British photographer and Wallpaper* contributor Jason Lloyd Evans has been shooting behind-the-scenes backstage snapshots from the runway shows of the world’s most creative brands, since the early 2000s. Here we reveal his favourite sublime snapshots, spanning the last eight years.

Armani Privé S/S 2012

‘Giorgio Armani hosted a “One Night Only” event in Beijing and seemed to be one of the first to really tap into the market and bring his show direct to his there. It was a great experience to go and cover the trip for them.'

Proenza Schouler S/S 2012

‘Proenza Schouler has always been one of my favourite brands to cover in New York. The brand's shows always have such a special casting, concept and collection.'

Burberry A/W 2013

‘Karlie Kloss and Jourdan Dunn showing their love for Christopher Bailey's Burberry. His shows always had a super positive energy.'

Givenchy S/S 2014

‘Being backstage at Riccardo Tisci's shows for Burberry was always an en experience, you never knew what you'd be allowed to shoot. The make up which Pat McGrath created for his shows was very special too.'

Chanel A/W 2015

‘Chanel doesn’t generally allowed backstage access and therefore it is always a bonus to be covering it for a special feature. This A/W 2015 shot from Karl's reign ran as part of a 12 page feature in 10 Magazine. Big, bold and beautiful.'

Gucci S/S 2017

‘Gucci really hit its stride under creative director Alessandro Michele – his eclectic collections are such a departure from what came before and add a real buzz to the Milan schedule.'

Tommy Hilfger S/S 2017

‘This LA show tapped into many emerging patterns in fashion. It was a collaborative collection with Gigi Hadid, it used the See Now Buy Now retail model and had real focus on consumer activation.'

Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda S/S 2018

‘I have been really lucky to cover Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda events. The summer show is always hosted in a stunning Italian location such as Sicily or Capri. The clothing is always exceptional.'

Alexander Wang S/S 2018

‘All the cool girls want to be in Wang's gang and that's the energy his brand's shows really tapped into. Case in point, here you find Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Kendal Jenner.'

Valentino Haute Couture S/S 2019

‘This was one occasion where I was happy to be shooting the catwalk rather than backstage. The show, the venue, the music and the collection was incredibly moving, and many editors were weeping! At the end of the show, I whizzed to the front of the runway and caught these really intimate shots.’

Versace S/S 2020

‘This is part of a backstage series of portraits of Jennifer Lopez and Donatella Versace, after Lopez had walked the catwalk in a revisited version of the brand’s iconic Jungle Dress.’

Fendi A/W 2020

‘For Fendi, I captured days of clothing fittings, hair and makeup tests, the show’s set build and DJ meetings. How fashion shows are presented may change, but for me the creative and collaborative process that comes from them will always be at the heart of fashion.’

Quotes: Jason Lloyd-Evans. Additional writing: Laura Hawkins

INFORMATION

lloyd-evans.com

Street style and heritage jewellery houses are perhaps not the most obvious partners. All the more reason for the Roman jewellery house Bulgari to buck the trend. Its latest project is born of a union with wunderkind Alexander Wang, the designer who is the epitome of New York cool.

As part of its ‘Serpenti Through the Eyes Of' series, which debuted in 2017, Bulgari handed the creative reins over to Wang to reinterpret its signature Serpenti motif for a special capsule collection. The resulting Alexander Wang x Bulgari collection centers around a reimagining of the house's ladylike Serpenti Forever bag, which Wang has multiplied into six different styles.

Ranging from a belt bag with two serpent closures, detachable straps and a detachable handle, to a double flap and triple flap handbag (each layer also emblazoned with the serpent's head) that also feature additional interior pockets for practical purposes, Wang's riffs on the renowned design elevate the allure of original design while imbuing them with a youthful versatility.

‘In my research into the archives, I was drawn to the Bulgari Serpenti head, made in the 1960s, which has a true timelessness to it,' Wang explains. ‘Bulgari was then able to replicate that specific design and we applied it as the focal hardware in the capsule.'

