Chanel Is Not the First Fashion House To Send Live Animals Down The Catwalk
Both clotheshorses and real horses have made their way down the runway
Models walk the runway during the Stella McCartney Womenswear Fall Winter 2023-2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 06, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Kicking off Haute Couture Week with a splash, Parisian fashion house Chanel shocked the (finally in-person) crowd when sending the granddaughter of Hollywood starlet Grace Kelly, Princess Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco down the runway on horseback at the Grand Palais. Opening the show by striding in on her Spanish bay horse Kuskus, creative director Virginie Viard took Chanel’s regal equestrian aesthetic to a whole new level. With horses covering editorials, and Burberry campaigns, their imagery depicted throughout the collections of Schiaparelli and Collina Strada, and even having made previous appearance on Chanel and Jacquemus runway, it’s safe to say that the ‘horse girl‘ is officially in.
Not the first to include furry friends in the fashion lineup, a grand menagerie of creatures having taken down the catwalk before. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Quite often serving as a direct source of inspiration, designers from Alexander McQueen, to Dries van Noten, and Thierry Mugler have all been notably influenced by birds. With dogs maintaining a constant theme in Thom Browne’s collections, labels such as Moncler and Tod’s have even integrated pups into their runway queue , with wolves stealing the show at Alexander McQueen in 2002.
Here, GRAZIA USA has compiled all the valiant steeds, loyal pooches, and mystical white rabbits to strut down the catwalk.
Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2023
A model walks the runway during the Stella McCartney Ready to Wear Fall/Winter 2023-2024 fashion show as part of the Paris Fashion Week on March 6, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Coach Fall/Winter 2022
A model walks the runway for Coach during New York Fashion Week: The Shows in New York City on February 14, 2022. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Chanel Spring/Summer 2022
Charlotte Casiraghi rides a horse on the runway during the Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2022 show as part of Paris Fashion Week at Le Grand Palais Ephemere on January 25, 2022 in Paris, France.
Gucci Aria Collection 2021
Look 32 from Gucci Aria collection on April 15, 2021 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for Gucci)A detail from Gucci Aria collection on April 15, 2021 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Ernesto S. Ruscio/Getty Images for Gucci)
Jacquemus Spring/Summer 2016
A model walks the runway during the Jacquemus Ready to Wear show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2016 at Paris Events Center on September 29, 2015 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)A model walks the runway during the Jacquemus show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2016 on September 29, 2015 in Paris, France. (Photo by Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho/WireImage)
Tod’s Fall/Winter 2018
Gigi Hadid walks the runway at the Tod’s show during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2018/19 on February 23, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images)US model Gigi Hadid carrying a dog, presents a creation by Tod’s during the women’s Fall/Winter 2018/2019 collection fashion show in Milan, on February 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Filippo MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)
Moncler Fall/Winter 2011
A model walks the runway during the Moncler Gamme Bleu Fashion Show as part of Milan Fashion Week Menswear A/W 2011 on January 16, 2011 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Venturelli/WireImage)
Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2002
A model walks the runway during the Alexander McQueen Ready to Wear Autumn/Winter 2002/03 collection show part of Paris Fashion Week on March 11,2002 in Paris,France. (Photo by Catwalking/Getty Images)
