Photo: REX1/11John Galliano, Spring 2003John’s legendary homage to Leigh Bowery and early-’80s London club culture—this was my first season as an editor at Vogue. Afterward, Anna turned to me and said, “Virginia, it’s a long, long way from Calvin Klein . . . .” We started planning to photograph it before the show was even over. It’s the only time that Grace and Tonne were both editors on the same shoot.
Photo: Indigital.tv2/11Comme des Garçons, Fall 2005The audience was blown away; no one would leave the show. It was the one time I thought Rei might come out and take a bow.
Photo: Indigital.tv3/11Gucci, Fall 2004I think many of us were still in shock that Tom Ford was stepping down. He was the consummate showman, and he outdid himself with a spectacular sendoff. A finale of incredibly beautiful dresses: pale beading, pink and gray fringe. By the time Georgina Grenville made a nostalgic comeback to close the show, we were all on our feet giving him the standing ovation he deserved.
Photo: Indigital.tv4/11Chanel Spring 2011 and Fall 2014Karl Lagerfeld has done so many epic Chanel shows that I couldn’t decide between these two as my favorites. The beauty of Spring 2011 was overwhelming—the breathtaking ornamental garden, the 80-piece orchestra performing The Verve, and the 80 models each exquisite in their looks. It was an emotional powerhouse of a show. On the other hand, the Fall 2014 “supermarket” show was one of the cleverest things I’ve ever seen in fashion—or anywhere else for that matter! The extraordinary attention to detail was truly amazing.
Photo: Indigital.tv5/11Alexander McQueen, Spring 2003By Alexander McQueen standards, Spring 2003 was relatively straightforward. However, it was my first McQueen show and I was awestruck by the beauty of those clothes. I remember going back to my hotel room still energized with excitement and calling my friend Victor to discuss every detail.
Photo: Indigital.tv6/11Dries Van Noten, Spring 2005I am still devastated after all these years that I missed this show. It was Dries celebrating his 50th collectsion: 500 guests seated at one long table that became a runway. When my colleague Hamish Bowles described it in vivid detail the next day, it was all I could do not to burst into tears.
Photo: Indigital.tv7/11Ralph Lauren, Spring 2003The Ralph Lauren Spring 2003 show was my first season as a Vogue editor. I remember running late and being panicked about getting to the Cooper Hewitt on time. I arrived to trays of Champagne and mounds of tuberose, which filled the air. It’s still one of my favorite Ralph collectsions—beautiful lingerie slip dresses, fragile wallpaper florals, and a finale floor-length bustle skirt made of distressed denim. I just remember thinking, wow . . .
Photo: REX8/11Calvin Klein, Spring 2000I worked at Calvin Klein for many years and this was one of my favorite shows. For me, it was a collectsion of all my favorite things—slouchy pants, perfect tees, sexy slip dresses. I remember Trish Goff looking so effortlessly chic in a T-shirt and python skirt. My wedding dress was based off one of the finale dresses.
Photo: Getty Images9/11Perry Ellis, Spring 2005I have such good memories of the Spring 2005 Perry Ellis collectsion designed by my husband, Patrick Robinson. At the time, we were new parents juggling the demands of work and family. Amid this, he produced a very charming collectsion. I was very happy for him—as both a wife and editor.
Photo: Indigital.tv10/11Louis Vuitton, Spring 2012There have been many spectacular Vuitton shows, the Fall 2012 Train collectsion being the obvious choice. However, I also loved the all-white carousel setup in the Louvre’s Cour Carrée. Each look was a pastel jewel the color of Ladurée macarons. It was so unabashedly pretty yet somehow still managed to look cool.
