The Evolution of the Front Row of a Fashion Show

i-D takes a look at the ever-changing front row of fashion shows, often reserved for the ultimate icons of fashion, the most renowned editors, and of course, the biggest celebrities. Sometimes, a star-studded front row makes more headlines than the clothes itself, each spot a status symbol for who’s who in the industry, making for some of the most coveted seats in the world. From Kim Kardashian and North West rubbing elbows with Anna Wintour, to fashion bloggers and influencers creating waves on the internet, the front row has become the focus of the shows. However, it wasn’t always that way. Take a look at i-D‘s retrospective here, which takes us back to the days before pop culture ruled the runways.

“There was always an honored person in the front row, someone important to the designer,” said Patrick McMullan, the well-known photographer and documenter of A-list nightlife, “but it used to be the person’s mother or sister. I think with Warhol and Halston in the ’70s, the idea of the show began to change, the people at the show become more interesting.” The ’70s and ’80s were all about professionalism. It was an industry event, and the tool of choice was old-school notebooks. “It was the only way you could record what you were seeing,” said Stephanie Solomon, a Vice President of Lord & Taylor. “That’s a lost art. There’s something rare about that skill, you’re really dissecting what you’re looking at, you’re not counting on the camera, your eyes never come off the runway.”