The runway is fashion’s most powerful stage for experimentation, but with the rising cost of showing and tougher wholesale conditions, pushing creative boundaries can feel like a gamble.
When Duran Lantink debuted at Jean Paul Gaultier last season, his collection of surreal bodysuits printed with exaggerated anatomy was designed to provoke and polarize — the designer said at the time that he wanted to “create a fantasy world”.
His second outing for the house, however, which took place on Sunday, felt more measured, shifting the focus toward tailoring while still playing with sculptural silhouettes. Debut collections often carry an expectation of risk. Like Lantink, Demna’s debut at Gucci proved divisive but generated significant conversation around a new vision for the Gucci woman. Designers frequently use a risky debut to capture attention, establish a point of view, or signal a new direction for the brand. But risk tolerance depends on brand circumstances. While several shows in Paris embraced spectacle and provocation, in New York, showgoers noted collections from brands such as Eckhaus Latta and Collina Strada felt more mature this season, a shift reflecting the fragile wholesale landscape, where retailers including Saks and Ssense have faced mounting pressures. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and cautious consumer spending, external factors can make the risk of experimentation feel harder to justify. Sometimes the risk lies in a collection that divides opinion. In other cases, it’s the opposite: playing it safe can lose a brand the sense of identity that made it resonate in the first place. It raises the question: what does it actually mean for a designer to take a risk on the runway — and when does that risk make sense? What is a runway risk? What designers consider a runway risk depends on how they define the purpose of their shows in the first place. For some, the show is primarily about creative expression, world-building, and storytelling. For others, it might be to engage their community, generate media attention, or drive sales. For Patric DiCaprio, co-founder and co-creative director of Vaquera, the runway serves multiple functions. “The runway is a test — first for us to plan our collection and storytelling around characters we’ve created,” he says. “Then, yes, it’s a publicity stunt: there are a lot of showpieces that generate content which is exciting for us, and helps us sell our like the bra T-shirt and simple jeans we make.” It can also reveal unexpected demand. “It’s a testing ground, because we may show something we don’t intend to sell and it gets a lot of interest, or we put something really commercial on the runway but people want the crazier thing,” says DiCaprio. Once that purpose is defined, designers face a second balancing act: how to push ideas on the runway without losing sight of what can ultimately translate into a viable product. Sometimes that means presenting showpieces that may never reach production but help define the narrative of a collection. In other cases, the risk lies in pushing a creative idea further than usual — through silhouette, styling, or concept — while keeping it anchored in clothes people can imagine wearing. “I’m interested in developing a clear visual language and pushing ideas, but at the same time I want the clothes to exist in real life,” says designer Julie Kegels, whose collection this time felt noticeably more bold with exaggerated silhouettes designed to express the tension of what people keep hidden under the surface. “The runway is often where the concept appears in its most distilled form,” Kegels says. “Afterwards, that language can be translated into pieces that are easier to integrate into someone’s wardrobe. I don’t really see those two aspects as conflicting; they feed each other.” Avant-garde designer Leo Prothmann, who trained under Rick Owens and is known for his intricate leather work, takes a similar approach. His London Fashion Week presentation featured sculptural silhouettes, but the dramatic looks are designed to be broken down into wearable components. “It would be a risk if there were not a single commercial element in my presentation,” he says. “The big sculptures are presented in a drastic way for the attraction of the brand and because that’s where I translate my craft. But if you look deeper into the collection, you’ll see there are trousers, sweats, vests — so while the composition is explosive, the pieces are very wearable.” There are risks with taking commerciality too far, though. Vaquera recently revisited that balance after feeling they “played it too safe” with their SS26 collection. “It sold really well, but we were a bit dissatisfied because we felt we didn’t push ourselves to do something that felt really strong, especially on the runway,” says DiCaprio. This season, the brand deliberately changed course, removing repeat products from the runway entirely. That shift was about reconnecting with the brand’s original identity. “Our early shows were uncommercial, so we tried to unlearn that behavior and become a real business, but in a way it was starting to backfire because we were known for being this crazy DIY brand,” says Vaquera co-founder and co-creative director Bryn Taubensee. “Our fans were starting to drop off as we were becoming more mainstream, because people want to see risks from us. We don’t know if going to sell as well , but it’s a time to try things out and we had faith that creating an exciting show would be worth as much as creating commercial pieces — if not more because of the hype that will drive people to buy something.” Is the risk worth it? Whether a runway risk ultimately pays off depends on the broader conditions surrounding a brand. Early in their careers, designers may have more freedom to experiment because expectations are lower. “At Fashion East, we’ve definitely selected experimental designers and encouraged them to experiment on the runway,” says Lulu Kennedy, founder of London-based incubator Fashion East. “It’s the best time for them to try new stuff out while they’re supported by us in a relatively financially feasible situation. Once they fly the nest and are paying for their own shows — which is a financial risk in itself — it makes sense for them to show more clothes that can be bought or produced at scale.” A stable business foundation can also create room for experimentation. “Having some stability around the brand definitely helps,” says Kegels. “If you have a strong relationship with stockists, a loyal direct audience, or a category that performs consistently, it creates more freedom to experiment without feeling that every piece needs to carry immediate commercial pressure.” Experimental doesn’t always mean hard to sell, emphasizes Martha Mosse, director of Paul Smith’s Foundation, which was set up by the namesake designer to help emerging talent improve their business acumen. “Many of the designers we've supported through Paul’s Foundation are simply hard-wired to experiment, and they do that regardless of business circumstance,” she says. “Financial stability, of course, enables you to take risks and experiment, but in my experience, those risks end as operative ones — hiring staff or upsizing studios, for example.” Vaquera’s designers say their return to a more experimental approach is shaped by lessons learned during their more commercially focused phase. “We learned to be honest about desirability — would I really want to wear that? Is there a place to wear it?” says DiCaprio. Strong accessories can also help offset the risk: for instance, Vaquera’s oversized aviator sunglasses and wedge shoes are designed to feel dramatic but wearable — the kind of products that can support a more theatrical runway moment. Prothmann, whose made-to-order collections are produced in his London studio and sold directly to customers, says having a consistent cohort of repeat clients has enabled him to pursue his distinctive aesthetic. He’s now hoping to develop wholesale partnerships for FW26 — which he sees as a “verification tick” — but says the aesthetic would remain unchanged. “We wouldn’t condense the design at all, because that’s what people are looking for in my work,” he says. Mosse advises designers not to be afraid of having a wheelhouse that customers know and love them for. “Just because a piece is more ‘commercial’, that doesn’t make it less interesting, so try not to devalue the aspects of your business that afford you the freedom to create,” she says. “Don’t try to do everything at once, keep the focus and make sure you’re balancing that ‘awareness building’ activity with the more commercially impactful stuff.” Aside from developing a core commercial collection, she often advises designers to take on consultancy work to help stabilize their business. Ultimately, Vaquera’s Taubensee believes audiences respond most strongly when designers trust their instincts. “We became quite well-known quite quickly because we always did exactly what we wanted — we weren’t thinking about sales, we were just like, ‘This is what I think is cool’,” she says. “Other people can recognize when you are doing something you genuinely believe in.”
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