People sometimes argue that there’s nothing new in fashion, but our list says differently. Five of the 10 brands didn’t make the cut last season — that’s a first.

From left: looks from the Spring/Summer 2025 runways of Prada, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, and Acne Studios. From left: Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images (3); Photo by Estrop/Getty ...

Fashion can get hemmed in by too much focus on heritage, and that’s one of the reasons we’re all waiting for the end of the month to see what Phoebe Philo does with the launch of her eponymous label. There’s freedom and fun in writing a new history.

In a year where everything changed, the release of new, seasonal collections billed as fashion shows remained a constant. But how we see shows—and what a show even is—continues to evolve.

The 15 Most Important Fashion Shows of 2020. What mattered and what changed the course of fashion in the industry's weirdest year ever. By Rachel Tashjian. December 22, 2020. Collage by Simon...