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HISTORY OF

VANCOUVER
FASHION WEEK

VFW

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Championing diversity as its greatest strength, Vancouver Fashion Week has grown to be the second largest fashion week in North America; and continues to grow today as the fastest growing fashion week in the world. The team at Vancouver Fashion Week continues to provide its designers not only with a platform for their craft but also with ongoing opportunities for commerce and growth.

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Since its conception in 2001, Vancouver Fashion Week has been dedicated to cultivating the success of both established designers and award-winning emerging designers with its global perspective and highly multicultural approach.  

In 2017, Vancouver Fashion Week launched Global Fashion Collective (GFC) to further propel the global exposure of its most promising designers.  Producing shows at New York Fashion Week, Tokyo Fashion Week, and Paris Fashion Week through Global Fashion Collective.

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Since its first season, Vancouver Fashion Week has been built from the ground up by the fashion industry and has become a celebrated occasion in the Canadian fashion community. 

Since then, Vancouver Fashion Week has launched two magazines both in print and digital: Vancouver Kids Fashion Week Magazine (bi-annual), and Micro Macro Magazine which dedicated to inspire our curious readers with fulfilling content: dynamic, upbeat, and engaging articles and vibrant imagery.

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Founded by entrepreneur Jamal Abdourahman, Vancouver Fashion Week was initially branded ‘International Fashion Week’ for its first season. Fiercely passionate about the fashion industry and his home city, Jamal made it his ongoing mission to travel to fashion capitals to connect with industry leaders and to keep Vancouver on the top of the fashion radar.  

2015

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In 2016, Vancouver Fashion Week expanded into children’s fashion with the incorporation of Vancouver Kids Fashion Week, which has become a media hub for Canadian children’s boutiques and international children’s fashion designers alike.

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The Beginning Of VFW

Onwards & Upwards

As part of its commitment to up and coming talent, Vancouver Fashion Week presented its first annual Nancy Mak Award in 2014. The Nancy Mak Award is given to a talented and promising emerging BC based designer with the intention of providing tools needed to bring their brand to the next step.

Nancy Mak Award

KIDS FASHION WEEK

Magazine Launch

Jamal Abdourahman

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2011

2013

2012

2010

Global Fashion Collective

Image by Pedro Lastra

About 
Vancouver Fashion Week

2019

2018

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