Vancouver Fashion Week F/W’26 – April 8

Vancouver Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026 was a true celebration of global creativity, with an extraordinary array of emerging designers who are redefining the boundaries of fashion. This year’s edition embraced bold innovation, with each collection offering a fresh, visionary perspective that fully engaged the audience and industry leaders. Beyond aesthetics, many designers used their visibility to address pressing social and environmental issues, weaving sustainability and meaningful narratives into their work. From cutting-edge materials to groundbreaking concepts, these collections have embodied a fusion of art and purpose. The energy of FW26 pervaded the entire event, reaffirming Vancouver Fashion Week’s role as a catalyst for change and a springboard for the future of fashion.

FIRST DAY.

RICHARD WEI

At Vancouver Fashion Week this season, Canadian designer Richard Wei unveiled his fall/winter 2026 collection *City Lights*, an evocative exploration of urban life after dark. Inspired by the rhythm and glow of the modern metropolis, the collection translated illuminated streets, reflective architecture and nocturnal movements into a refined design language. Through precise tailoring, structured silhouettes, and luminous textures, the garments captured the dynamic interplay between light and shadow that defines city life. As the opening fashion show, *City Lights* set the tone for the season, embodying the energy, elegance and ever-changing lifestyle of the contemporary urban landscape.

—————————————————————————————

HYPNOTIQUE SENSE

For the Fall/Winter 2026 season, Hypnotique Sense presents *ruinphilia*, a collection that explores a deep fascination with decay as a form of transformation. Rooted in the fashion house’s focus on structural and subconscious beauty, the collection emphasizes draped forms that balance fluidity and tension, subtly guiding the eye through altered perceptions of movement and gravity. Through techniques such as rust dyeing, charcoal treatments and botanical pigments, materials evolve over time, reflecting a dialogue between organic life and artificial systems. In *ruinphilia*, decay is not an end, but a redefinition of structure: an immersive expression that transforms deterioration into a new language of beauty.

———————————————————————————————

AY LELUM

——————————————————————————————

SECONDO GIORNO

VCC

Graduates of Vancouver Community College’s Fashion Design and Production course presented their final collections at Vancouver Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026, the culmination of two years of intensive, industry-oriented training. The program, designed to reflect the fast-paced pace of the fashion world, provides students with essential technical skills and experience using tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Gerber CAD. Each designer presented a final self-directed clothing project, highlighting their creative identity and craftsmanship. The 2026 cohort consisted of Ana Julia Silva Pereira, Ana Maria Cilima, Bita Tazikeh, Charlene Yin, Jessica Ursua, Prabhdeep Kaur, Saffron Thomas, Samentha Burboz, Sonja Ledoux, Tamara Whitford, Veronica Pleskach, and Vinnie Lee.

————– ———————————————————————–

DUNNE CLIFF

DUNNE CLIFF presented *DENDROCHRONOLOGY, or The Life of NED LUDD [FW26]* at Vancouver Fashion Week, exploring the rejection of digital time and a life lived beyond modern systems through the symbolic breaking of patterns. The collection brought together tactile and traditionally inspired materials, including wool felt, knits, upholstery fabrics, wood, and textiles dyed with natural dyes, emphasizing a return to slow, intentional craftsmanship. Rooted in physical process and materiality, the designs reflect a thoughtful resistance to the pace of contemporary life. Some looks have been further enhanced by handmade ceramics by local artist Courtney Mott, adding a sculptural, handcrafted dimension to the presentation.

————– ———————————————————————–

Somaya Ahmadi

For fall/winter 2026, Somaya Ahmadi presented *BODIES IN QUESTION* at Vancouver Fashion Week, a collection that explores how the female body is shaped by scrutiny, expectation, and inherited memory. Through architectural shoulders, precise tailoring cuts and structured lives, silhouettes assert presence and discipline, while moments of draping introduce a softness that endures without relenting. Subtle touches of red emerge as a discreet pulse beneath a composed look, while discreet gold accents serve as modern armor, reinforcing resilience as something deliberately constructed. With models both mature and young, the collection reflects the evolution of posture, protection and identity across generations, ultimately inviting reflection rather than resolution.

