Models From the ’70s, ’80s,’90s, and ’00s Returned to the Fall Runways—Let’s Hear It for Multigenerational Casting

Models From the ’70s, ’80s,’90s, and ’00s Returned to the Fall Runways—Let’s Hear It for Multigenerational Casting

Casting reached peak revival mode for the Fall shows, with catwalkers from the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s, and the ’00s getting back into their runway grooves. The momentum has been building over the past few seasons, with the likes of Debra Shaw, Shalom Harlow, Gemma Ward, Laura Morgan, and Sasha Pivovarova exciting more seasoned show watchers.

Like the turn of a century, the end of a decade invokes nostalgia. In the late 2010s, the 1990s have been particularly deeply mined, with Donatella Versace, Marc Jacobs, and Anna Sui offering remixes and reissues of collections from that decade. The Greed Decade (Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton) and the ’70s (Celine, Michael Kors) are other touch points of the season. As if to cover all bases, casting directors worked with models covering roughly a four-decade span.

Marc Jacobs might have had the finale of the season: Christy Turlington closed the show after a more than 20-year hiatus from the runway. Evoking his mentor Halston (the subject of a new documentary and upcoming television series), Naeem Khan added three exclamation points to the end of his show in the form of a trio of Halstonettes in shimmering silvery mermaid dresses. The Row’s Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, who have been casting ’90s models for some time, reintroduced some stars of the aughts. Courtney Love attended Batsheva’s show and Christina Ricci and Veronica Webb modeled for her. Marine Serre continued with her throwback casting from Spring; and, as always, among Balenciaga’s exclusives were some much-missed faces. Together Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya pulled out all the stops with a historical and celebratory lineup of black models.

Back in the day, the modeling industry distinguished between editorial and runway models; we’ve focused on the latter as we take a look back at some of the beauties who are keeping in step with the times.