AVANT-GARDE WALK
The avant-garde walk is a theatrical walk that thrives on its staging. When designers such as Maison Margiela (under John Galliano) or Alexander McQueen present their collections, the runway becomes a theater stage. Here, haute couture and performance art merge.
- Characteristics: The models adapt their walking style completely to the story of the show. The movements can be aggressive, stomping, wobbly, hyper-elegant or robotic (a famous example: the eccentric walk by Leon Dame for Margiela).
- Goal: To evoke emotions and to underscore the artistry and extravagance of the design through body language.
The fundamental technique behind every walk: no matter which artistic style is being served, the technical basics usually remain the same:
| Element | Technique |
|---|---|
| Posture | Roll your shoulders back and down, engage your core (abdominal muscles). Your head feels as if it is being pulled upward by an invisible thread. |
| Footwork | Walk along an imaginary straight line. Land on your heel first and roll through the ball of your foot to your toes (“heel-to-toe”). |
| The turn | At the end of the runway, shift your weight onto your standing foot; your head turns last as you leave the focus area. |
For avant-garde shows you are often booked because you don't just wear a look but embody it. That means quickly delivering whatever expression, pace or posture the designer and show production ask for, even in unusual shoes or bulky outfits. If you can do this confidently, you stand out to clients in the artistic high-fashion space.
See also: Avant-garde, Haute couture, Heel-to-toe, Runway.
