THEATRICALIZATION OF THE FASHION-SHOW AS A SEMIOTIC SYSTEM: AN OVERVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES

Abstract

The article is dedicated to a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of theatricalization in contemporary fashionshows through the prism of semiotic theory. The aim of the article is to investigate how the integration of theatralization transforms the fashion-show from a commercial presentation into a multilayered artistic text that generates cultural meanings and intensifies communication. It is argued that theatricalization creates a unique semiosphere (following Y. Lotman) – a closed communicative space where every element functions as a sign within an interconnected system. This system not only presents clothing, footwear, accessories, and jewelry but also constructs narrative, emotional experience, and cultural codes. Based on a synthesis of classical works by R. Barthes on fashion as language and contemporary studies of performance (F. Granata, M. Boucher, C. Evans), the article examines in detail four key semiotic subsystems of the theatricalized fashion-show, which are in constant dialogical interaction. First, scenography as a semiotic field: the show’s space (location, runway architecture, light, sound, color, special effects) is analyzed as a powerful intertextual sign that sets the primary codes for perceiving the collection and forms the event’s mythologeme (A. Rocamora). Second, the model’s body as an active sign-performer: the focus is on the performativity of the body, where gait, facial expressions, plasticity, gesture, and interaction with space serve as non-verbal codes that transmit the character, concept of the collection, and the brand’s socio-cultural positions (A. Goncharova, O. Buvalets). Third, clothing within the context of stage action: it is demonstrated that the theatrical context radically alters the semiotic status of clothing, allowing it to be used as a hyperbolized, grotesque, or metaphorical sign to express an artistic, social, or political idea, moving far beyond its utilitarian function (O. Medvid). Fourth, the spectator as a participant in semiosis: the fashion-show is considered a ritual and interactive practice where the audience, being involved in the action through mechanisms of invitation, immersiveness, and direct communication, becomes a co-author of the meaning-making process, and the event itself functions as a tool for legitimizing the brand and forming a community (J. Entwistle). The article concludes that theatricalization is a powerful tool for semiotic enhancement and complication of communication. It multiplies the codes for “reading,” activates intertextual connections with creative industries and the relevant sociocultural context, and transforms communication into an emotionally charged ritual. Thus, the fashion-show establishes itself not merely as a format for presenting clothing, footwear, accessories, and jewelry, but as an independent synthetic form of contemporary culture, which actively produces relevant meanings, cultural images, and identities. The research is based on a critical analysis and synthesis of scholarly works by Ukrainian (O. Buvalets, L. Shevchenko, O. Medvid, A. Goncharova) and international authors, ensuring a comprehensive view of the phenomenon. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the systematic unification of semiotic and performative paradigms for the analysis of the fashion-show, as well as in identifying gaps for future research, particularly regarding the influence of digital formats and neuroscientific aspects of perceiving the theatricalized fashion-show. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive semiotic analysis of the theatricalization of the fashion-show, which is for the first time considered as an integral communicative system with four interconnected subsystems. The article synthesizes international and domestic sources, and also identifies gaps for further research in the field of digital and comparative semiotics of fashion-show.