Although available in a range of sizes, materials and colours, such as calf leather in mint green, black and white, a natural python skin and a glossy lizard, the endeavor doesn't stop there. Wang also liked the idea of turning luxury packaging tropes, such as dust bags and paper shopping bags and watch boxes, into accessories in their own right. From structured shopping totes and box-like minaudieres with a matching wrist cuff, to the rebellious Two-in-One satchel, which fuses a leather satchel handbag with a drawstring dustbag exterior, these pieces make a compelling, tongue-in-cheek statement. 

‘I wanted to approach this collaboration a bit differently than the rest, and focus on the notion of packaging as luxury – taking key elements of the purchase ceremony and highlighting them in a way only a heritage house such as Bulgari can,' says Wang. ‘[It was about] looking at all of the external elements that comes with the luxury shopping experience.'

The collaboration with Wang adds a new chapter to Bulgari's already close relationship with New York. The Italian jeweller opened its first retail outpost in the city in 1971, at the Pierre Hotel near Central Park. Its jewelled blue and red gemstone-swathed ‘Stars and Stripes' collection was designed a year later to commemorate the United States Bicentennial. In 2017, the house launched another New York collection in celebration of its re-opened Fifth Avenue flagship, dazzling with coral, lapis lazuli and antique American coins.

Bulgari's accessories managing director Mireia Lopez Montoya concludes, ‘Daringness is something we love in Alex's designs and that is part of Bulgari's approach to creativity. But what really struck us was that despite his own, extremely contemporary viewpoint, Alexander paid particular attention to the history of the brand, going through our historical archive. From the very beginning, he had a very clear vision of what he wanted to do. His ability to create a virtual bridge between this new collection and the historical design codes of the house is what makes this such an exciting partnership.'

INFORMATION

bulgari.com

Scene setting: Showgoers trekked to 146th Street in Harlem, to the majestic, yet dilapidated RKO Hamilton Theater, which was built in 1913, and has had several incarnations — a church, a boxing auditorium, a disco and a retail space — before becoming the scene for Alexander Wang’s A/W 2017 runway show. The cheeky 'No After Party’ message at the bottom of the invite alluded to the capsule collection that would be released the day after the show, displaying the text, which was an irreverent message to counter Wang’s highly anticipated after parties. There may have been no after party this season, but the runway show itself was a party of sorts, as cups of Peroni were doled out upon entering and exiting the venue.  

Best in show: Wang paraded out a series of edgy, black, party girl — the irony! — looks that kick started his career. Mini leather shorts, worn with tights and topped with a long-sleeved Night of Treason punk band t-shirt and slinky black party dresses — the kinds of things that defined the Alexander Wang brand — came out, but the tailored, sculptural black coats accented with large circular metallic buttons that opened the show were the strongest pieces.

Finishing touches: Ball studs lined the soles of black boots, giving them a distinct accent that will surely be copied in the coming months. Silver fringe lined the pockets of western-inspired checkered jackets. 

Mood board: Crisp white looks and striped blue pieces revealing bare midriffs accented with criss-crossed lacing were prevalent at the beginning, going into the downtown edginess of torn denim that Alexander Wang is known for, before it took a progression into a more sporty runway vibe. This sportiness was a natural segue into the big reveal: Wang’s collaboration with Adidas Originals on a capsule collection.

Scene setting: Alexander Wang took over Pier 94, a dark, cavernous event space in New York. The after party, which was held in the same venue immediately after, came complete with a faux 7-Eleven, an Icee truck, and a van that handed out McDonald’s cheeseburgers, fries and McGriddles sandwiches.

Best in show: The black neoprene dresses accented with fluorescent piping were highlights of the collection. A slinky, sequined iridescent gown was sexy, minimal and easy.

INFORMATION

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

2

Models at Hussein Chalayan’s Paris show who took a shower on the catwalk, allowing their soluble clothes to melt away

12

BMX bikers and professional skateboarders catching some air on the ramps at Jimmy Choo’s menswear show, held inside a London leisure centre

19

Giant Roman arches on the Kenzo catwalk with models sweeping through on a conveyor belt

80

Crushed cars, 12 motorcycles popping wheelies, one monster truck, two spinning cop cars and two BMWs exploding into flames at Philipp Plein’s men’s show

20

A-listers playing blackjack and roulette at Chanel’s casino set in Paris’ Grand Palais shows

3

Lifesized fake carwashes, featuring fluffy rotating brushes and bubble machines, on Jeremy Scott’s runway at Moschino

