5 fashion shows inspiring our Halloween looks From Moschino to Alexander McQueen and John Galliano's Dior

As October 31st approaches, gothic and theatrical aesthetics take over, but haute couture didn't wait for Halloween to celebrate the macabre, the dramatic, and the uncanny. Some designers have transformed their runways into genuine horror movie sets or mystical sanctuaries. From offbeat nods to classic horror films to dark masses, look back at five iconic fashion shows whose dark (and poetic) universes remain an endless source of Halloween inspiration.

Spooky Couture in Moschino’s resort collection

Set on the historic Universal Studios backlot in Los Angeles, Moschino’s Resort 2020 show took over the legendary backdrop of Wisteria Lane - the peaceful neighborhood from Desperate Housewives - and transformed it into a stage of pure suspense. Staying true to his campy, irreverent aesthetic, designer Jeremy Scott summoned a full gallery of horror cinema icons. The show opened with actress Suki Waterhouse sprinting down the street in a frantic reenactment of the iconic opening scene from Scream. Amid an eerie, oppressive atmosphere, models walking like zombies crossed paths with schoolgirl-dressed twins inspired by The Shining and Dracula draped in a black silk cape. Featuring Casper-style trick-or-treat bucket bags, golden spiderweb prints, and blood-splattered dresses, this collection flawlessly married kitsch with dark humor.

Alexander McQueen’s gothic masterpiece

Widely regarded as one of the most defining fashion shows of the late 20th century, Alexander McQueen’s eighth collection, titled Dante, took place inside Christ Church Spitalfields in London - an 18th-century church designed by architect Nicholas Hawksmoor, long rumored to have satanic leanings. Set around a cross-shaped runway, the show explored the unsettling ties between life, death, the sacred, the profane, and the brutality of war, taking direct cues from Florentine poet Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. In front of a front row that notably included an actual human skeleton, models paced down the aisle with dark crucifix masks covering their faces, wearing headpieces adorned with horns, majestic antlers, and mystical eagle claws. By pairing delicate lace and silk with brutal accessories, the late 26-year-old designer created a world of haunting, tragic beauty that remains the ultimate benchmark for gothic romanticism.

Literary thrills at Louis-Gabriel Nouchi

At LGN Louis-Gabriel Nouchi, dread stems not from fantastical creatures, but from the psychological exploration of modern society’s darker corners. A devoted literature enthusiast, the French designer infuses every collection with the dramatic tension of great narrative works to dissect themes of violence, toxic masculinity, and vulnerability. For this Fall/Winter 2023 collection, sharp tailoring, razor-edged oversized coats, and a dark color palette forged a dramatic, Patrick Bateman-esque allure - drawing direct inspiration from Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. The collection sets the stage for a psychological thriller worthy of film noir. Clothing is no longer a standard business suit, but a glass armor - fragile, threatening, and cut for the night.

Dior’s romantic drama at Versailles

Staged within the majestic Orangerie at the Palace of Versailles to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the House of Dior, this runway show orchestrated by John Galliano remains one of the most spectacular haute couture moments of the 2000s. Beneath the grand setting and a stellar lineup of era-defining supermodels - from Naomi Campbell to Gisele Bündchen - the collection resonated with a somber, elegiac melancholy. Drawing from art history, ranging from Caravaggio's Baroque paintings to Goya's dark canvases, Galliano reinterpreted the iconic 1947 "New Look." This grand spectacle was also conceived as a poignant, vibrant tribute to Christian Dior and Steven Robinson, Galliano’s right-hand designer who tragically passed away shortly before the presentation. The synthesis of extraordinary atelier craftsmanship and romantic theatricality offered a majestic vision of macabre beauty. On the runway, this melancholic vision translated into pale porcelain complexions, dark eyeshadow swept across the eyes, and sharp-corseted Victorian silhouettes. Between voluminous tulle skirts evoking romantic heroines and mermaid gowns sculpted from yards of silk, Galliano turned the drama of mourning into a dusk-lit masquerade ball.

Rick Owens’ alien dystopia in Venice

Unveiled on a deserted concrete pier along the Venice Lido, swept by icy winds and shrouded in thick fog machine plumes, Rick Owens’ Fall 2021 show felt like an otherworldly ritual. Responding to global political and health crises, the American designer channeled his rage and need for protection into an imposing post-apocalyptic wardrobe. Models with masked faces wore hyper-exaggerated superhero-esque shoulder jackets, deconstructed puffer coats, second-skin leather bodysuits, and sweeping, asymmetrical sheath gowns with majestic trains. By pairing sheer briefs with heavy fur thigh-high boots, Owens played on the contrast between body vulnerability and silhouette power.

Whether revisiting horror cinema classics, tapping into gothic poetry, or imagining post-apocalyptic silhouettes, these collections showcase an infinite spectrum of styles - offering invaluable inspiration to craft a spectacular look for the night of October 31st.