This is what the fashion week front row looked like through the decades

The ‘frow’ in the 1990s was a very different place 

Sarah Jones
Wednesday 13 February 2019 12:36 EST
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Over the years, the front row – or “frow” as it is affectionately known in the fashion industry – has become an entity all of its own.

In the 1800s, fashion parades took place in couture salons where guests sat graciously around clusters of tables to celebrate the craftsmanship of clothes.

But, as the industry has grown, so too have the fashion shows, now hosted in the likes of Paris’ Grand Palais, New York’s Public Library and London’s National Portrait Gallery, in front of hundreds of attendees and live streamed around the world.

In the Nineties, the frow evolved from a spot reserved solely for industry insiders, to a who’s who map of the celebrity world, with everyone from supermodels to fashion editors and actors battling it out for a coveted seat on the all-important bench.

So much so that the catwalk has come to serve as a snapshot of the biggest stars over the decades, from Madonna and Anna Wintour to Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian.

For fashion month at least, your status in the industry can arguably be equated to where you sit at a fashion show.

And while the dynamics of show seating has shifted over the years, the one thing you can guarantee is that the more important you are, the closer you are to the action.

With this season’s shows now in full swing, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to revisit some of the most iconic celebrities who have sat in the front row.

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