700

Plexiglas panelshanging from the ceiling at the Prada men’s show      

200

Metres of carpet printed with snakes and roses and 14 bespoke upholstered screens on the catwalk at Gucci

30

Buddhist monks, in matching red robes, chanting before the start of Prabal Gurung’s women’s show

100,000

People who attended New York fashion week versus 2.4 million people who live-streamed the shows at home

1

Designer down during a post-show runway lap: Tommaso Aquilano, of Aquilano Rimondi, tripped and face-planted in Milan

820

Free tickets that Givenchy gave to the public on a first-come, first-served basis to its women’s show in New York

12

Strong, female, professional dancers carrying other women like backpacks and papooses at the Rick Owens’ show

7

Earth mountains created by artist Maya Lin for Phillip Lim’s New York show

50

Oriental rugs hanging from the ceiling of the harem-like show space at Antonio Marras

136

Digital ‘windows’ flashing videos of clouds, rain storms, blue skies, lights and models walking at the Canali men’s show

17

Miniature outfits hanging on a lifesized fake tree installed inside Milan’s 18th century Palazzo Clerici for Agnona

10

Colour-blocked tents created by Danish artist FOS for Phoebe Philo’s Céline show

17

Miniature outfits hanging on a lifesized fake tree installed inside Milan’s 18th century Palazzo Clerici for Agnona

3

Giant robots who dressed models on a conveyor belt after Courtney Love had performed Celebrity Skin at Philipp Plein’s women’s show

120

Lucky guests treated to a private dance performance by six Michael Clark Company dancers wearing Pringle menswear at Galleria Sozzani in Milan

6

Hours for carpenters to build a lifesized section of Sou Fujimoto’s House N inside Paris’ Grand Palais for Akris

 16

Oars on each of the two boats at the rowing-inspired Moncler Gamme Bleu men’s show

4

Mariachi singers belting out songs during Brian Atwood’s presentation at Milan’s Museo Bagatti Valsecchi

40

Bare-chested men, in knee-high socks and shiny shoes, reading newspapers in deckchairs in the courtyard before the Berluti show

20,000

Gallons of water to fill the mini lagoon in which the models frolicked at Tommy Hilfiger’s New York show

300

LED water lilies on the runway at Giorgio Armani  

8.5

Height in feet of the giant Balthus cat on the runway at Arthur Arbesser’s show in Milan. It was later cut into three pieces and taken home by the Austrian designer

1

Cheeky selfie taken by Alexander Wang in front of a pool of water during his final show for Balenciaga

3,000

Electric blue delphiniums planted on a temporary hill (that took 30 days to build) in the middle of the Louvre’s Cour Carrée for the Dior show

40

Models at Dolce & Gabbana who took to the runway with cellphones in hand, snapping selfies

Moodboard: After announcing his amicable departure from the house in late July, Alexander Wang spent the summer constructing one of his most nuanced and wildly irreverent collections for Balenciaga. Wang chose white as his parting palette, for a textural melee of lace and embellishment that upcycled streetwear silhouettes with a luxuriant hand. Think silvery boxer shorts peeping from beneath fluid pyjama pants, or snap-button swing coats thrown over skimpy lingerie slips.

Finishing touches: On foot, Chinatown mesh slippers were given a luxurious update in white lacework embroidered with pearls, just as other streetwear references received a quasi-couture touch. Fanny packs in creamy satin duchesse, tasselled leather duffel bags, and engraved golden dog tags or cigarette cases elaborated his 'American in Paris' message more strongly than ever. It was the joyous sentiment of a confident designer happily heading home.

Setting the scene: Within the arched halls of the ex-Laennec hospital behind Le Bon Marché, a cross-shaped catwalk was divided by low ornamental pools, their beveled edges prefaced by the architectural invitation cut in white beveled plywood. Coupled with palest pink carpet underfoot, its tranquil effect was a sharp and welcome contrast to the dark, hard-edged polish of season's past.

