It’s no longer fashionable to be late: the new etiquette guide to follow

It is no longer fashionable to be, well, fashionably late. At an awards presentation in New York this week the American Vogue editrix Dame Anna Wintour scolded the supermodel Naomi Campbell for her tardiness. “I am a very punctual person, and I have the honour of presenting tonight to someone who is often late,” Wintour quipped.

Campbell’s lateness is legendary – yours truly clocked three hours awaiting the grand dame’s arrival once – but what once passed as acceptable, it seems, is no longer the done thing.

As New York Fashion Week kicks off a month of catwalk shows around the world, it’s never been more obvious that the industry etiquette has changed. These are the new rules to follow.

Then: Fashionably late

Now: Bang on time

Whole sand passages of time have ebbed away waiting for Campbell to arrive at a fashion show, either when sitting on the front row or walking on the catwalk. But there have been other tardy offenders. Marc Jacobs had to issue an apology in 2019 when his fashion show ran 90 minutes late, prompting Anna Wintour to walk out before it started. Recently Kim Kardashian caused a delay to Victoria Beckham’s fashion show, prompting audible groans from the audience when she finally did arrive. The vogue now is for razor sharp start times, early dinners and swift exits. The days of arriving “fashionably late” are over.

Then: Champagne swilling 
Now: Detox juices

The Lacroix-strewn hedonism of Absolutely Fabulous’ Edina and Patsy doesn’t quite cut it in today’s fashion party landscape, where camera phones are everywhere and misdemeanours can be recorded for posterity. Where once the Bollinger flowed, now Kombucha is #mindfully consumed – see the Primrose Hill set retiring their party days in favour of “wellness” guru careers. Kate Moss was once their reigning queen, never without a champagne and a cigarette in hand – now she runs the wellness brand Cosmoss. Other Supernova Heights cohorts such as Rosemary Ferguson have re-branded as nutritionist experts.

Then: New season splurging

Now: Shopping responsibly

Where once it was de rigueur to don an entire new “look” from a designer – see the frenzied Edina Monsoon in her head to toe Lacroix, sweetie – now fashion points are scored in how skillful you’ve been at curating a look that’s responsibly sourced. That means rare vintage finds (far cooler to don a vintage Chanel jacket scored from the Real Real than something fresh from store) or plucking something out of your “archive” (existing wardrobe) to wear. Leave the tireless pursuit of consumerism to the Instagram influencers.

Then: Horrible bosses

Now: Mentors and mentees

Many a fashion professional nodded knowingly upon watching The Devil Wears Prada, the film adaptation of a book by Wintour’s former assistant starring Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, a caricature of Wintour’s monstrous behaviour towards her lackeys. Monstrous fashion bosses were once commonplace, demanding 24 hour assistance. Not so for Gen Z today, who are rightfully insistent on respecting their boundaries and clocking off at 6pm for yoga. Today there’s more cache in mentoring the next generation than torturing them with outrageous demands at 2am. Plus, you could find yourself unceremoniously #cancelled.

Then: Social media posers

Now: Living in the moment

One of the biggest reasons for the shift in temperament has been the fact that bad behaviour can so readily be recorded these days, and social media kangaroo courts are swift in retribution. But it works both ways; social media influencers jostling to capture every moment for online posterity are anathema to bonafide fashion professionals. It is considered far more elegant to sit and take it all in at a fashion show – perhaps even strike up an authentic conversation with the person sitting next to you in real life.

Then: Are you on Atkins?

Now: Staying shtum

Where once it was considered simply casual fashion chat to discuss diets and juice cleanses with peers, now it’s a minefield. Praise weight loss in one camp and you’re being disrespectful to the body positive movement – and does one ask if someone’s on Ozempic or not? Tom Wolfe himself would be at odds as to how to traverse these conversations. Far better to keep shtum and compliment their dewy skin instead.