of a pool. Dancers danced behind the water as if they were synchronized swimmers. As the 1940s was the era in which the bikini was invented, the convergence of sport and fashion finally began. The looks, too, finally understood the assignment; Chanel, Jacquemus, and Miu Miu clad models in beach-inspired looks flooded the square, capturing the theme exceptionally well. Models, including Sabrina Carpenter, carried beach umbrellas, towels, life preservers, and more. This era truly captured the essence of what Vogue World is all about; merging performance, fashion, and sport into one cohesive moment.
Photo via Vogue Runway
Hermés at Vogue World
1950s x Equestrian
The 1950s fashion show was dominated by the Dior bar suit – an item which, according to host Cara Delevigne, “cemented fashion’s post-war direction.” The looks themselves were impressive and very Parisian, and models walked around carrying riding crops. The most special moment of this era was when Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner came out on horses. Personally, I could have used a bit more showmanship from the horses, especially since the theme was equestrian sport, but even this small appearance was fun nonetheless.
Photo via Vogue Runway
Paco Rabanne at Vogue World
1960s x Fencing
The fencing dance, marked by dancers wearing fencing uniforms and wielding epees, was thrilling to watch. As the music built, tension increased, and it was like watching a scene in an action movie – just more artistic. The clothes in this era were an homage to Paco Rabanne’s 12 unwearable dresses, demonstrating the way in which Vogue World shows appreciation for fashion history. For those that don’t know, the 12 unwearable dresses was a series by Rabanne where each dress was made with a different unwearable material, including plastic and metal.
Photo via Vogue Runway
Boho Chic
1970s x Gymnastics
This era was all about the Battle of Versailles, a fashion show held in 1973 to raise money for the restoration of the Palace of Versailles. Also included in this part of the show were looks that paid homage to Studio 54 and le Palace in Paris. The sheer, colorful looks screamed ‘70s, whereas the dancers, who touted streamers like rhythmic gymnasts, were also full of color. Once again, however, the connection between sport and fashion fell apart a little bit – still, it was a beautiful, if a bit confusing, sight.
Photos via Vogue Runway
Working Girl Era
1980s x Martial Arts
Perhaps it is appropriate that the era of the Working Girl is the era that crosses over with the art of martial arts. Structured suits and many shoulder pads defined the looks in this section of the show, while martial artists also walked in tandem to the models. Models carried oversized cell phones, a sign of the ‘80s, or strutted along with briefcases in hand. Still, I sought a more cohesive connection between sport and fashion.
1990s x Soccer
As Bad Bunny stepped out onto the stage to perform, so did the dancers. Or were they soccer players? The performers did tricks with their soccer ball props so deftly and yet danced so beautifully, it was hard to tell exactly who they were. And yet, that is exactly what I was looking for with this show – a muddying of the boundaries between art, sport, and fashion. This era worked exceptionally well. The looks, which were all in the colors of the French flag, were particularly soccer (or should I say football) inspired, adding to the cohesion.
Photo via Vogue Runway
2000s x Tennis
This era started off strong with an entrance by Venus and Serena Willians. The athletes led the way to an amazing collection of tennis-inspired outfits as Bad Bunny continued to perform in the background. Performers with rackets danced as models strolled past.The colorful looks did a great job paying tribute to the feeling of 2000s fashion, while at the same time drawing their inspiration from tennis attire.
Photo via Vogue Runway
Kendall Jenner & Jean Paul Gaultier x Simone Rocha
2010s x Break Dancing
Of course, the dancing in this part of the show was amazing. Bad Bunny was still on the stage, tennis players were still dancing. This was the lead up to the finale, and there was a lot going on – so much, that there were only a couple of looks. As the light faded, all of the performers came back out for the finale, one last jaunt around the circle, including Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner in new and fabulous looks. And then, as quickly as it all began, the show was over, all of the performers exiting the stage as the sun set over Paris. The sky was a dim and dusky orange, fading quickly to the color of blue denim.
Photo via Vogue Runway