————– ———————————————————————–

Bahare Karamy

For fall/winter 2026, Bahare Karami presented at Vancouver Fashion Week a collection inspired by paintings of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, translating soft light, poetic emotion and classic Parisian elegance into striking womenswear pieces with a vintage feel. The designs featured bold yet feminine silhouettes, refined cuts and thoughtful details that conveyed a serene confidence and timeless elegance. Drawing inspiration from historical influences, the collection explored themes such as identity, depth, and enduring strength. Through this perspective, Bahare Karami paid homage to the evolving narrative of women across generations, with a touch of modern sophistication.

————– ———————————————————————–

Thomas Clément

At Vancouver Fashion Week, Thomas Clément presented *Magnolia Wind*, a collection that reinterprets historical dress codes, reconstructing them into garments suspended between past and present. In a perfect balance between structure and movement, the designs evoke the image of a windblown magnolia, expressed through sculptural volumes and richly textured surfaces developed through experimental textile techniques. A vibrant color palette infuses the collection with energy, reinforcing the themes of transformation and fluidity. Iconic deconstructed zippers are reworked into feather-like elements, introducing movement while serving as ornamental and structural components.

————– ———————————————————————–

Teori Kobo Oriiro

For this season’s presentation at Vancouver Fashion Week, the designer presents a deeply personal collection rooted in the philosophy of saori weaving. Discovered at a pivotal moment in her life, this practice became a source of confidence and creative freedom, allowing her to embrace imperfection and individuality through an intuitive approach without predefined patterns. After opening her workshop six years ago, she has continued to share this art with others, fostering community, connection and self-expression through her work. Guided by a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability, her creations emphasize versatility, minimizing waste, and the belief that everyone can find confidence and joy in expressing their unique identity.

————– ———————————————————————–

Another Coyote

For the Fall/Winter 2026 collection at Vancouver Fashion Week, Another Coyote presented *Indigenous Wearable Art for Everyone*, a collection that fuses traditional teachings with contemporary ready-to-wear design. Each garment tells stories through symbols and colors, representing themes such as leadership, love, power, traditional knowledge and community, while sharing ancestral knowledge through wearable forms. The brand is led by designer Naomi Narcisse (traditional name Skel7áw̓s), a member of the St’át’imc and Secwépemc Nations, who also works in academia and indigenous peoples’ initiatives. Through this collection, Another Coyote emphasizes inclusivity, cultural continuity, and the expression of identity through fashion as living art.

TERZO GIORNO

Nathee Rav

Emerging fashion designer Nathee Rav presented her collection *Unchained* at Vancouver Fashion Week, a deeply personal work that fuses fashion and storytelling. The collection explores themes of trauma, healing and self-liberation, using layered fabrics to symbolize the protective barriers individuals build over time, as well as the vulnerabilities hidden beneath them. Intricate branching textures allude to how unresolved experiences can take root and shape identity, while bold red accents convey the courage and intensity needed to confront one’s past. Moving beyond traditional clothing design, *Unchained* takes shape as a conceptual expression of resilience, portraying healing as an ongoing process of transformation, emancipation, and reappropriation of one’s narrative.

————– ———————————————————————–

CLDCMNTY

CLDBOY presents *LMFAO | CLDCMNTY 001* at Vancouver Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026, marking the debut of his bold and innovative streetwear vision. Born and raised in North Vancouver, the designer studied at the Blanche Macdonald Centre and launched CLDCMNTY (“Cold Community”) in the summer of 2025, quickly gaining recognition with a VFW award to present this collection. *LMFAO* is defined by its strong, wild energy, characterized by worn edges, handmade fabrics, and provocative silhouettes that evoke curiosity, obsession, and discomfort. Rooted in themes such as grit, androgyny, and uncompromising self-expression, the collection invites the wearer to embrace chaos and simply laugh unabashedly.

————– ———————————————————————–

Benjamin Reitmeier

Benjamin Reitmeier presents *Someone Else*, a collection that explores the freedom to evolve and the courage to embrace one’s inner multiplicity. Using fashion as a tool for self-experimentation, the collection asks a provocative question: who could you become if you allowed yourself to be someone else? A dynamic mix of leather, denim, mesh, wool and silk creates a surprising balance between strength and transparency, blending industrial structure with organic softness. Ultimately, *Someone Else* reveals that transformation is not about becoming something new, but about discovering the multiple identities that already exist within us.

