it's vintage

The Front Row at Fashion Week: A Brief History

French Vogue editor Françoise de la Renta (nee de Langlade, 1931 - 1983) (left), pop artist Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987) (second left), model Bianca Jagger (second right), and nightclub owner and businessman Steve Rubell (1943 - 1989) attend a fashion show by designer Halston, New York, New York, April 27, 1978. (Photo by Fred W. McDarrah/Getty Images)
French Vogue editor Françoise de la Renta (nee de Langlade, 1931 - 1983) (left), pop artist Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987) (second left), model Bianca Jagger (second right), and nightclub owner and businessman Steve Rubell (1943 - 1989) attend a fashion show by designer Halston, New York, New York, April 27, 1978. (Photo by Fred W. McDarrah/Getty Images) Photo: Fred W. McDarrah/Getty Images

In an age where major designers are rarely without a special celebrity match at their runway shows,  it’s easy to think that the obsession with who attends Fashion Week and where they sit is new. While it may be true that there are more celebrity showgoers than ever before (not always a good thing), the front row was speckled with socialites and starlets long before Anna Wintour sat beside Nikki Minaj. Yet one element remains constant: The grave seriousness with which one must watch a model wear a dress. Click through the slideshow for a glimpse into the glamorous front rows of Fashion Weeks past.

The Front Row at Fashion Week: A Brief History