Designers, artists, educators and industry leaders gathered at Park Avenue Christian Church for a multidisciplinary event during New York Fashion Week
NEW YORK, September 17, 2026 — Designers, artists, sustainability advocates, educators and fashion professionals from around the world gathered at Park Avenue Christian Church in Manhattan on September 13 for Unique Fashion Show New York 2026, a global platform combining runway presentations with responsible design, cultural exchange, visual art, technology and business development.
Organized by the France-based Unique Fashion Foundation Association during New York Fashion Week, the event transformed the historic Park Avenue venue into a meeting place for fashion and the wider creative industries. Guests included buyers, retailers, investors, diplomats, media representatives, educators, artists, technology professionals, content creators and fashion industry leaders.
The event featured collections from designers representing the United States, Germany, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Brazil, Rwanda and other markets. Alongside the runway presentations, the program included a B2B and B2C designer showroom, sustainability discussions, an international sustainable fashion contest, exhibitions, digital and visual art experiences, live performances, awards and professional networking.
“Unique Fashion Show was created to give designers and creative professionals more than a moment on the runway,” said Gita Dzhavid, founder of Unique Fashion Show and the Unique Fashion Foundation Association. “Our goal is to build long-term connections among fashion, education, technology, culture, media and international business. In New York, we brought these communities together so that creative talent could be seen, supported and connected with real global opportunities.”
The New York edition followed nine previous Unique Fashion Show events across Europe and the United States. It marked another step in the platform’s growth and strengthened New York’s role as a point of connection among creative communities in North America, Europe, Africa, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Latin America.
International perspectives on the runway
The runway program presented fashion as both a creative discipline and a form of cultural expression. Participating designers explored contemporary tailoring, couture craftsmanship, textile experimentation, circular production and the reinterpretation of cultural identities.
Kazakhstan was represented through several distinct creative perspectives. Volskaya Atelier showed a collection for children and teenagers inspired by freedom, confidence, authenticity and self-expression.
Renowned fashion designer and entrepreneur Timur Tursunkulov presented his signature brand, TURSUNKULOV, which combines contemporary design, art, Kazakh national aesthetics and current global fashion trends. Through traditional ornamentation, refined tailoring, luxurious materials and modern silhouettes, his work brings Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage into dialogue with contemporary haute couture.
In addition to leading the TURSUNKULOV fashion brand, Tursunkulov serves as President of the World Association of Designers, is the founder of World Designers Fashion Week and is a partner of Unique Fashion Show. His work encompasses collection development, fashion project production, cross-border industry collaboration and support for the next generation of designers. His participation in the New York event reflected the growing presence of a new generation of Kazakh designers on the global fashion stage.
Designer Raushan Anuarbekova presented work connected to her national cultural project, Kazakh Grandmothers Who Amazed the World. Her designs honored the Kazakh grandmother as a symbol of elegance, dignity, wisdom and timeless grace.
Mahin Olimzoda, appearing through Tajikistan Fashion Week, introduced the New York audience to a contemporary interpretation of Tajik cultural heritage.
German brand Lady Suits by Emmely Roloff explored architectural precision and modern women’s tailoring through sculptural silhouettes, technical construction and sustainable craftsmanship. ARA Art and Design Studio of the United States combined experimental textiles, sculptural design and cultural storytelling in work influenced by traditional craftsmanship and the natural world.
Tensengral demonstrated an innovative approach to textile construction using century-old circular lace-making machinery. Its Textile Tensegrity process creates responsive fabrics from linked and interlaced yarns, allowing garments, often made from a single piece, to be produced with little to no material waste.
Brazilian designer and TEDx speaker Ariane Santos showcased Badu Design, a socio-environmental enterprise that transforms industrial textile waste and discarded automotive seat belts into fashion accessories. In addition to developing circular products, Badu Design has used its methodology to train more than 4,000 women across Brazil.
African design was represented by ANKU and Rwanda’s Matheo Studio. ANKU brought together African heritage, contemporary femininity and refined silhouettes, while Matheo Studio offered a modern vision of African couture rooted in craftsmanship, resilience and cultural storytelling.
La Magnetique completed the designer lineup with its signature approach to relaxed elegance, showing pajama-inspired pieces designed to transition from sophisticated daytime dressing to evening wear.
Together, the collections demonstrated the breadth of contemporary fashion, from heritage-informed couture and architectural tailoring to experimental textiles, social enterprise and circular design.
Creating opportunities beyond the runway
A central objective of Unique Fashion Show is to turn creative visibility into long-term professional opportunities.
The event’s B2B & B2C Designer Showroom enabled participating brands to meet directly with buyers, retailers, investors, media representatives, industry professionals and consumers. The showroom extended the runway experience into a commercial and networking environment where designers could discuss sales, retail representation, media exposure, partnerships and global development.
This approach reflects the wider mission of the Unique Fashion Foundation Association: to support designers before, during and after their runway appearances by connecting creative talent with relevant professional networks.
Sustainability at the center of the conversation
Responsible fashion was a defining theme of the New York event.
Sustainability specialists, educators, designers and industry advocates discussed circularity, responsible production, material innovation, professional education and the challenges facing independent fashion brands.
