Thesis title: L’architettura della sfilata di moda. Origini, contesti urbani, tipologie, composizione e linguaggi.
Building on theoretical reflections that have emerged in recent years, this research aims to shed light on the role of architecture within contemporary fashion shows, events in which the spatial context sometimes takes precedence over the content of the staging. Beginning with a historical reconstruction of the origins of the fashion show, the study analyses the evolution of the relationship between fashion and space, highlighting how the fashion show can now be understood as a complex theatrical apparatus capable of temporarily redefining urban and architectural contexts.
Through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates theoretical sources, case studies, archival materials and direct contributions from designers and industry professionals, the research explores the main scales of the phenomenon: from the city as a global stage to the interiors that gave rise to fashion shows, and ultimately to the definition of spatial typologies and compositional elements of the contemporary fashion show. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between fashion shows and heritage, as well as to the role of ephemeral architecture in the construction of atmospheres and narratives. The sources collected, notably including documents from the archives of Paolo Portoghesi and Gianfranco Ferré, demonstrate how catwalk design, by virtue of its specific characteristics, defines an autonomous field of design, enriched by interdisciplinary inputs and contributions.
The research ultimately argues that the contemporary fashion show, rather than being merely a fashion event, is fundamentally an architectural one: a constructed, temporary and performative space in which architecture becomes the primary medium for producing meaning, communication, and spectacle.