Runway lighting is an integral component of the show, perhaps even the most crucial, and it can make or break a designer’s collection. Great lighting does justice to every outfit, visually enhancing the colors, adding drama, and bringing out every significant detail of the outfit. It sets the atmosphere and mood of the space according to the theme, and therefore largely affects the success of the show. Whether you’re lighting for a runway show, a corporate red carpet event, or any celebrity photography occasions where the focus is on clothing either worn or staged as works of art, strategic lighting design is key.

Here are some of the main components of fashion show lighting that you must consider for a successful show:

·        Light Quality:

A talented designer can create a collection of stunning, utterly elegant outfits, but without high-quality lighting, they may end up looking dull, washed out, or flawed. For fashion shows, high-quality lighting entails light sources with a Color Rendering Index of over 90 that accurately captures the true color and details of the outfit. Additionally, it is advisable to use a medium color temperature light source, preferably warm, even lighting that offers visual comfort without altering the color tones of the outfits.

Deep Thoughts on the Spring 2013 Dior Haute Couture Show, Into the Gloss, via Pinterest

When designing for the runway, it is important to remember that you’re also designing for photography. Ensure that your lighting aids in flawless photography, and do a test run if possible. You should be able to accurately capture an outfit from any angle on the stage. An adequately illuminated runway with uniform diffuse lighting will soften the shadows, which will consequently flatter both the model and the outfit. Invest in quality lighting that highlights the model and draws all the attention to the outfits.

·        Lighting Positions:

Runway lighting should be able to illuminate the model from every direction, adequately lighting both the front and the back of the model to allow for an all-around view of the outfit. As a result, you cannot position your directional lighting directly overhead, perpendicular to the floor, because this will generate unflattering shadows. To avoid this, the light fixtures are positioned above the runway, aimed at a suitable angle that does not shine into the eyes of the audience or the model.

Woman Wearing Red Blue Long-Sleeved Dress, via Pxfuel

You should generally position your light fixtures across the entire platform to ensure that there is adequate lighting regardless of the position of the model. Models often pose at the end of the runway, giving photographers adequate time to get the perfect shot of the outfit. Therefore, you need to provide additional lighting at the end of the runway for this purpose.

·        Light Distribution

There should be even light distribution on the stage such that there are no hot spots and cold spots. Uneven light distribution becomes a great challenge when trying to capture outstanding photographs during the show.

Bottega Veneta Otoño-Invierno 2012/2013, Trendencias, via Pinterest

The beam spread should be precise, ensuring that the light is contained to just the stage without an overspill to the audience. Beam angle adjustment is, therefore, a crucial specification when selecting fashion show lighting, since it plays a major role in regulating the spread of light.

Whether or not you decide to illuminate the audience, it should be at a lower intensity compared to the lighting on the runway so as not to draw any attention from the stage. This allows the outfits on the runway to stand out in contrast.

·        Light Intensity

Jakarta Fashion Week Indonesia, via Pxfuel

The light intensity on the runway should be carefully set to ensure visual comfort. The light intensity should be high enough to capture all the fine details of the outfit, but not too high as to wash out the colors. On the other hand, low-intensity lighting will make the outfits look dull and dreary. Use LED Spotlights and Flood Lights to illuminate the runway stage, creating a clear contrast from the background and accentuating the outfit on the model. A dimmable fixture will allow you to adjust your light intensity to the recommended levels and as per the theme.

·        Special Effects

Traditionally, fashion show lighting incorporated even, uniform lighting primarily designed to allow for good photography. However, the modern take on runway lighting aims to create a show with creative lighting. The theatrical lighting complements the design style, integrating different colors, image projections, light sequences, and special effects such as twinkles and sparkles.

Area Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show, Vogue Magazine, via Pinterest

Lighting in modern fashion shows go the extra mile, creating a mood, and transforming the environment with the application of light. Working with the designer’s vision, you can create dramatic effects with lighting to complement their design collection. For instance, you can set up playful lighting for a fun, artsy collection, and a subtle mood for a vintage clothing collection, while still adequately illuminating the models with flattering light.

When working with special effects in runway lighting, it is important to remember not to draw attention from the models and the outfits, but simply to complement them. Since the runway is the focal point and the main act, all additional effects should not overpower it. At the end of the day, you want people to remember the outfits that were displayed, and not just the dramatic lighting.

What is the Best Light Fixture to Use?