Speakers included Dr. Karen R. Pearson, professor of chemistry and chair of the Sustainability Council at the Fashion Institute of Technology; Jude Kingston, founder of the nonprofit organization Mind Your Fashion; and Bridgett Artise, founder of Sustainable Fashion Week US and Born Again Vintage.
Kingston brought more than 30 years of experience in Australian and international fashion retail, including buying roles with major brands such as Target and Cotton On. After speaking about mental health in the fashion industry during New York Fashion Week in 2019, she founded Mind Your Fashion.
The discussion focused on common misconceptions surrounding responsible growth and the practical changes early-stage founders can make to build commercially viable and purpose-driven brands.
Together, the speakers connected academic research, professional education, sustainable sourcing, upcycling, and practical industry experience, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainability into the ways fashion is designed, produced, taught, and brought to market.
Fashion in dialogue with art and technology
The evening expanded beyond a conventional runway show through the Innovation and Art Experience, which examined the relationship among fashion, artificial intelligence, digital creativity and visual culture.
The multidisciplinary presentation explored how emerging technologies are influencing creative development, communication, production, presentation and audience engagement. By placing technological experimentation alongside craftsmanship and cultural heritage, the event highlighted the varied forces shaping fashion’s future.
An accompanying exhibition featured work by contemporary figurative artist Lilit Gevorgyan. Her artistic practice explores hope, dignity, compassion, movement, nature and renewal. Gevorgyan has exhibited across Europe and Asia and is the founder of Art Li Gallery, an international contemporary art gallery.
Afghan artist and photographer Fatimah Hossaini exhibited The Beauty Amid War, a photographic series celebrating the heritage, identity, beauty and resilience of Afghan women.
Featuring women from different Afghan communities in traditional dress, the series challenges narratives that portray Afghan women solely through conflict and victimhood. Instead, its subjects are depicted as individuals embodying strength, dignity, cultural memory and hope.
Performance, art and creative recognition
The ART E$TATE Magazine program brought classical performance, live visual art and creative recognition into the Unique Fashion Show experience.
A special performance by New York City Opera created a dialogue between classical performing arts and contemporary fashion. The presentation featured acclaimed harpist and Juilliard graduate Alisa Sadikova, who has performed in more than 25 countries, and Armenian-American soprano Tatev Baroyan, whose credits include the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Salzburger Landestheater and Bregenzer Festspiele.
Also part of the ART E$TATE program, Los Angeles-based artist Robert Vargas contributed a live art performance, bringing the process of visual creation directly into the event experience. Their participation reinforced the multidisciplinary identity of Unique Fashion Show and demonstrated how music, visual art and fashion can share a single stage.
The ART E$TATE Magazine International Awards Ceremony recognized contributions to fashion, art, creativity, innovation and culture.
UFFA International Model Award NYFW 2026
Separately, the Unique Fashion Foundation Association introduced the UFFA International Models Award, a new initiative dedicated to recognizing excellence and achievement in professional modeling. Mardnis Curcija received the UFFA International Models Award NYFW 2026 — Best Editorial Model NYFW’26 title.
Launched at the New York event, the UFFA International Models Award will continue at future Unique Fashion Show editions. Both awards initiatives reflected the event’s broader commitment to cross-cultural collaboration and professional recognition.
A platform for global creative cooperation
Unique Fashion Show New York 2026 was developed with a worldwide network spanning fashion, sustainability, education, media, cultural diplomacy, beauty, modeling and the arts.
Participating and partner organizations included the Fashion Institute of Technology, Sustainable Fashion Week US, Inside Fashion Design, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Azerbaijan, Luxembourg Fashion Week, Albania Fashion Week, Albania International Fashion Federation, Maison de l’Afrique, World Designers Fashion Week Kazakhstan, RunwayTO, Orange Models, Latina Glam Makeup Community and Roman K Premium Hair Salon.
Media partners included FashionUnited, Iconic TV, Paris Runway Official, France Fashion, FashionX, D Fashion Magazine, ART E$TATE Magazine, MediaKind, Empire Magazine Africa, Le Afrique Style Brazil, Fact Nama and more.
Through these relationships, the New York edition connected independent talent with new audiences, professional expertise and potential markets.
More than a runway event, Unique Fashion Show New York 2026 demonstrated how fashion can serve as a catalyst for cultural exchange, education, responsible innovation and international business. It created a shared space in which designers gained visibility, artists reached new audiences, industry professionals exchanged knowledge and relationships began that can continue beyond Fashion Week.
The Unique Fashion Foundation Association will continue developing programs in New York, Milan, Paris, Cannes and other creative centers, connecting emerging and established talent with audiences, institutions, media organizations and commercial partners.
About Unique Fashion Show
Unique Fashion Show is a global platform organized by the Unique Fashion Foundation Association in France. Operating across Europe, North America, Africa, the Caucasus and Central Asia, the platform connects designers, brands, educational institutions, technology innovators, artists, media organizations, buyers, investors and cultural leaders.
Through runway presentations, designer showrooms, sustainability initiatives, competitions, awards, exhibitions, professional discussions and strategic partnerships, Unique Fashion Show creates visibility and long-term development opportunities for participants across the creative industries.
Media contact
Vita Stepanchuk
PR & Media Partnerships
Unique Fashion Foundation Association
Email: hq@unique-fashionshow.com
Telephone: +351 933 430 393
Instagram: @unique_fashion_foundation
Website: https://www.unique-fashionshow.com
