When thinking about iconic fashion models over the years there is always one thing that stands out about them: a characterful walk. Whether that be Naomi Campbell’s sophisticated strut or Gisele Bündchen’s effortless bounce, there is something so mesmerising about a walk that not only showcases the designer’s clothes, but the model’s individuality and flair.
One of the most striking walks seen in recent years undoubtedly belongs to Leon Dame, who rose to fame after his appearance in Maison Margiela’s SS2020 show. Designer John Galliano chose the (then) twenty-year-old to close his show at Paris Fashion Week and he did not disappoint; Dame expressively marched down the runway, incorporating his whole body in a theatrical display. Margiela’s unique and avante-garde approach to fashion and design was truly embodied though Dame’s whole aura, and they have since featured him as an important part of their shows.
Margiela’s Artisinal Collection at Paris Fashion week earlier this year was an ethereal exhibition that blurred the lines between a dramatic art piece and a fashion show, and who better than Dame himself to open it. He, yet again, adapted his walk to the theme of the show and slowly twisted his body into different shapes to display the silhouette of the corset he wore. Unlike Campbell and Bündchen, Dame’s model persona seems to be based around his walk’s adaptability and his ability to embody different ‘characters’ to fit the theme of different designers and shows. It brings a whole new perspective to what it means to have a expressive walk.
In the 2010s and early 2020s, the fashion world saw an increase in robotic walks where uniformity was praised over individuality. You only have to look to Gucci’s 2020 shows where the ‘runway’ was merely a conveyer belt on which models either stood or walked in exact unison. Many fashion fanatics are praising the gradual return of characterful walks as we get further into the 2020s - perhaps a nostalgic glance back at early 2000s models to accompany the return of the era’s silhouettes. Leon Dame and Anok Yai are two of the models that are leading this comeback, and I hope to see them at the forefront of many upcoming shows.