Commonly used for theatre and stage lighting, the ellipsoidal reflector spotlight is the most highly recommended fixture for fashion show lighting. Apart from its sheer simplicity, it emits a brilliant beam of light with beam adjustment, which allows you to accurately frame your light to the runway. Additionally, some models of this fixture are compatible with accessories that can change the shape and color of the beam.

Conclusion

Models walked on water for the Saint Laurent show, Harper’s Bazaar, via Pinterest

While our focus during fashion shows is usually on the designer outfits and the models, it is quite easy to overlook the crucial part that lighting plays in the success of the show. A lot of work goes into the lighting design of a fashion show. Taking into consideration the designer’s brief, the design style of the outfits to be displayed, the theme of the set, and the careful distribution of light, every fashion show lighting comes with its unique requirements and challenges. Incorporate the above tips and tricks when lighting for runways, fashion shows, and red carpet events for a successful show.

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Whether it’s a window display, a fashion show, a corporate event, or a celebrity red-carpet photography session, any occasion that calls for the highlight of your outstanding design pieces should be met with impressive and flattering lighting. You can create a memorable shopping experience for your clients simply by incorporating the right lighting. 

Here are the three main aspects of apparel lighting that you need to consider, to bring out the best of your clothing brand and drawing attention to all the right details:

1.      Layering of Light

Laweu Chodium 0588, CC BY-SA 4.0, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons

In every good lighting design, there are three main layers of light: ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting.

·         Ambient Lighting:

Ambient lighting is responsible for the general illumination of the space. It makes all the difference between a well-lit room and a poorly lit room. The easier method of lighting for a street store would be to create uniform high-illuminance lighting throughout the store. However, if you want to stand out as a luxury brand, it is important to create a medium illuminance level ambiance, which will then be complemented by accent lighting to create a clear contrast between the displayed outfits and the general background.

·         Accent Lighting: 

Do you want to draw the focus of your customers to a specific corner of the store the moment they walk in? Use accent lighting. As the name suggests, accent lighting is used to accentuate the most important features in a room, which in this case, would be the apparel. Whether it’s a staged display for your one-time piece, an ongoing sale, or a fashion show, you have to draw all the attention of your potential customers and audience, to the art piece. Spotlighting is the perfect solution for this. Invest in track lights that offer high-quality directional lighting for your clothing pieces. Perfect Picture Lights currently offers many LED track lighting solutions for accentuating artistic pieces, clothing displays, and one-of-a-kind outfit designs.

·         Task Lighting

Task lighting is often installed in places that may require more concentrated lighting to carry out specific tasks. For instance, if you had a tailoring station, you would require localized task lighting in just that area, to avoid having to increase the ambient lighting of the entire room.

2.      Light Source Qualities

Now that you fully understand the various layers of light and how to incorporate them, it is time to pick out your lighting fixtures. Light fixtures come in such a wide range of specifications, and it is, therefore, important to understand what works best for your lighting design. 

For clothing stores, the following qualities of your lighting are highly essential:

·         The Color Rendering Index (CRI)

Alexandra Maria via  Pexels

The CRI value of your lighting sources is one of the most fundamental qualities of light, but one that is most often overlooked. It refers to the accuracy with which your light source depicts the true color of the object it illuminates. Due to the high level of detailing in apparel, you need to install a light fixture with a CRI value of 90 and above. This will allow your customers to clearly view every detail in the clothing; enhancing its true color and making it appear bold and vibrant. Since color is an important aspect of fashion, do not compromise on the CRI value of your lighting.

·         Color Temperature

The color temperature is another important aspect of your store lighting. Color temperature ranges from warm to neutral/white and finally cool lighting. For apparel lighting, going for a color temperature of between 3000K to 4000K will generate warm, welcoming, and comfortable lighting for your shoppers. 

Peking Road Shop, Daivewoi Huongs, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons

·         Lumens

Mannequin of woman in stylish outfit, Claudia Schmalz, 2019, via Pexels

The lumens value of your lighting refers to how bright the light source is. For apparel lighting, the goal is to create adequate lighting that provides visual comfort to all your customers without overpowering the products. To highlight any pieces, your accent lighting should be at least three times brighter than the ambient lighting. This creates enough contrast to draw focus to your pieces.

When it comes to directional lighting such as track lighting, it is important to also consider the Center Beam Candle Power (CBCP), which will dictate how far across the room your light fixture will illuminate. 

