Runway Ready Confidence over costume, always
The V&A Dundee’s new Catwalk exhibition opens tomorrow, and it is not the sort of event you drift into unconsidered. It charts the runway from its earliest beginnings to the global machine it is now, and the room will reflect that. Designers, textile historians, buyers, stylists, editors. People who know. When the invitation arrived with the dress code “Runway Ready”, even I paused.
At its core, the exhibition is a sharp, well-edited look at how fashion moves from atelier to audience. Early couture presentations sit alongside contemporary shows that now operate as global spectacles. There is a clear sense of how the runway has shifted from intimate salon showings to full-scale cultural events, shaped as much by image, media and technology as by the clothes themselves. It is not just about garments, it is about influence, identity and the pace at which fashion now travels.
In moments like that, I call Glenn at Spoiled Life. He is, at this point, on speed dial. His instinct for cool, considered European labels sits exactly where I want my wardrobe to be. Nothing try-hard, nothing chasing attention, just pieces that land properly.
Spoiled Life is one of those rare boutiques where the edit does the work. Toast, Skall Studio, Dragon Diffusion and Alohas sit easily alongside Damson Madder and Samsøe Samsøe. It is directional without tipping into unwearable. More importantly, it feels personal. That is the real luxury now. Not endless choice, but someone who understands your taste and edits accordingly.
With a guest list like that, I have no interest in being noticed for the sake of it. The aim is simpler. Feel like myself, only sharper. Comfortable, but elevated.
The answer is a chocolate brown co-ord from Damson Madder. A clean shell top (£65) with a fluid midi skirt (£80). Softer than black, more interesting under lights, and more forgiving. There is structure, but it moves. The detailing is subtle, enough to register without trying too hard.
Over it, a boxy faux leather jacket from Samsøe Samsøe with a high funnel neck (£530). Clean, modern, slightly severe. It gives the look a quiet authority. The fashion equivalent of armour, but without the weight.
That is why these brands work. They do not perform. They hold their ground. And in a room full of people who understand exactly what they are looking at, that is more than enough.
The Dundee wind will, inevitably, have the final word. Knee-high boots over vintage sandals. Scotland in April does not negotiate.
And perhaps that is the reality behind “Runway Ready”. It is not about dressing like the runway. It is about understanding it, then translating it into something that works for you, your life, your climate, your pace.
Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show
V&A Dundee, Dundee
3 April 2026 – 17 January 2027
Fashion shows as theatre, statement and cultural force. This exhibition explores how designers use staging, movement and sound to shape meaning. Immersive, contemporary and design-led. Essential viewing for anyone interested in fashion beyond clothes.