Every season, we like to look back at what fashion was like 20 years ago, and it turns out the spring 2007 shows have a lot of interesting history behind them. Nicolas Ghesquière introduced robot leggings at Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen showed his gothic floral dresses, and Christopher Kane made his bright, fluorescent debut—along with many other memorable runway moments.

The list of designers for these shows was incredibly strong. Christophe Decarnin was at Balmain, Peter Dundas at Emanuel Ungaro, Bella Freud at Biba, Jean Paul Gaultier at Hermès, Clare Waight Keller at Pringle of Scotland, Tomas Maier at Bottega Veneta, Stefano Pilati at Saint Laurent, and Raf Simons at Jil Sander, just to name a few standout appointments.

In terms of trends, there was a lot of going without pants, balanced by the ever-present preppy style (seen at Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith, and surprisingly, Dsquared2). There was also a fascination with technology—like Chalayan’s crystal-changing pieces, Versace’s dress in shiny C-3PO gold metal, and Narciso Rodriguez’s armor-like molded bustier. Hyper-romantic looks came from Roberto Cavalli and Rodarte, while Y-3 and DKNY brought some sporty vibes. There was also a nod to the ’40s and ’80s. Gucci marked its 85th anniversary, and Jean Paul Gaultier celebrated 30 years. Overall, it was a season to remember.

NEW YORK
Ralph Lauren
Narciso Rodriguez
Marc Jacobs
Michael Kors Collection
Y-3
Threeasfour
Proenza Schouler
Marc by Marc Jacobs
DKNY
Luella
Anna Sui
Sabyasachi
Rodarte
Thakoon
Zac Posen

LONDON
Christopher Kane
Gareth Pugh
Giles Deacon
Hamish Morrow
Paul Smith
Biba by Bella Freud

MILAN
Jil Sander by Raf Simons
Miu Miu
Prada
Marni
Pringle of Scotland by Clare Waight Keller
Dsquared2
Roberto Cavalli
Bottega Veneta by Tomas Maier
Gucci by Frida Giannini
Versace

PARIS
Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière
Chalayan
Alexander McQueen
Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs
Saint Laurent by Stefano Pilati
Tao
Christian Dior by John Galliano
Rick Owens
Ann Demeulemeester
Balmain by Christophe Decarnin
Giambattista Valli
Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld
Comme des Garçons
Dries Van Noten
Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci
Hermès by Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier
Junya Watanabe
Yohji Yamamoto
Lanvin by Alber Elbaz
Viktor & Rolf
Maison Margiela
Sophia Kokosalaki
Stella McCartney
Undercover
Valentino
Veronique Branquinho
Chloé by Yvan Mispelaere
Emanuel Ungaro by Peter Dundas
Vivienne Westwood

Click to see the best of the spring 2006, fall 2005, and spring 2005 collections.

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the fashion trends of Spring 2007 written in a natural tone

BeginnerLevel Questions

1 What were the biggest fashion trends in Spring 2007
The biggest trends were the ugly or flat ballet flat highwaisted skinny jeans babydoll dresses and lots of metallics It was also the era of the bohochic look with flowing tops and layered necklaces

2 What did people wear on their feet back then
Flat ballet flats were everywhere often in bright colors or metallics Gladiator sandals were also starting to gain traction Heels were chunky or wedgeshaped not the stiletto thin ones we see today

3 What kind of jeans were popular in Spring 2007
Skinny jeans were huge but they were worn very high on the waistoften up to the belly button Lowrise jeans were fading out and jeggings were just starting to appear

4 What did a typical going out outfit look like in 2007
A common look was a babydoll or trapeze dress worn over skinny jeans paired with ballet flats or wedge heels Lots of layered accessories like long pendant necklaces and bangles were essential

5 Was the heroin chic look still around in 2007
No that was more of the 90s By Spring 2007 the look had shifted to a more polished yet bohemian vibe There was a focus on a glow and bronzed skin thanks to the rise of brands like NARS and Bobbi Brown

AdvancedLevel Questions

6 What was the specific design philosophy behind the Spring 2007 collections
It was a reaction against the heavily embellished logomania era of the early 2000s Designers like Marc Jacobs and Nicolas Ghesquire pushed for a cleaner more minimal silhouette focusing on precise tailoring and futuristic fabrics while others leaned into a romantic ethereal femininity with sheer layers and floral appliqués

7 How did the Spring 2007 runways influence the normcore trend we see today
It was a precursor