Ilius Ahmed Is the Ultimate '90s Fashion Historian

Do you remember the first fashion show you ever saw?

Yes, it falls into three categories really. My first ever show experience was watching an Yves Saint Laurent fashion show report on television in 1984. I was 9 years old at the time and recall seeing a flourish of color, models twirling on the runway in silks, chiffon and print, that image really imprinted in my mind and was the starting point of my fascination with fashion.

Alongside watching Fashion File, CNN Style, FTV, Video Fashion and The Clothes Show during my youth in the '80s and '90s which would only be report based fashion shows, the second experience was when I was at secondary school in 1991. I would have been 15 years old at the time, and I decided to do a school project on Rifat Ozbek. I had sent Rifat a letter to ask if I could request a show tape to support with my project and he kindly had sent me his Autumn/Winter 1992/93 fashion show videotape. The collection featured military inspired coats and jackets in various block color velvets edged with feathers and hats by Philip Treacy. The show music tracks were amazing. I literally watched that video numerous times a day for years to come!

How sweet of Rifat to send it.

The third experience was in fact being present at show at the age of 20 whilst I was a student at Central Saint Martins. I was invited to the Givenchy Haute Couture Autumn Winter 1996/97 show by John Galliano held on July 7, 1996, at the Stade Francais. I wore this white blazer, Gucci black silk shirt, trousers and belt which a purchased with all my annual student loan at the time – not a good decision!

I recall entering the venue and faced with this huge forest scenery. It was very surreal. I was seated, and I recall looking at the show program which listed "Linda in Beaded Regal Lily Dress," "Yasmeen in Faux Leopard Curve Suit," etc. I could not believe I would see the supermodels in the show.

What a dream come true.

Watching the show was certainly one of the most magical experiences ever. The collection was exquisitely romantic and to be able to see haute couture so close I could finally appreciate the talent and work involved in the construction of the looks. Every detail was pure perfection! There was such a buzz, high energy in the air and continuous rounds of applause as each model appeared on the runway set.

It was also my first time seeing the supermodels who were breathtakingly beautiful on the runway, posing so elegantly and showing off each look to its best. It was without doubt Yasmeen Ghauri who wore the Beaded Narcissus Dress, which was the most beautiful vision in the show for me. I recall her walking past me and posing and then twirling away to continue along the runway. It was literally like she was gliding or floating along the runway. She was tall, hourglass, statuesque. My jaw dropped in disbelieve. I had never seen someone so beautiful in my life until I saw Yasmeen.

Amazing.

After the show ended, I managed to get into the backstage arena where I met Linda, Helena, Yasmeen, Naomi and spent some time talking to them however I recall I was so nervous. They were all so beautiful. Their faces were simply mesmerizing to look at.

Backstage was buzzing with energy. There was a flow of champagne, and I recall whisperings between Shalom and Carolyn Murphy about an after-show party and groupies trying their best to find out where it was to be held. Nadja stood in corner alone looking demure, and Kate was telling me how Odile Gilbert did her hair. Then within a blink of an eye the backstage area was empty, and all that was left was myself and my friend Sabina who attended the show with me and John who was cleaning up backstage. I nervously approached him and congratulated him on the collection. We had spent around 30 minutes talking together; he was so sweet yet shy and quietly spoken.

Watching my first actual show was certainly one of the most beautiful memories I have, my only regret was that the batteries had died from my £7.99 Boots camera, so I was unable to take as many photos as I had wished for but being at that that fashion show and meeting John and the supermodels make up for it for sure!

What is it about the vintage runway shows that you post that makes them so unforgettable?

Well, I collected archives since 1991 when I was 15 years old. Designers and press officers were so kind to me and supported me with providing me with show VHS tapes, catalogues and photographs to support with my educational journey that I literally kept everything safe bar the Claude Montana Autumn Winter 1991/92 show tape, which I sadly lost and am trying to find a copy to this day.

It was not till around 2018 where I really started to focus on what to do next with the archive as I had boxes upon boxes of tapes, and after digitizing them (I have lots more to still do), I now have a private educational library which I am the archival consultant for. Alongside that, I have the Instagram library account Unforgettable Runway where I post small snippets from the archive.

My posts are reflection of a show memory or look that I had previously been inspired by be it in my youth or years gone by. I do not necessary post a runway moment to follow a social media trend.

Interesting.

What makes the vintage runway show I post unforgettable is that the '80s and '90s was and is such a dynamic time in both fashion and music. There was a certain exclusivity with fashion back then as we did not have mobiles or the internet, so fashion imagery was not as accessible as it is today. The generation of today seem to be really intrigued with the recent past decades of fashion and the runway especially the '80s/'90s era of supermodels and the uniqueness they all had at the time. But also parallel to this, those who were part of the industry back then also enjoy the posts as it brings back memories of that wonderful era they experienced.

I’m sure the supermodels are a big reason for interest in the old days.

It was really around the late '80s to the '90s that the supermodel era was at its peak, and models started to really have a voice. Unseen runway footage of those models is quite rare today be it the general footage seen on YouTube. Luckily from sheer determination over a 31-year period, I have gained positive respectful relationships with fashion houses, filming producers such as La Mode en Images, Urban Production Events and VideoGang, as well as brand press officers who all understand my utmost respect and passion for fashion runway archives and have supported me over the years.

Since starting Unforgettable Runway, I have seen a vast interest within the industry regarding fashion archive footage. Fashion houses over the years have started to dig into their archives to relaunch pieces to today’s customer. Publications have started to focus on historic fashion moments and most recently numerous new documentaries and exhibitions focusing on those '80s and '90s fashion moments and runways are now being released. I do believe that some of this influence does stem from the posts and viewer interest on Unforgettable Runway, which has provided some inspiration towards this social media and fashion industry interest in the history of '80s and '90s fashion runway.