INFORMATION

Photography: Umberto Fratini; Balenciaga

Mood Board: With the fashion world still guessing as to his reasons for his parting ways with Balenciaga, Alexander Wang chose to return to the start for his S/S 2016 collection - a celebration of 10 years in the business. Wang distilled the recipe for his success; the ability to tune in to how the cool kids dress, and put forward a powerfully edgy collection. Fearlessly filled with chain-strapped crop tops, fishnet t-shirts, laced-up leather and oversized baseball jackets, Wang proved he's just as relevant now as when he first started.

Scene setting: Entering Wang's understated venue, a Midtown pier by the Hudson River, was much like venturing into a stadium gig. Guests were welcomed by a merchandise stand touting t-shirts and hoodies that benefited the youth-oriented 'Do Something' charity, which the designer unveiled just a week ago. Once seated, guests sat facing a sprawling video screen, which remained blank for the duration of the show, only to come alive with a video montage of Wang highlights from the past decade at the very end.

Best in show: Accessories have always been a highlight of Wang's collections and next season's offering does not disappoint. Studded, flat form sandals and leather handbags further adorned with chain-link straps and smiley face key chains brought an androgynous, streetwear-infused edge that is entirely au courant.

INFORMATION

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

US designer Alexander Wang has opened a London flagship store, and his first freestanding store in Europe, enlisting Belgian architect Vincent van Duysen to transform a former Post Office on Mayfair's Albemarle Street. The three level, 625 sq m store, a few doors down from Victoria Beckham's striking Farshid Moussavi-designed flagship, carries the complete range of Wang's men's and women's ready-to-wear, T by Alexander Wang as well as the OBJECTS collection of homewares and accessories. 

'We had a great dialogue right from the start,' says van Duysen of his working relationship with Wang. 'This is a project definitely not coming from just one direction; it's definitely the result of that dialogue.'

'Alexander bought in all these interesting materials such as distressed chrome, recycled rubber and industrial metal plate and we incorporated them into the design, along with natural stone and Travertine', he continues. 'There are rough expressive elements and then the soft and the delicate. Alexander wanted the unexpected. He also suggested this over-sized hangar system with rails that look like industrial pipes. There are very contradictory forms and in that way it's a shop that reflects his methodology as a fashion designer.'

Van Dysen says that a grid of beams was revealed when the Post Office was stripped back. And he made the most of them. 'Most people would have done one of two things; either take them out or strip them back and leave them very bare and industrial. We decided to cover them in Travertine.'

'The most difficult design decision though was where to put the new staircase.' he says. 'We have made it a real centre piece, something very monumental and sculptural.' Steps on the staircase are dark grey concrete encased in black leather while the handrail is embossed in stingray leather.

The store also includes furniture by Vincent Van Duysen Architects as well as by Alexander Wang for Poltrona Frau, re-editions of 1970s Italian designs by Gianfranco Frattini and sculptural installations by Ben Storms and Gerard Kuijpers, both in 'Noire de Mazy', a rare form of Belgian dark marble. 

Van Duysen, who has designed stores for Aesop, Calvin Klein and spaces for Selfridges and La Rinescente, says store design let him explore his more theatrical, creative side. 'My residential projects are very calm and serene but with stores you are creating something very theatrical, you are creating a huge stage. But you have to remember that the clothes are the protagonist.'

In the past year, American fashion designer Alexander Wang has rapidly expanded his eponymous retail empire across Asia, with a two-pronged focus on China and now Japan. Wang’s latest freestanding flagship transports his modernist New York design signature to Tokyo’s fashion epicentre in the Aoyama district. Housed within a clean, minimalist box, the store builds on the designer’s recent Shanghai opening, where white Carrara marble and black Marquina marble dominate his retail expansion.

The central staircase, framed with concrete panels and finished with polished-bronze trim, links the store’s three levels, which house the men’s, women’s, T By Alexander Wang, accessories and Objects collections. Playing with transparency and opacity throughout, Wang has installed hanging glass units and floating shelving that peer down on white marble display pedestals. This may be Wang’s fifth store in Japan, but it’s a testament to his new globalised aesthetic.

ADDRESS

Alexander Wang
5-3-20 Minamiaoyama, Minato-Ku
Tokyo 107 0062 Japan

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Mood board: Few designers have managed to speak the language of the youth as long as Alexander Wang has. This season, Wang returned to these roots by delivering a moody, punk/goth collection that played heavily with metal embellishments.

