The emergence of social media has revolutionised the fashion industry, granting unprecedented access and popularity to the runway from enormously conceptualised and detailed set designs, to supermodels walking on the runway. From the eccentric struts of Leon Dames at the Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2020 to the mesmerising performance of Gwendoline Christie at John Galliano’s 2024 Haute Couture show, models showcase the latest designs while captivating the public with grace and poise. Some supermodels have been particularly celebrated over the last few decades for their iconic “walk” or “strut” on the runway, for example, the duo of Yasmeen Ghauri and Naomi Campbell who ruled the runway in the 90s and were referred to as the “tigress” and the “panther” or Coco Rocha and her overtly theatrical walks on the runways. This article explores the legal framework governing this unique form of expression, considering whether these walks can be protected under intellectual property.
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