Graduate Fashion Week 2026 with Liberty catwalkOlu OgunshakinGraduate Fashion Week (GFW), presented annually by the Graduate Fashion Foundation, features graduate collections from across the UK as well as a showcase of international designers. Today, it’s the world’s largest showcase of BA fashion talent, with catwalks and events also open to the public. Founded in 1991 by designer Jeff Banks, Vanessa Denza and John Walford, the event was created to bring together British fashion universities and industry leaders, providing a platform for emerging talent to showcase their work and connect with potential employers. Held at the Truman Brewery in London, in addition to catwalk shows, the event features exhibitions, portfolio reviews, industry networking, fashion innovation, sustainable design, awards and career opportunities.A Launchpad for Major British Fashion DesignersSichuan Fine Arts Institute at Graduate Fashion Week 2026Olu OgunshakinGraduate Fashion Week has proven highly successful over its 35 year history, notably as a launchpad for major British designers including Christopher Bailey (Burberry), Stella McCartney, Hussein Chalayan, Giles Deacon, Julien MacDonald and Preen’s Justin Thornton. Maurice Mullen, former Head of Fashion and Luxury Goods at the Evening Standard, now a trustee and Deputy Chair at GFW, says that "in any business the maintenance of a pipeline of talent is important but in the world of fashion it’s absolutely crucial so I’ve been delighted to see Graduate Fashion Week developing over the years to become the number one conduit for graduates from all over the world to enter the industry." Molly Brady, University for the Creative Arts at Graduate Fashion Week 2026,Olu OgunshakinChairman of Graduate Fashion Week, Douglas MacLennan describes the importance and growth of the event: “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 programs, not just straightforward fashion design and catwalk. That shift says a lot about where the industry has gone, and where it’s going."Supporting the next generation of fashion talentHansel Abakah Phillips, GFW 2026GFWMr MacLennan says "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.”International showcase at Graduate Fashion Week 2026,Olu Ogunshakin. This year’s event brought together hundreds of graduating designers from 70 UK and international universities, making it the world’s largest showcase of BA fashion talent. It also collaborated with high street clothing brand F&F and heritage brand Liberty on creative catwalk shows.Khadeeja Mafaz, CambridgeGFWAcross four days, Graduate Fashion Week 2026 delivered a packed program, with catwalks, talks and industry showcases. Highlights included the F&F x GFF Curated Catwalk Show, the Liberty Fabrics x GFF runway marking 150 years of Liberty London, GFW | Mens, and the Best of Graduate Fashion Week 2026. Awards were given in each category. Always at the forefront of originality, the Digital Innovation Lab offered hands-on workshops with CLO, Fermat and Target 3D, while the Innovators of Tomorrow showroom, supported by the PVH Foundation, showcased emerging designers from the GFF Fashion Accelerator directly to industry guests throughout the week.Liberty Fabrics x Graduate Fashion WeekLiberty show, BackstageRORY JAMES"Floral Rebellion," the Liberty collaboration, commemorating the iconic British brand’s 150th anniversary, was a thrilling catwalk show that featured 40 graduate designers who each created a single design from Liberty fabrics. Following a national competition, hundreds of final-year students from GFW universities designed garments using Liberty’s SS26 print archive, with the shortlisted entrants developing finished pieces in Liberty fabrics for the runway. Three winning designers were awarded mentorships: Cerys Scott Hobbs, Manchester Fashion Institute; Amy Brown, University of Lancashire and Abbie Jarvis, University of Lancashire.