·         Diffuse Lighting

Whether you intend to display your apparel folded on shelves, on a mannequin, or on a live model, apparel lighting must be flattering. Diffuse lighting creates soft uniform lighting with softer shadows that makes all your models and customers look and feel good in your designed spaces. Diffused lighting is also great for photography, as compared to the harsh, crisp shadows created by direct lighting. This is particularly useful for live fashion shows and celebrity red-carpet events.

3.      Design Style

Your decorative light fixtures should complement the design style of your store or the apparel on display. A modern light fixture may not blend seamlessly into the design of an antique or vintage clothing store, but will go well with the décor of a minimalistic or contemporary clothing brand. It is, therefore, crucial to think about your brand and preferred design style when selecting your light fixtures. 

In Conclusion

If you’re looking to drive sales in your apparel store, or simply stage your designs as works of art, apparel lighting plays such a huge role that it cannot simply be overlooked. Since your lights may be on for the most part of the day, opt for energy-saving LEDs with dimmable features, allowing you to regulate your lighting levels throughout the day. 

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As for vector files, they can be easily enlarged without loss of quality. The most common vector image formats are AI, EPS, PDF and SVG. The files are available for editing in popular vector editors: Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Affinity Designer, Sketch and others.

A bitmapped photo or picture must have a resolution of at least 200 dots per inch. It will then be sharp and detailed on the garment. You can prepare a photo to create your own t-shirt design in raster editors like Adobe Photoshop.

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Cheetah, tiger colors, reptile skin or a pattern imitating it are fashionable prints that can become a key point in a stylish image. In order not to make a mistake, it is better not to experiment with a total look, opt for a pair of shoes, handbags, clutch bags or lightweight scarves. With what to wear leopard print loafers, sandals or flip-flops? Predator skin is a natural color, so it will be easy for you to pick up clothes to it. Animalistic print combines with things in casual style and unconditionally suits to dressy clothes.

Leopard, cheetah, tiger or zebra – the decor tops the top trending ornaments from year to year. The range of brands includes dresses, blouses and skirts, but women’s shoes are the least subject to modifications. Shoes with stiletto heels “like a leopard” are the main rival of black, red and gold models. This is a perfect match for La Petite Robe Noire, presented to the world by the great Coco Chanel. They are harmoniously combined with monochrome outfits, things in the nude scale, in neutral and natural colors, in all brown shades.

Animalistic print on shoes will perfectly suit a white suit, a coffee jacket and a beige handbag. This combination of colors and things is a universal look for work and leisure. White capri and top is light in summer style set, which looks restrained and smart at the same time. Light brown jacket for the office gives the official image. Accessories in light beige color is a win-win variant for all occasions.

Shoes with a print “under the raptor” is a great addition to the clothes in black. Fashionable free cut dress-coat is as comfortable as the kimono and looks as elegant as the evening attire. Length above the knee makes the accent on the original sandals, 5/6 sleeve – on the graceful wrists. Wild cat coloring hints at the unity with nature. Woven bags and hats are a great match for the leopard sandals.

Animalistic prints are eye-catching no matter what area they occupy. Even flip-flops will become a decoration of a fashionable ensemble. Animalistic prints are in harmony with yellow, which is clearly visible in the example of a long dress and flip-flops. Inclusions of white and black ensemble give even more expressiveness.

Another summer print from the animalistic – snakeskin. The pattern is not as bright as the catskin, but not inferior in its expressiveness. The snakeskin print is enlivened by shoes without heels. Modest, at first sight, loafers will play with bright colors in the sunlight. With jeans and a white T-shirt flip-flops look spectacular and unobtrusive.

Trendy prints are not necessarily a bright drawing in a rich scheme. Black and white sandals are a great summer option among the versatile. You can wear them with almost any outfit. Stylish look – snakeskin sandals and a milk-white jumpsuit, a light-colored shoulder bag in addition.

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Pinterest, Instagram, and Behance are ideal options. On the platforms, you can find ready-made print ideas and just interesting designs that you can transfer to your clothes. The portals have an abundance of creative design projects, so sometimes inspiration can come at the most unexpected moment.

If you know the style of image you’d like to see on your new t-shirt, finding an idea will be much easier. We recommend looking at the most common graphic styles that are used in t-shirt design:

• Art illustrations.
• Cartooning
• Doodles and simple illustrations
• Black and white graphics
• Geometry
• Surrealism on clothing
• Minimalism
• Typography
• Photographs and collages

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