Scene setting: A tunnel of matte black corrugated steel and a pulsing industrial techno soundtrack set the tone as models pounded down the runway in thick-soled platform boots and hair strewn across their faces dressed in mostly all-black ensembles.

Best in show:  Double-breasted jackets, robe coats and the bibs of dresses were decorated with round metal studs, which were occasionally placed to resemble piercings. Smaller studs were also used to trace the stitching of quilted jackets and cable knit sweaters, thus bestowing these staple pieces with a razor sharp edge. A final series of fine chainmail dresses, trimmed with studs and strategically placed black panels, worn with molten metallic bomber jackets, hammered home that this season was far from child's play.

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

Fashion week, nowadays, is about much more than just the collections. Showmanship is the name of the game, and in the meticulously executed sartorial extravaganzas, the sound space is an element that no producer or designer can afford to overlook. Music royalty - past, present and future - is enlisted to ensure a full assault on the senses. Here, we bring you New York Fashion Week's catwalk mega-mix from the S/S 2015 womenswear collections.

SATURDAY 06/09

Lacoste
'All Under One Roof Raving' by Jamie XX; 'Goodies (Remix)' by Kingdom; 'Ooops! (Oh My) (Tweet Oops re-edit)' by Hudson Mohawke; 'Sexual Eruption (Instrumental)' by Snoop Dogg; 'Stay (Marius Horsturz Edit)' by Rihanna
Music production: Michel Gaubert

Alexander Wang
'Eject Fast Forward' by Click Click; 'God Created The Beat' by Matrixxman; 'Boneless' by Starsweeper; 'Biggie Bounce' by Diplo; 'Like This' by Linkoban; 'Bend Ova' by Lil Jon
Music production: Frédéric Sanchez

Altuzarra
'Rosemary's Baby Main Theme' by Krzysztof Komeda; 'Suspiria' by Goblin; 'Suspiria (Rvng Prsnts Mx5 Featuring Justine D'; '14 Water Drums' by Curd Duca

SUNDAY 07/09

Victoria Beckham
'New Dorp. New York' by SBTRKT; 'Lights' by Sohn
Music production: Frédéric Sanchez

MONDAY 08/09

3.1 Phillip Lim
'Ambush' by Last Japan; 'All I Ever Need' by Caribou; 'Where I Belong' by Gui Boratto; 'Can't Do Without You' by Caribou
Music production: Sebastien Perrin

Donna Karan
'Suvelo (Cuban Mix)' by Tribal Target; 'Sin Plomo' by Nature Groove; 'She' by Alice Smith
Music production: Kevin Edwards & Kris Bones

Rag & Bone
Original soundtrack by Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich

TUESDAY 09/09

Marc by Marc Jacobs
'The Blue Danube' by Johanne Strauss II; 'My House' by Chuck Roberts; 'Hackney Parrot (Special Request VIP)' by Tessela; 'Danube Love' by Franz Lehar; 'GT Turbo' by Mella Dee; '3am Eternal (Blue Danube Orbital Mix)' by KLF; 'Radio Babylon' by Meat Beat Manifesto

Diesel Black Gold
'Metal on Metal (Stereo Difference) from Trans Europe Express' by Kraftwerk; 'Voices' by Neon; 'Dub In My Eyes' by Depeche Mode; 'We Are The Axis (Daniel Avery Remix)' by The Asphodells; 'Shake "Nickel Ride"' by Cowboy Rhythmbox
Music production: Michel Gaubert

WEDNESDAY 10/09

Michael Kors
'Be My Baby' by Linda Ronstadt; 'Be My Baby' by The Ronettes; 'Be My Baby (Orchestral)' by Thomas Roussel; 'Then He Kissed Me (Orchestral)' by Thomas Roussel 
Music production: Michel Gaubert

Boss
'How Did The Affair End?' by In Flagranti; 'Romeo & Juliet' by Abel Korzeniowski; 'Factory Floor' by How You Say; 'Sun Position' by The Persuader; 'The Four Seasons' by Vivaldi
Music production: John Gosling & Steve Mackey

Reed Krakoff
Original soundtrack by Sebring Revolution

Proenza Schouler
'Amarant 8' by Scanner; 'Procrastination' by Demdike Stare; 'Amarant 2' by Scanner
Music production: Michel Gaubert

