The runway can be transformed by its lighting. Fashion lights must highlight the catwalk to show off clothing but obscure the side audience; they must be perfect for photography but subtle enough to accentuate details… There are so many technical elements to consider that often and ironically, the visual appeal of lighting design on the runway is diminished.
Fashion stage light trends for 2022 will not only be practical but also stylish. Although illumination is key for the show, it’s often a hidden aspect of the set. This year, we predict that top fashion houses will embrace the decorative power of lighting and use inspiration from past eras to bring luster to the stage. "Aside from being a functional design element, illumination sets the scene and mood at event venues," explain the interior designers at Front Signs, a sign making company famous for an extensive portfolio of light box signs in Los Angeles and US-wide.
Through the ages, designers have gone to great creative lengths to achieve a perfect balance between the aesthetics and function of light fixtures. Let’s take a look at decorative lighting designs that will be trending in 2022 while getting their fashion inspiration from past eras. They’ll embellish any show and pay respects to history while maintaining smooth, flattering and emotive tones.
1870s Gilded Age Gala Illumination
Starting with the Met Gala theme of 2022 – and seeing as so many fashionistas failed at representing it – let’s explore stage lighting options inspired by the Gilded Age. Since the era was marked by opulence and a Victorian flare, golden candle chandeliers and candelabras with ornate designs are a glamorous fit.
They can go above and along the sides of the runway to complement fashion that’s inspired by Baroque, Rococo, Elizabethan and Regency eras as well. Since the candles won’t flood the scene with overwhelming light, they can serve as mood-setting decor while the typical parabolic reflectors play a functional role.
1920s Steampunk Inspired Stage Lights
Besides the famous flappers of the roaring 1920s, Steampunk was another huge trend of the decade and it’s a smash hit for lighting design in 2022 as well. If your collection is at all inspired by Victorian, Industrial and post-apocalyptic themes then this is the coolest and easiest way to accent it.
Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights (ERS) and Parabolic Reflectors (PAR) are commonly used for fashion shows along with moving heads and fresnel fixtures. Their vintage counterparts have a rustic look that would pair perfectly with the clothing line while spotlighting it exactly as needed. Get the steampunk look by making them a visible part of your stage design along with other thematic decor elements.
1960s Psychedelic Space Race Lighting
Take inspiration from JFK and choose to do things “not because they’re easy but because they are hard.” The top fashion set designs are defined by their ability to break boundaries. Sure, it’s safe to go subtle but sometimes it’s best to shoot for the stars. Moon lamps in particular were a beloved design feature during the space race era. They represent a shift from stoic modernism to creative self expression.
You can hang one at the top of the stage and allow your models to walk onto the platform with down-to-earth styles that embrace the organic or far-out-there designs that imbibe psychedelia. Twinkling string lights can also add extra sparkle to the scene. Their starry luster will bounce off the entire space without attracting too much attention onto a single area outside of the runway.
1970s Retro Disco Balls
While we’re on the topic of lights bouncing off the scene, let’s not forget the 70s crowd favorite – the disco ball. Disco dance crazes were a performance of dance and fashion under the pizzazz of these famous lights.
If you’d like to highlight the fabric in your collection, this is an awesome way to do it. Be it shiny, stretchy, silver, satin or Spandex, the reflection of thousands of mirrors on the glitter ball will give it a glitz worthy of attention.
2000s Computers and Runway Light Color
The digital age has been on an exponential trajectory of growth since the 2000s and it hasn’t slowed since. Once computers entered the scene, light shows became a delight for the senses.
Lighting designers have been an integral and highly paid part of production from then on. Vector spotlights, video projectors and synced LED systems quickly took over every professional stage from concerts and theater to TV sets and fashion shows. If you want your catwalk to be flooded in moody colors that shift with the sunset or your music playlist, all you have to do is set the clock.
2020s Natural Light for a Virtual Stage
Although the past couple of years haven’t been too kind on any entertainment industry due to a global pandemic, the era has already made its mark on the world of fashion. Many events have been broadcast over the internet, from live streams to virtual reality experiences. Technology has made it possible for us to enjoy the rest of the world even though we were under quarantine for a major part of recent seasons.
Many fashion houses opted to present their shows outdoors in the natural light. This allowed them to focus on the collection without having to worry about light design – a green alternative many were happy to play on and will continue to leverage, even if it's through online broadcasts.
Conclusion - Fashion Runway Lighting
Embrace the modern marvels of high-tech lighting and breathe new life into times past. Whether it’s classic, edgy or nostalgic, the trend for 2022 is paying homage to the masters of thematic design across all eras. Lighting with Shakespearean torches, Victorian candelabras, modern LED systems and futuristic augmented reality projections all promise to be a spectacle of sight this season.
On a more technical level, it’s important to consider the fundamentals of fashion stage lighting. For one, the runway stage is set in the middle as opposed to the front of the audience. This requires a central system of lighting that can illuminate the moving subjects while remaining soft on the eyes.
The models must be lit from the front and back at all times and wherever they are in order to be seen and photographed with excellent clarity. The lighting can’t be too bright or else it will wash out the models and details of the clothing. It can’t be dim or directly overhead to minimize unflatting shadows… and so on.
Despite the technical challenges, fashion runway lighting in 2022 should also be aesthetically pleasing. Whatever decorative or historical lighting fixtures you choose for the show, make sure they speak to your vision. No light features are out of the question as long as they hit the mark on a visual as well as functional level. This year is all about embracing both facets. Get creative with anything from oil lamps to projection mapping. Draw your audience into another time period to reveal your collection in timeless fashion.
