Celebrities and fashion figures don't have to wait for clothes to land in something so mundane as shops before they wear them; no, they can take clothes straight from the catwalk, wearing ensembles that are not available for general consumption until next winter straight away. We spotted lots of instances at fashion week in Milan – it seemed like the quickest runway-to-real-life (a real life that involves lots of street style and parties and shows, that is) turnaround yet – but it's been going on for seasons as you can see below.      

Charlotte Gainsbourg in Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2014
Estimated time from runway to real life: 9 days
Ardent Nicolas Ghesquiere supporter since his early Balenciaga days, Charlotte Gainsbourg was first to wear his debut collection for Louis Vuitton at the premiere of Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac. After we all waited so long to see it, it seems only fair that someone should jump so quickly to wearing it.

Anna Wintour in Prada autumn/winter 2014.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. two days.
Anna Wintour wore a version of a Prada look that had been shown on a Thursday evening (February 20, 2024) a mere two days later.

Anna Dello in Moschino autumn/winter 2014.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. 12 hours.
The Moschino show took place on a Thursday evening (February 20, 2024) and ADR was spotted out and about in Milan wearing the McDonald's-inspired jumper at 9am the next morning. She lost the skirt though. Well, with legs like those, who needs skirts, frankly.

Chiara Ferragni in Just Cavalli autumn/winter 2014.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. 17 hours.
The Just Cavalli show took place at 2pm on a Friday evening (February 21, 2024) and ultra-blogger Chiara Ferragni was posing for street-style photographers in the gold leather jacket by 9.30am the next morning. While on the runway, it was styled with thigh-high boots, out on the streets Ferragni teamed it with more sensible trousers. 

Lily Allen in House of Holland autumn/winter 2014.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. four days.
This sheer dress appeared (over trousers) on the catwalk at the House of Holland show on a Saturday evening (February 15, 2024) and four days later, Lily Allen was wearing it on-stage at the BRIT Awards.   

Princess  Charlene of Monaco in Dior cruise 2014.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. four hours.  
Princess  Charlene of Monaco became the first person to wear a look from Dior’s cruise 2014 collection,which showed in Monaco in May 2013, when she hosted a cocktail party after the house’s catwalk show. The gown was customised (the original was pretty sheer and boob-exposing) for the South African former swimmer.

Nicole Kidman in L'Wren Scott autumn/winter 2013.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. five hours.  
At the premiere of Stoker in February 2013, Nicole Kidman turned to one of her most trusted designers, L’Wren Scott, and wore a sleek blue dress with a decorative gold collar that had been seen on the catwalk as part of the designer’s autumn/winter 2013 London Fashion Week presentation just hours previously. Kidman took her styling cues from the show and accessorised with hoop-style earrings and gold shoes (although she opted for a higher court style). 

Kate Moss in Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2013.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. six days.
When Kate Moss appeared in Marc Jacob’s autumn/winter 2013 Louis Vuitton show in February 2013, pictures of her in a short black wig were quickly distributed throughout the world, and less than a week later she was on the red carpet wearing two looks from the collection, a coat and a slip-style dress, from the collection.

Kate Moss in Saint Laurent autumn/winter 2013.  
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. 28 hours.  
Kate Moss was also the first to wear Hedi Slimane’s autumn/winter 2013 Saint Laurent collection in February 2013 when, the day after the high-profile show, she turned up to Carine Roitfeld’s CR Fashion Book launch in a look straight from the catwalk. 

Gwyneth Paltrow in Emilio Pucci spring/summer 2012.  
Estimated time from runway to real life: n/a – Gwyneth got her hands on it first.
In September 2011, Gwyneth Paltrow actually got there before the runway when she wore a two-piece from Emilio Pucci to the 2011 Emmys before the look had even been seen on the catwalk. Gwyneth opted for her usual vision-of-health make-up and hair while the models at the Pucci spring/summer 2012 show at Milan Fashion Week later that month embraced a darker, more Gothic style.  

Kylie Minogue in Gareth Pugh spring/summer 2008.
Estimated time from runway to real life: approx. four hours.  
Kylie Minogue wore spring/summer 2008 Gareth Pugh straight from the catwalk when she DJed at the famously fashion-y London club BoomBox during London Fashion Week in September 2007. Kylie – an early supporter of Pugh, whom she turned to for dark, theatrical stage costumes – wore a fringed leather dress, but made it more pop princess-appropriate by ditching the pointed hat.