In recent years, the invitations to participate in their fashion shows conceived by brands have undergone profound transformations. Such simple paper has become objects of art or real cadeaux that tickle the ego of those who receive them. Therefore, they have become an aspirational symbol that unequivocally identifies the prestige of those who receive them. Once again pioneer of this movement was Virgil Abloh, who first began to send wall clocks or wooden mountable airplanes.
In this, it was no less his friend and colleague Kanye West who made an anorak for the presentation of Yeezy’s Season 1
The best part of attending a parade is receiving the invitation. Brands care a lot about their community of buyers, influencers, and journalists, and sending them an invitation in writing is not only a bit old school quirk but also becomes an aspirational symbol, which testifies to the prestige of those who receive it. Therefore, the transformation of the classic paper invitation into limited-edition merch or artistic object has become one of the most exciting and overlooked parts of fashion culture, especially since not all seasonal invitations are always documented through the institutional channels of the brands. Yet the tradition of creative invitations has achieved incredible traction in recent years.
If Kanye had popularized the format with creative invitations by sending an anorak for the presentation of Yeezy’s Season 1,
In Italy and how to be surprised, the first was Alessandro Michele accompanying the invitations of Gucci, with antique books, chalk masks, fresh fruit, and, for the last Show Love Parade, lipstick of the brand together with an invitation written on a napkin.
Equally viral was the Fendi Maison that accompanied its invitations to the very Italian pasta Rummo arriving at Prada, which this season sent pajamas to the guests, up to Dolce & Gabbana, who for their last show produced a numbered artwork, to the indie designer Federico Cina who, for his FW22 show, sent the guests an old-fashioned ticket and a 45 rpm vinyl with vintage music.
