MFW orbits heritage, responsibility & innovation
Press release provided by Manchester Fashion Week
Manchester, UK – 12 September, 2025 – After a ten-year hiatus, Manchester Fashion Week returned with a three-day programme that redefined what a fashion week can be. Held at Campfield House in St John’s, the event positioned Manchester not only as Britain’s original textile capital but as a global hub for sustainable, tech-driven and community-rooted fashion.
From 9–11 September, packed runways, workshops and debates highlighted both established names and new voices. Designers drew on Manchester’s identity as a city of makers and doers, while industry leaders pushed urgent conversations on skills, circularity and technology.
Day One: Heritage and Queer Maximalism
The week opened with Drew Kent’s ADORAFLORA: Queerness in Bloom, a playful, crochet-based collection that challenged fixed ideas of identity. Later, Malon Fashion’s sculptural wearable art worn by the likes of musicians SZA and Doja Cat set a high bar for the days to come.
Eco Age, Manchester Fashion Week’s media partner, hosted the first panel on “Heritage and Future-Proof,” where Private White V.C.’s Mike Stolls joined voices from resale and production.
Day Two: Ecosystems and Accountability
Day Two asked harder questions. Workshops on colonial legacies in supply chains, led by Safia Minney MBE and Lavinia Muth, opened frank debates about fashion’s global impact. Panels such as The Fabric of Britain examined the future of UK textile production, while the Mancunia Founders Panel brought together local innovators including Clints, À Couvert and Malon Fashion.
On the runway, standout moments came from MANCUNIA UGLY, MAKE IT WET, Bepo, and Śilpa, whose collections reimagined waste and heritage into uncompromising design.
Day Three: Tech and Transformation
The final day turned the spotlight to technology. The Future Fashion Tech panel and workshops by startups such as Nanoloom and Seamless Source demonstrated how digital sampling, biomaterials and automation can cut waste.
V.A.LE presented couture designs inspired by Diana, Princess of Wales made from deadstock materials, while Drew Kent returned to close the week with queerness crocheted and knitted in full bloom.
A New Fashion Capital
Across three days, Manchester Fashion Week established itself as more than a showcase. It became a platform for responsibility, creativity and radical collaboration, reconnecting fashion to community and purpose.
Gemma Gratton, Executive Producer of Manchester Fashion Week, says “Manchester Fashion Week has proved that it is not just another date in the calendar. It is a statement that this city, with its history, honesty and creativity, has the power to shape global conversations about fashion’s future. The impact has been immediate: packed rooms, strong debate and a sense that Manchester is leading with purpose.”
John Higginson, CEO of Eco Age, media partner of Manchester Fashion Week, adds “Having Manchester Fashion Week back is about more than style. It’s about proving that a city built on making can set a new standard for fashion rooted in craft, community and responsibility. The energy, the talent and the commitment we have seen this week show why Manchester deserves its place on the world stage.”
