The 20 most memorable fashion shows in history

Alexander McQueen's Plato's Atlantis show of spring/summer 2010 was an oceanic spectacle. Held at the Palais Omnisports de Bercy, the exquisite, otherworldly offering saw models take to the runway in towering 'Armadillo' heels, alien-like makeup and butterfly-printed pieces.

The show was the designer's last before he passed away in February 2010.

Christian Dior's autumn/winter 2000 oversaw the birth of an iconic sartorial design, the brand's 'Newspaper Dress.' The brainchild of creative director John Galliano, the number solidified the show in the style history books.

Chanel's autumn/winter 2019 show paid tribute to late German fashion designer and Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld. Teary-eyed models walked the runway amidst a wintery village scene within the Grand Palais in Paris.

The big four, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista, took to the catwalk together for the finale of the Versace's autumn/winter 1991 show. 

The iconic Nineties models recreated said show-stopping moment in 2018. Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen walked the runway at the Versace's spring/summer 2018 show during Milan Fashion Week, sporting identical gold-drip effect gowns.

Bar the odd tumble, models rarely cause a scene at fashion shows. During Gucci's spring/summer 2020 offering, model Ayesha Tan-Jones appeared on the travelator catwalk with 'Mental health is not fashion' written on her hands.

The moment cause sensation online, leading Alessandro Michele’s collection to become one of note.

Jennifer Lopez closed Versace's spring/summer 2020 in epic style. At the end of this evening’s jungle-themed extravaganza, the singer took to the runway in the iconic printed dress that she infamously wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards.

The original appearance of the number sparked so many searches that Google's search engine couldn't keep up - so the internet empire built Google Images to solve the problem.

Central Saint Martins student Fredrik Tjærandsen debuted his Fashion Design Womenswear BA Show in 2019. Safe to say, the collection was a hit.

Models graced the runway in large, inflated rubber bubbles that concealed their bodies and heads. The balloons then deflated on cue, forming draped dresses that perfectly caressed the models' bodies.

This motion was triggered by a simple valve that allowed the model to release the air pressure and peek out of the top of the dress. 

Prada sided with villains for its autumn/winter 2012. Hollywood's finest actors, esteemed for playing the bad guys, hit Miuccia's runway in divinely tailored pieces cut from monochrome fabrics. 

Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody and Gary Oldman starred. 

Bella Hadid stole the show during Coperni's spring/summer 2023 offering. The model stepped onstage in nude underwear, only for a team of technicians to spray a dress onto her body using web-like fabric invented by Fabrican Ltd. 

An assistant then sliced a leg slit into the cutting-edge piece and removed the straps from the model's shoulders before she walked the runway. The incredible moment instantly went viral online. 

Theatre veteran Sir Ian McKellan took to S.S. Daley's runway during the designer's autumn/winter 2023 show to perform a poem, The Coming of Arthur, written by Alfred, Lord Tennyso.

The actor subsequently walked the runway, showcasing Daley's designs that celebrated queer identity and nautical themes. 

For his spring/summer 2001 show, Alexander 'Lee' McQueen conjured up a nightmarish scene punctuated with hauntingly beautiful pieces. 

Stuffed eagles and hospital bandages adorned the heads of models, creating a ghoulish asylum scene. The pinnacle of the show? A woman with her face covered by a mask, breathing through a tube, surrounded by fluttering moths within a glass cage. 

McQueen was king of performance - lest we forget Shalom Harlow's stunning machine spray-painted dress.

Louis Vuitton's spring/summer 2012 show, designed by Marc Jacobs, was a dream-like, enchanting spectacle that stood out as one of the most memorable fashion presentations of the decade. 

Held at the Cour Carrée of the Louvre in Paris, the show opened with a whimsical, all-white carousel as its centrepiece, with models perched on the horses as it slowly rotated. The setting evoked a sense of innocence and fantasy, perfectly aligning with the ethereal vibe of the collection.

During Chanel's spring/summer 2020 fashion show, model Gigi Hadid escorted Marie Benoliele, best known as Marie S'Infiltre, off the runway. The Youtuber crashed the show, inserting herself among the lineup of models during the finale.

Hussein Chalayan’s spring/summer 2020 show was a captivating exploration of technology and nature. Held at the British Museum, it combined innovative designs with historical references. 

The pièce de résistance? A transforming skirt that dramatically changed shape and silhouette through advanced technology. The skirt, integrated with LED lights, evolved throughout the show, reflecting Chalayan’s innovative approach to blending fashion with cutting-edge design and performance art.