————– ———————————————————————–

Ricardo Pinto

Born in Manaus, the designer developed a deep awareness of the value of water from a young age, recognizing that even in a region rich in water resources access is not guaranteed, thus maturing a strong commitment to sustainability. After years spent in the fashion world, witnessing overproduction and waste, she began reusing waste materials, eventually embracing upcycling as both an artistic practice and a responsible approach to design. *Lush Nature* draws inspiration from recycled denim, transforming discarded jeans into expressive and unique garments. The collection features layers of shades and textures of recycled denim, enhanced by hand-applied transparent geometric resin plates in mottled, organic hues. These elements create a tactile dialogue between raw material and refined intervention, blending structure and fluidity. Rooted in sustainability, *Lush Nature* reinvents waste as a resource, emphasizing creativity, individuality and environmental awareness.

————– ———————————————————————–

Lidia Chep

This collection explores the essence of feminine energy through luxurious design, embracing transformation as an uplifting and inspiring force. Combining structured tailoring with intricate hand embroidery, each garment is made in limited quantities, highlighting precision, craftsmanship and attention to detail. A rich weave of materials and techniques lends depth and sophistication to each silhouette. At its core, the collection tells a story of femininity, individuality and inner strength, celebrating the power of presence to influence and transform.

————– ———————————————————————–

Julia Van der Leij

*Anemoia* is a collection rooted in nostalgia for an era never personally experienced, drawing inspiration from 1960s and 1970s photography, family archives, and Andy Sweet’s evocative images. He explores themes of memory, family, and domesticity through exaggerated silhouettes, including oversized blazers, elongated sleeves, and distinctive shirt collars. Techniques such as textile prototypes, wet felting, and embroidery-reminiscent of cross-stitch and childhood doodles-create fuzzy, faded textures that echo the passage of time. A palette of bright colors and earthy tones, along with neutral shades of beige and brown, reflect the warmth and wear of old photographs and work clothes. Overlapping textures and references to peeling wallpaper evoke a sense of lived-in history, capturing the playful act of wearing clothes that evoke childhood memories.

————– ———————————————————————–

BLTAM Entre

At Vancouver Fashion Week FW26, four emerging Korean designers presented *Beautiful People, Beautiful Lives: Powered by Fashion*, a collection that blends social impact with high fashion. Inspired by the question of whether fashion can convey meaningful messages, each designer translated themes from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as gender equality and education, into high-impact catwalk looks. Developed over four months under the guidance of Bomin Kim, the collection reflected a rigorous professional-level creative process from concept to presentation. The result was a high-impact show that defied expectations while delivering fine craftsmanship and an incisive message on the global stage.

————– ———————————————————————–

Isaac Jon

At Vancouver Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026, designer Isaac Jon created a striking and unconventional collection that blurred the line between fashion and wearable art. The looks on the runway showcased bold experimentation, ranging from a red and black geometric patterned dress overlaid with a bright pink jacket with metallic gold detailing, to a sculptural suit featuring textured scale-like elements and transparent panels that created movement with every step. Another standout piece embraced a more armored, futuristic aesthetic, with textured metallic shapes and intricate details that evoked strength and resilience. Throughout the collection, dramatic silhouettes, mixed materials, and vibrant color combinations reflected Isaac Jon’s bold approach to design, turning each garment into a visual statement of individuality and transformation.

————– ———————————————————————–

Sophia Chantal

Sophia Chantal Zarifopoulos, a Greek-American designer originally from New York and now based in Athens, returns to the scene after her award-winning debut with *The Reigning Balkan Princess* at Athens Fashion Week. Known for her upcycling of vintage lace and traditional fabrics such as “semedakia” and “mandilakia,” she reinterprets them with playful energy, movement, and a touch of Balkan maximalism. Her latest collection, *The Jungle Feveress*, debuts at Vancouver Fashion Week, presenting fierce and untamed female protagonists shaped by instinct and transformation. Raw, ragged and bold without compromise, the collection celebrates fearless femininity, inviting wearers to embrace their scars, imperfections and unfinished histories with confidence and strength.

