Five days. Hundreds of students. Thousands of guests. Every year since 1991, bright-eyed graduates from leading fashion programmes have been flocking to the British capital for Graduate Fashion Week in hopes of impressing the industry with their creativity. With this year marking the 35th anniversary of the world’s largest showcase of undergraduate design, it is undeniable that over the decades the Graduate Fashion Foundation has developed an invaluable platform for countless creatives to launch their careers, with notable GFW alumni such as Stella McCartney, Julien Macdonald, or Christopher Bailey.
The Truman Brewery building was abuzz with activity, as talented students from over 30 UK and 40 international universities prepared to dazzle during catwalk shows, exhibitions, and screenings. This year’s collaborative catwalks included a foray into British heritage, with a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the legendary Liberty London. Utilising fabrics from the luxury department store’s Spring Summer 2026 fabric line ‘Floral Rebellion’, graduates from member universities reinterpreted the theme for a special GFW x Liberty London Catwalk. With sculptural silhouettes ruling the runway and students not shying away from embracing statement patterns, this was a particularly memorable runway. On the other side of the fashion spectrum, this year’s GFW partner F&F encouraged students to develop more commercially-minded looks for their collaborative catwalk, while keeping the fashion forward spirit alive.
However, while it is show-stopping catwalk moments that usually receive the most attention on social media, GFW also offers a spotlight for aspiring fashion illustrators, photographers, marketing professionals, filmmakers and more. This year The Careers Quarter was a welcome addition to the GFW space, covering categories ranging from design to talent hiring. It provided a much needed space dedicated to connecting final year graduates directly with industry professionals for 15 minute one-to-one conversations.
“That’s why we introduced our Careers Hub, giving students constructive, honest feedback on their portfolios so they leave with greater confidence, not just a degree. We’ve also had to be responsive to the wider economic and political climate. Brexit, for instance, has made Europe a much harder first destination for graduating students than it once was, and we’ve had to think differently about how we support both students and the universities they come from, many of which are navigating difficult economic conditions themselves. Through all of that, GFW has never just been a catwalk show. From Christopher Bailey winning our very first award in 1991, to the Stella McCartneys and Julien MacDonalds who’ve come through since, it’s been a barometer for how fashion education is changing, and a space where the next generation of talent can be seen, supported, and properly launched,” said Douglas MacLennan, who has been the chairman of the Graduate Fashion Foundation since 2019.
Unsurprisingly, it is not just students looking forward to the event every year. Over the decades, Graduate Fashion Week has attracted top industry professionals eager to discover new talent. Current With no shortage of bold ideas, and sustainability and diversity often at the forefront of graduate design, GFW is certainly a breath of fresh air in today’s fashion world. This year, numerous fashion gamechangers shared their insights during the GFW Live! talk series, which included guest speakers like sustainable designers Patrick McDowell and Maximilian Raynor, fashion commentators Chani Ra and Ryan Yip, and founders such as Rebecca Morter of Lone Design Club or Victoria Jenkins of adaptive fashion brand Unhidden UK. From the use of AI, through textile waste and sustainable supply chains, to alternative career paths, no topic was off limits.
Looking beyond the event, the Graduate Fashion Foundation challenges and supports students throughout the year with a range of mentorship programmes and competitions. One such example is The Fashion Accelerator Programme, a six week seminar series run in partnership with the PVH Foundation. From social impact through branding to finance and e-commerce, its latest iteration brought together a diverse cohort of industry insiders and mentees.
Reflecting on the changing face of the industry and fashion education, Douglas MacLennan added: “My connection to Graduate Fashion Week goes back to 1991, the year it was founded, when I joined through my role at Northumbria University, at a time when there were only two fashion marketing programmes represented. By 2020, three quarters of our membership was made up of hybrid fashion programmes, not just straightforward fashion design and catwalk. That shift says a lot about where the industry has gone, and where it’s going. Since becoming chairman in 2019, I’ve seen first-hand how we’ve grown alongside the sector itself, building closer integration with both national and global companies, and putting much more emphasis on what happens after students leave us.”
If anything, Graduate Fashion Week highlights just how important community is within the industry. From supportive tutors, through learning to network with industry professionals, to staying connected with your fellow creatives and potential audience, fashion is a team effort.
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Words: Florentyna Syperek
Photography: Olu Ogunshakin,
Courtesy of Graduate Fashion Foundation.