Not everything on the runway is meant to end up in your closet.
Loewe’s recent show got people talking. At the center of the conversation is the Trapeze dress—a delicate piece of silk that took over ten hours and three artisans to create. Stunning, sure, but the internet was quick to ask the real question: Who’s actually wearing this? Comments like “One wash and it’s done for” and “Is it even dry-cleanable?” flooded social media.
The thing is not everything on the runway is meant to end up in your closet. Fashion has always been about more than just clothing—it’s about ideas. Designers use the runway as a stage to express those ideas, and sometimes they do this through conceptual pieces. Think of them more as art pieces than everyday clothes.
So, why do these concept clothes exist in the first place? Much like a sculpture in a gallery, these garments are meant to communicate a story, a vision, or an emotion. What’s more, these pieces challenge traditional ideas of clothing and fashion’s role in our lives.
Loewe Spring/Summer 2025. Courtesy of Loewe.
Take Comme des Garçons, for instance. The brand’s designer, Rei Kawakubo, is known for creating garments that appear more like sculptures than everyday outfits. These pieces stretch the boundaries of how we think about fashion by transforming the human body into a form of artistic expression. It’s not about wearability; it’s about using fashion to comment on something larger—whether that’s body image, beauty standards, or the human condition.
Rick Owens is another designer known for pushing the limits of fashion with unwearable pieces. His extreme looks might appear impractical on the runway, but they inform his collection’s mood and technical approach. Later, the designs may inspire more wearable versions that consumers could actually wear while still maintaining the essence of the original concept.
Comme des Garçons Spring/Summer 2025. Courtesy of Comme des Garçons.
When Loewe showcases a fragile silk dress like the Trapeze, it signals the materials, craftsmanship, and aesthetic direction of the collection (and even the fashion itself). Think of it as a blueprint.
So, while these conceptual designs may never find their way into your wardrobe, they’re still an important part of fashion’s ecosystem. They push the industry forward, influencing trends, and challenging how we think about clothing.