THURSDAY 11/09

Ralph Lauren
'Lioness In Love' by The Afrika Connection; 'The Here And After' by Jun Miyake; 'Soleil Chaleur (Soleil + Chaleur + Toi + Moi)' by Ariane Moffatt; 'Did We Live Too Fast' by Got A Girl; 'Mama' by Khadja Nin

Calvin Klein Collection
'Camouflage' by Scanner; 'Kendo For Yukio Mishima' by Matmos; 'Moss Garden' by David Bowie; 'Some Are' by David Bowie; 'Dune' by Chloe
Music production: Frédéric Sanchez

Marc Jacobs
'Etude 1' by Nadia Sirota; 'Etude 1A' by Nadia Sirota; 'Computer Voice Narration' 
Music production: Steve Mackey

Alexander Wang has never met a sport motif that he didn't love. Over his label's soaring seven-year life, the New York-based designer has mined every corner of the locker room floor for dynamic design detail and body-conscious inspiration. Now that he's doing double duty as creative director at Balenciaga, however, his sports fused tendencies are finding loftier places to huddle. The scuba suit, for instance, was sliced into miniscule hip hugging dresses with net overlays, while sporty fetish mesh found its way onto the straps of Martingale-tuxedo jackets and technical netting punched through jersey floor grazing gowns. When Wang wasn't slashing his hems to vertiginous heights, he worked around a lean, man-style pant silhouette; for which both will require an equally perfect set of legs to pull off. While there was embellishment on sexy sleeveless scuba tops in the form of heavily beaded breast plates, the overall effect on Wang's spring runway was clean, perfectly tailored and glowingly precise. The clash of high class and off-duty sport was beautifully executed in this collection, offering an obvious reflection of what this American designer has gleaned from his time with the petites mains in Paris.

If you're going to drag fashion editors 40 minutes away from the city centre to the New York borough of Brooklyn for a late night fashion show in the middle of an icy winter, expectations amongst show guests are inevitably going to run higher than usual. From first glance, it was hard to fully comprehend Alexander Wang's unusual choice of location. After all, only a tiny corner of an enormous white steel and glass building, sitting in the midst of The Brooklyn Navy Yard, had been colonised for the show space. We could have, potentially, been anywhere. Much of the discomfort, however, soon dissipated with the arrival of twitching lights and thunderous music, followed by a storm of stomping feet belonging to models encased in over the knee boots with built in shin guards and white rubber soles. Wang put on the power this season, significantly upping his fashion ante in a more menacing, aggressive way. Part of this had to do with the women's hair, which had been spray painted a matte burglar black and clipped short like a boy's; but mainly it was thanks to clothes that were bulky, boxy, oversized and stiffened. Leather shorts and skirts, for example, were embossed and mutilated with perforations, while shearling and net jackets had the proportions of a refrigerator. Sportswear hybrids are where Wang excels and this season he delivered stellar grey flannel or navy wool jackets that were covered in fisherman's pockets and paired with shin guard mule boots. The rotating fashion carousel was a final flourish, and all in good fun. But couldn't it have happened at Pier 94 in Manhattan?

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

It may be located smack bang in tourist Mecca that is Mercer Street, but Balenciaga’s vault-like SoHo store heralds more than a serious dose of sophistication – it’s also the brand’s first boutique launch under artistic director Alexander Wang. Though an imposing 415 sq m, it comprises intimate salons that showcase the house’s ready-to-wear, accessories, eyewear and fragrance lines.

Wang collaborated on the project with 28-year-old New York designer Ryan Korban (whom he met at Parsons before commissioning him to design his own home), working primarily with classical Verde Ramegiatto marble (its grain reminds you of a grand 20th-century bank), limestone and forest-green suede. More contemporary accents include ‘cracked resin’ for a mineral effect, poured concrete and ‘caviar’ embroidered upholstery, referencing the house’s Avenue George V headquarters. With its distinct veining, the dark green marble is a central symbol of the boutique’s identity, while a curving LED skylight veiled by a geometric metal trellis emits a soft glow – echoing museum-quality lighting.

ADDRESS

Balenciaga
148 Mercer Street
New York, NY 10012 USA

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