While the fashion industry—constantly churning out new, trendy garments—has been well known for its waste, the tide is beginning to turn. Over the last 25 years, production of shirts and shoes doubled—yet three quarters of those end up in landfills or burned. Now, as a result, a growing group within the fashion industry is leaning away from the pressure to churn out new collections, and instead build a slower, more intentional fashionscape, which can be seen in this fall's upcoming fashion showcases.
Circular fashion stems from ancient methods of creating textiles, using fewer natural resources and focusing on making new garments from old materials—a continuous loop of regenerating and recycling. As more designers join the movement, shows are also adapting and highlighting conscious and ethical fashion, especially local creators who showcase their region's artisanal methods in contemporary ways. From Costa Rica to New Zealand, here are the SS24 fall shows—featuring Spring/Summer looks for 2024—around the world working to lower emissions by featuring local designers and championing traditional craft methods.
Costa Rica Fashion Week
San José, Costa Rica
August 3–5
Costa Rica describes its fashion week's main purpose as "uniting two worlds that were historically opposed: Nature and the fashion industry." The show, at Antigua Aduana, champions innovative and ethically focused designers, like Mauricio Alpízar, who was born and raised in Costa Rica and sources his materials from acacia wood chip fibers.
Copenhagen Fashion Week
Copenhagen, Denmark
August 7–11
Copenhagen is at the forefront of attempts to make fashion week more sustainable. This fall's show, at Copenhagen City Hall, will heavily feature environment-conscious Nordic designers like Nicklas Skovgaard, who emphasizes minimizing product waste. Skovgaard hand weaves the exact amounts of fabric needed, and only creates items that
customers actually order.
Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO
Tokyo
August 28–September 2
During the pandemic, Tokyo took the lead in technology, using holograms and other digitalization to bring looks to life when the runways were canceled. Now in its first year in-person since COVID restrictions eased, Tokyo is focusing on making the show an incubator for Japanese talent. Last spring's show hosted emerging young designers like Keisuke Yoshida, and more are expected at this fall's show at Omotesando Hills.
New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria
Auckland, New Zealand
August 29–September 2
Organizers are reimagining this year's runway by highlighting circular fashion and Te Ao Māori, the respect and acknowledgement of the country's Indigenous people's customs. The event was also gifted a Te Ao Māori name— Kahuria, meaning "to adorn." Environment-conscious jewelry and garment designer Kiri Nathan will be the first Māori designer in history to open the show, at the Viaduct Events Centre on the waterfront.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid
Madrid
September 12–17
Spanish designers take center stage at Madrid's major fashion event, held at Feria de Madrid. Expect to see Paloma Suarez of the Canary Islands bring her colorful couture to the runway, as well as new designs by Odette Álvarez Garzón, founder of Teté by Odette.
Atlanta Fashion Week
Atlanta
October 5–8
As the program organizers put it: "Atlanta has been a city for all things 'cool' and continues to be the heart of cultural conversations." Among participating designers: Archie Clay, Kenya Freeman and Michael Toache. All events will take place at the Underground, a venue easily accessible by the city's public rapid transit system, and feature panel discussions on the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry.
Dubai Fashion Week
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
October 10–15
Dubai's Design District and Arab Fashion Council made waves at their first fashion week last March. The new season will emphasize sustainability-focused designers, with avant-garde artist Mariam Yeya, who launched last year's Mrs. Keepa collection in Dubai using a digital presentation.
Vancouver Fashion Week
Vancouver, British Columbia
October 17–22
The city's fashion week is a multicultural celebration of Canada that will take place at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver. Last year featured designs by Vancouver design studio Terra2k, which creates garments solely made from "deadstock," inventory that doesn't sell and is typically forgotten or destroyed. One of this year's featured designers is Vancouver native Alex S. Yu, who uses his computer science background to make clothing from unconventional materials, like those used for life vests, or lawn chair fabric.
Lagos Fashion Week
Lagos, Nigeria
October 25–29
The Nigerian capital's fashion week hosts designers like Elie Kuame. But it isn't just Africa's largest weeklong catwalk; it's a year-round community, with incubation programs, mentorship initiatives and pop-ups, like their recent one featuring Maryse Mbonyumutwa's brand Asantii. The line is led by a team of designers from 12 African countries, combining their countries' textile traditions.
São Paulo Fashion Week
São Paulo, Brazil
November 8–12
São Paulo's been making a name for itself as an emerging fashion week, showing the most creative of Latin America's designers. This year, expect to see designs from locally loved slow fashion brand AZ Marias, the brainchild of Rio de Janeiro creator and stylist Cintia Felix.
