The Fifth Avenue Anti-Trump Protests, New York

Valentino workers watch as protestors demonstrate outside Trump Tower in November | Source: Getty

In the days that followed Donald Trump’s shock victory in the American presidential election in November, dismayed voters took to the streets across the country. In New York, Trump Tower — a mixed-use property that sits on Fifth Avenue, wedged between 56th and 57th Streets, and includes the divisive president-elect’s personal residence as well as office and retail space — became a flashpoint, attracting anti-Trump protesters, journalists, tourists and others.

The gathering was a major disruption to the famous shopping corridor, which is the world's most expensive retail street, in the middle of the all-important holiday shopping season. Stores in the immediate vicinity, including Gucci (which is housed in Trump Tower itself), Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany & Co. saw footfall taper off almost completely. Here, we see Valentino workers standing alongside mannequins in an upper window watching the protests.

Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik at the Met Gala

Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid at the Met Costume Institute Gala in Versace in May | Source: Shutterstock

In their first official public appearance as a couple, supermodel Gigi Hadid and singer Zayn Malik's arrival was one of the red carpet moments of the 2016 Met Gala in May. Hadid wore a sheer grey and metallic Tommy Hilfiger gown, underscoring her close relationship with the American designer, who she collaborated with on a capsule collection, Tommy X Gigi, that became the cornerstone of Hilfiger's 'See now, buy now' venture and immersive Tommy Pier event in September.

Meanwhile Malik, who has evolved into a front row fixture following his departure from British boy band One Direction, appeared in a custom Versace suit with robotic metal arms, marking himself out as one of the new icons of the brand. Indeed, in October, it was announced that Malik would design a capsule collection with Versus, Versace's diffusion line. "Versus is the rock and roll soul of the Versace family and has always been associated with music," Donatella Versace told the New York Times. "It is all about rebellion. For me, Zayn was the perfect fit."

John Galliano at VOICES

John Galliano in conversation with Tim Blanks on the VOICES stage | Source: Getty

John Galliano made a rare public appearance at VOICES, BoF's new annual gathering for big thinkers in early December. Speaking to BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks, he spoke about how he is more comfortable with chaos these days. "The industry hasn't changed — the shows, the deadlines, production — but my perspective has changed," he said.

Galliano discussed his role as creative director at Maison Margiela, where he admits he is yet to even hit his stride. The master haute couturier also spoke of his relationship with social platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat, as well as the power of digital 'glitches' to introduce happy accidents into the design process. "Imperfection opens many more avenues to travel down," he said.

Fendi's Haute Fourrure Fairytale at the Trevi Fountain

Fendi Haute Forrure Autumn/Winter 2016 | Source: Courtesy

Fendi celebrated its 90th anniversary in Rome last July with a haute fourrure show called Legends and Fairy Tales. The models walked on the water of the Trevi Fountain. The spectacle was so exquisitely realised that even the famously unreflective Karl Lagerfeld was moved.

“In my wildest imagination, I never thought something like this could exist,” he mused in a pre-show conversation with BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks. “To do this on a crystal bridge over the most famous fountain in the world? If that’s not a fairytale, I don’t know what a fairytale is.”

Melania Trump's Pussy-Bow Blouse

Melania Trump in a Gucci pussy bow blouse at the second presidential debate in St. Louis, Missouri in October | Source: Getty

Melania Trump made headlines for all the wrong reasons when she chose to wear a $1,100 fuchsia pussy-bow blouse from Gucci's Pre-Fall 2016 collection to the second presidential debate in St Louis, Missouri, in October. It was Mrs. Trump's first public appearance following the leak of a 2005 video in which her husband Donald Trump, the now-President-Elect of the United States, told television personality Billy Bush of “Access Hollywood” that he wanted to grab women by the “pussy.” Online commentators were quick to ridicule the future-first lady’s unfortunately ironic choice of outfit on social media.

Yeezy Season 3 at Madison Square Garden

Yeezy 'Season 3' Autumn/Winter 2016 | Source: Indigital.tv

In his epic spectacle in Madison Square Garden at New York Fashion Week in February, Kanye West made his cast of thousands stand more or less stock still on the floor of the arena for well over an hour.

The event comprised of two launches: Yeezy Season 3, West's latest collaboration with Adidas, and the unveiling of his new album T.L.O.P, (The Life of Pablo), played in its entirety while West's tribe stood motionless — truly a captive audience.

Tommy Hilfiger's #TOMMYNOW Show

Gigi Hadid at the TOMMYNOW Show Autumn 2016 | Source: Grant Lamos IV/Getty Images

After months of chatter, the designer’s quest to sell clothes right off the runway came to fruition with #TOMMYNOW at New York Fashion Week in September.

Tommy Pier, the Tommy Hilfiger-branded carnival extravaganza at South Street Seaport featured rides, games, and a runway show of instantly shoppable looks. These included styles from the brand’s TommyXGigi capsule, designed in collaboration with model and social media phenom Gigi Hadid. Every single item on the runway could be bought online immediately, and at physical retail stores across the globe within 24 hours.

The Fashion Awards 2016

The Fashion Awards 2016 | Source: Getty

The Fashion Awards, the British Fashion Council's revamped annual awards ceremony, saw Fredrikson Stallard's "Prologue" installation light up the red-carpeted steps of London's Royal Albert Hall on December 5.

The night's special honourees reflected the BFC's desire to bring a global mix to the event, which attracted roughly 4,000 guests. Ralph Lauren was presented with an Outstanding Achievement award, Bruce Weber won the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, and the late Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani was recognised with the Swarovski Award for Positive Change.

Louis Vuitton Cruise 2017 in Rio de Janeiro

Louis Vuitton Cruise 2017 | Source: Courtesy

An hour outside of Rio de Janeiro at the Oscar Niemeyer-designed Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, some 500 guests gazed up at a red-painted ramp for the unveiling of Louis Vuitton artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière's Cruise 2017 collection.

For his third cruise collection, which took place in late May, less than three months before the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Ghesquière's starting point was Brazilian artists Helio Oiticica and Aldemir Martins. Oiticica's graphic modernism and Martins' colourful take on the natural world fit nicely into the puzzle Ghesquière has pieced together during his time at Louis Vuitton.

Chanel Cruises into Cuba

Chanel Cruise 2016 | Source: Courtesy

On the same day that the first American cruise ship in nearly 40 years docked in Havana, Chanel showed clothes that idealised the essence of cruisewear, something light and pretty to wear in holiday heat and humidity, the kind that had guests furiously fanning themselves throughout Tuesday's presentation.

This show was about celebration, not sub-text. That much was clear long before the Rumberos de Cuba troupe made their exultant way down the boulevard at show’s end. And Karl Lagerfeld is a longtime lover of Latin culture.