————– ———————————————————————–

Call and Response

For the Fall/Winter 2026 season, a prominent look from the Call & Response collection features a tailored oversize blazer worn over a fluid, unstructured dress, creating a striking balance between structure and movement. The contrast between rigid lines and soft draping reflects the brand’s constant dialogue between strength and vulnerability. Refined details, such as asymmetrical cuts and delicate shade overlays, add depth without weighing down the silhouette. This look captures the essence of Call & Response: reflective, expressive and discreetly powerful.

QUARTO GIORNO

Jef Montes

*Salma* is a collection inspired by Jef’s muse Salma Zahore, who embodies the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly through a vibrant and nostalgic narrative. Developed in collaboration with drag artist Hadi Moussally, the styling amplifies her expressive, rainbow-colored vision rooted in childhood memories. The collection features 3D knitted fabrics and zero-waste reflective fabrics, created with Aitex Textile Institute Alcoy and TextielLab Tilburg, combining innovation and sustainability. Inspired by the designer’s grandparents, specifically a wedding dress handmade from a tablecloth, *Salma* reflects a legacy of ingenuity, craftsmanship and creative courage.

————– ———————————————————————–

Physalia

Manuel Juárez, a multidisciplinary artist born in Mexico and living in Vancouver, explores the intersection of fashion, media and film through his brand Physalia. His work balances rawness and sophistication, considering clothing as a silent structure that shapes presence and transforms the way the body moves in space. For fall/winter 2026, she presents *FASTIGIUM*, a collection that examines the tension between structure and vulnerability through heavy silks and intricate lace in shades of obsidian black and deep red. Sculpted shoulders and defined waists are softened by voluminous shapes and translucent layers, expressing a discreet, sensual and confident sense of power.

————– ———————————————————————–

Eduardo Ramos

Eduardo Ramos presents *MATERIA – VI*, a collection that reflects on carbon as a fundamental element that connects life, matter and society. Developed in dialogue with SWI, the project fuses the craftsmanship of high fashion with carbon monocoque engineering, expressing carbon both as a performance material and as a means of expression in fashion. Rooted in the idea that meaningful creation happens slowly and with precision, the collection emphasizes small-scale production and craftsmanship. Inspired by carbon’s ability to transform while maintaining its essence, *MATERIA – VI* explores transformation, adaptability, and the structures that shape our existence.

————– ———————————————————————–

Kanomade

This collection reinterprets the kimono as a contemporary garment that celebrates individuality beyond tradition. Inspired by pieces bequeathed by the designer’s grandmother, each look reflects the idea that no two garments-or two people-are the same. Reworked kimono fabrics combine with layered structures to enhance movement, wearability and personal expression. Combining bold accents with soft, delicate hues inspired by the original fabrics, the collection brings the kimono into the present as a garment to be uniquely experienced and embodied.

————– ———————————————————————–

Bluetamburin

Bomin Kim, founder of BLUETAMBURIN, is a veteran of the Korean fashion industry whose work is driven by the mission to create “Beautiful People, Beautiful Lives” through the transformative power of fashion. Her globally recognized collections have been showcased in the four major fashion capitals-New York, Paris, Milan, and London-as well as at fashion weeks in Vancouver and Seoul. For fall/winter 2026, he presents a collection focused on *Commanding Elegance*, inspired by the personality of a military officer. Combining authoritative strength with refined sophistication, the collection

————– ———————————————————————–

Augusta Fashion

*54°N* draws inspiration from Edmonton’s rich sartorial history, weaving nostalgia with a contemporary and dynamic expression. Recalling traditional designers such as The Flesche Bros. and GWG, the collection reinterprets heritage through a bold, slightly offbeat and delicately ethereal lens. Fine wools and high-quality silks contrast with functional silhouettes, while saturated colors lend a distinctive energy to each garment. Gender-inclusive, versatile, and handcrafted, *54°N* embodies Augusta’s vision of Canadian fashion defined in her own terms.

————– ———————————————————————–

aim/Aimme

Born out of a photography studio founded in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, aimaimme goes beyond the conventions of traditional Japanese ceremonial photography. With offices in Harajuku and Ikebukuro in Tokyo, as well as Sapporo, the brand brings together a multidisciplinary team of photographers, makeup and hair stylists, designers and consultants. United by a commitment to innovation, they create distinctive visual expressions and thoughtfully designed spaces. Through this collaborative approach, aimaimme offers each client a deeply personal, memorable and engaging experience.