ABSTRACT
The more prestigious a publication, the more likely it is to cover the catwalk shows. This chapter covers when and where the principal fashion weeks take place, who covers them and from what angle. Using examples from published catwalk reports and guidance from experienced critics, it explains what goes into a review of a show. When catwalks are streamed live, and people’s social feeds are full of instantaneous pictures, the writer has to give the audience something they can’t see – the story behind the show, for example, or an informed opinion on how successful it was. Reporters have to know the context of the brand or designer, be able to describe and analyse the looks on show, and piece the whole thing together in a coherent, well-angled, and entertaining way. This chapter also explores the changes upending the traditional fashion calendar, and asks how this is affecting the role of the catwalk critic.