Were shows then very different from shows today?

The '80s and '90s shows were so much different compared to today though: You had the long runway with a sea of flashing photographers and numerous models together on the runway having fun, presenting the looks in their own individual way. There was more character, personality, more energy on the runway, but everyone was definitely having more fun which, without doubt, is lacking in the runway shows of today. With this all in mind, the vintage posts I post are simply unforgettable!

As much as I love posting vintage runway on Instagram, I am now also focusing on archive projects with design brands but would love and welcome the opportunity to publish a book on Unforgettable Runway or curate or produce a '80s and '90s fashion runway exhibition or documentary.

Which designer brands from the mid-'80s still look fresh to you?

The brands that still look fresh today to me are those who have respected and continued to inject their brand heritage and stye in their collections from the '80s to this day without losing sight of the original DNA when they first launched. Those brands in my view that still look fresh and consistent are Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Azzedine Alaia, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan.

People think '80s fashion was all about Dynasty and big shoulders. What do you think of when you think of mid-'80s fashion?

As a young child/teenager at the time, I found the younger generation of the time inspiring, who adopted trends from the early '80s punk and New Romantics eras. They took these sources of fashion trends and created more of a DIY fashion look and image, creating their own individual personal styles incorporating inspiration also from the music scene, club culture and artists such as Boy George, Madonna, Bananarama and The Cure.

Some of the mid 80s looks and trends I recall included unisex dressing, boxy cropped jackets in either leather or denim, light denim jeans worn with boyfriend shirts and sporty Lycra body-con form figure hugging mini dresses worn with an abundant of accessories and Ray-Bans. There were also American prep influences during that time where girls wore bomber jackets, chinos, pegged shorts and the famous tassel moccasin.

By the mid-'80s, those who were predominantly skinheads and a few punks started to move away from the hard aggressive image from the late '70s to early '80s and started to adopt the new subculture called "The Casuals" during the mid-'80s, wearing sportswear brands such as Adidas, Reebok and Fila, pairing these sports brands with polo shirts from Ralph Lauren.

I remember politics significantly inspired fashion during the mid-'80s, and British fashion designer Katherine Hamnett designed a series of oversized t-shirts with bold statements, such as "Choose Life’ or "Use a Condom," which really had an impact on both the music scene and street fashion trends at the time.

The mid-'80s was without doubt a colorful melting pot of creativity, style and unique individuality. People were not afraid to experiment with image. There were certainly many distinctive styles from that era, and it was for me not all about those big shoulders. I loved the '80s.

You’re obviously a huge fan of Yasmeen Ghauri. What makes her so legendary? Which other models from the era do you think are the greatest?

I first came across Yasmeen Ghauri in 1991 when I brought my first issue of British Vogue at the age 14. I recall flicking through the pages, and Yasmeen just stood out to me. She was absolutely striking, but what makes her so legendary is her exquisite walk, her turns, posing and full charged energy on the runway. She has the most amazing hourglass figure and overall a stand out supermodel. There was no other model like Yasmeen at the time, and she was without doubt in her own league in the '90s. I also really liked that she treated her years as a model as a career and kept her private life simply private. But also, as a person in interviews, she definitely came across very wise and level-headed in an industry which can be quite superficial.

The models from the '80s that I adore who were the greatest at the time are Iman, Anna Bayle, Dalma Callado, Katoucha, Pat Cleveland and Mounia. All these models were so individual and physically striking in their own way and without doubt could sell and present a collection on the runway to the buyers and clients at the highest level. They also knew how to work and move around the runway to ensure the photographers captured the best images. The '80s models were very special with a unique runway talent especially the black and Asian models who dominated the runways during that era.

The other models, a little later in years who I believe were also the greatest are Christy, Linda, Helena, Marpessa, Naomi and Kristen McMenamy who in their own right are so beautiful and produced such amazing bodies of work throughout their careers. The other models more mid-'90s that are also my favorites are Jodie Kidd, Chandra North and Brandi.

What feels surreal today is that I have connected with many of the '90s supermodels via Instagram. It seems like it was only just yesterday that I was that 14-year-old student flicking through the pages of a fashion magazine or early awaiting to watch CCN Style!

Do you have interest in American designers from the '80s?

Yes, as much as the Milan and Paris designers were at the forefront of my interests during the '80s period (perhaps due me being in the UK and the European designers were more focused upon in the press at the time), I did very much appreciate many American designers from the '80s and the collections they created.

I have a great fondness and interest of many '80s designers from America and those include Donna Karan, Bill Blass, Geofrey Beene, Norma Kamali and Patrick Kelly. I became more aware of the American designers a little later in the '80s from watching Video Fashion and Fashion File on Cable TV. This source of information gave me a more in-depth education on the designers from America.

Are there designer brands from the '80s you wish would have a comeback? I always had a special love for Byblos and Mila Schon.

I love Byblos and Mila Schon! I would love to see Louis Feraud, Patrick Kelly, Stephen Sprouse, Claude Montana, Gianfranco Ferre, Complice, Rifat Ozbek and Christian Lacroix return to the runway. Unfortunately, some of these designers are no longer with us but to see them back at fashion week on the runway would be amazing. The uncertainty I have with comeback brands is that as mentioned, sadly these great designers are no longer here, and at times when new creative designers take over the reins of a brand, the treasured historic heritage is lost or missed in their creative vision, and the brand image becomes something else rather than a continuation of what is was.

The collections of comeback brands at times resemble school design project or its just literally a collection of poorly designed unwearable clothes with no reference source to the house’s rich historical past. I love it when comeback brands with newly appointed designers respect the houses original designer, the story of the house and what the brand represents — it all works then.

Photo courtesy of Ilius Ahmed