NYFW

The 34 Best Throwback Photos From New York Fashion Week Front Rows

by Michael Beckert and Steph Eckardt

NEW YORK CITY, NY - FEBRUARY 7: Mya and Katie Holmes attend BCBG Max Azria Collection Fall 2005 Fash...
Mya and Katie Holmes at BCBG Max Azria Fall 2005. Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

Long before the Kardashians starred in their campaigns, and long before he developed a penchant for newsboy caps, a barely legal Leonardo DiCaprio wore a Colorado State baseball hat to take in the Calvin Klein show—one of many New York Fashion Week moments of years past that have since been forgotten, what with all the surreal-ness that goes down in today’s front row. (Exhibit A: Ralph Lauren’s 50th anniversary show on Friday night, which saw Kanye West, Hillary Clinton, and Oprah Winfrey all share dinner with the designer over who knows what kind of conversation.) These days, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen can be found behind the scenes orchestrating shows for their label The Row, but it wasn’t too long ago that they were sitting front row with Mandy Moore at Marc Jacobs, whose front row has been reliably entertaining since its birth. Take a moment during the throes of this season to pause and look back on fashion weeks past, including Britney Spears having a blast with Patricia Field, Fran Lebowitz in full uniform, Beyoncé with her Destiny’s Child cohorts, Demi Moore in her shaved head days, and Cameron Diaz in her brunette days, here.

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Catherine McGann/Getty Images

Drew Barrymore attends the Miu Miu show in New York City, October 1995.

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Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

Leonardo DiCaprio attends Calvin Klein show during Fashion Week Fall 1994 in New York City, 1994.

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Rose Hartman/Getty Images

Kate Moss and Marianne Faithfull at the Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 1999 show in New York City, 1998.

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Rose Hartman/Getty Images

Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé Knowles, and Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child) attend the Betsey Johnson Spring 2001 show, New York City, 2000.

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Ron Galella/Getty Images

Sofia Coppola and her boyfriend attend Anna Sui’s New York Fashion Week show at the New York Public Library in New York City, 1993.

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Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

Julia Roberts attends the 7th on Sixth Spring 1996 Fashion Week: Richard Tyler Fashion Show on October 31, 1995 at Bryant Park in New York City.

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Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

Richard Gere attends the Fall 1994 Fashion Week: Isaac Mizrahi Fashion Show on April 12, 1994 at Bryant Park in New York City.

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Ron Galella, Ltd.

Todd Oldham and Ben Stiller during 7th on 6th – Fashion by Todd Oldham at Bryant Park in New York City, New York, 1998.

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Rose Hartman/Getty Images

Demi Moore and Liz Tilberis attend the Donna Karan show in New York City, 1996.

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Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

Miuccia Prada attends Fashion Week Fall 1995 at Bryant Park in New York City, April 1995.

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Patricia Field and Britney Spears at the House Of Field Spring 2003 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, September 2002.

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Ron Galella/Getty Images

Tracee Ellis Ross during 1995 Fall Fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City.

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Ron Galella/Getty Images

Stevie J and Eve attend the Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2000 show in New York City, February 2000.

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Catherine McGann/Getty Images

Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth during fashion week in New York City, 1994.

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Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

Kirsten Dunst attends the New York City Fall 2002 Fashion Week: Marc Jacobs Fashion Show on February 11, 2002 at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City.

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Rose Hartman/Getty Images

Marina Schiano and Fran Lebowitz at the Calvin Klein Collections show in New York City, 1996.

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J. Vespa/Getty Images

Jeremy Scott attends Diane von Furstenberg’s 2002 Fall show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, New York.

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Catherine McGann/Getty Images

Linda and Johnny Ramone at fashion week in 1994 in New York City, New York.

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Ron Galella/Getty Images

Gwen Stefani attends the Vivienne Westwood Fall 2000 show at Bryant Park Pavillion in New York City, 2000.

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Rose Hartman/Getty Images

Mariah Carey attends a Chanel fashion show benefit to raise funds for the New York Hospital, New York City, 1994.

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J. Vespa/Getty Images

Mary J. Blige attends the Luca Luca Fall 2001 show during Fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City, 2001.

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Ron Galella/Getty Images

Steven Meisel attends the Oscar de la Renta Spring 1994 7th on Sixth Fashion Week show at Bryant Park in New York City, November 1993.

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KMazur/Getty Images

Lenny Kravitz attends the Tommy Hilfiger Fall 1999 show at Roseland in New York City.

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Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Jessica Alba attends the Marc Jacobs Fall 2001 show at the Armory in New York City, February 2001.

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Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Natasha Lyonne and Tara Reid attend the Marc Jacobs show at Pier 54 in New York City, September 2001.

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Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Queen Latifah backstage at the Baby Phat Spring 2003 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, September 2002.

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Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Brittany Murphy attends the Baby Phat Spring 2003 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, September 2002.

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Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

Hilary Swank attends the Marc Jacobs Fall 2001 show during Fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City, February 2001.

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Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Natalie Portman leaving the Zac Posen Spring 2003 show with her pet dog during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, September 2002.

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan attends the Nicole Miller Fall 2003 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City.

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez attend the Marc Jacobs Spring 2005 show during Olympus Fashion Week at Pier 54 in New York City.

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Gregory Pace/Getty Images

Mandy Moore, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Ashley Olsen attend the Marc Jacobs Spring 2005 show during Olympus Fashion Week at Pier 54 in New York City.

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Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Cameron Diaz and Julianne Moore attend Rag & Bone Spring 2007 show during Olympus Fashion Week at the Tunnel in New York City.

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Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Rachel Bilson and Rihanna attend the Zac Posen Fall 2007 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City, February 2007.