HISTORY OF
VANCOUVER
FASHION WEEK
VFW
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The Beginning Of VFW
International Fashion Week launches. After its first season the show is rebranded as Vancouver
Fashion Week and becomes dedicated to cultivating the success of both established designers and award-winning emerging designers with its global perspective and highly multicultural approach.
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.
Jamal Abdourahman
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About
Vancouver Fashion Week
OUR MISSION
At the heart of Vancouver Fashion Week is a commitment to inclusion.
VFW showcases local, Canadian and international designers. Emerging labels, established designers, haute couture craftsmanship and avante garde creations all share the runway.
Since its inception, VFW has offered designers the opportunity to work with models of all skin tones,
genders, sizes and heights. The diversity of bodies that walk the shows is captivating. All of this is done with an eye to the inclusion of Vancouver as one of the fashion capitals of the world.
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.
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.
Vancouver
Kids Fashion Week
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.
Nancy Mak Award
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.
Global Fashion Collective
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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Onwards & Upwards
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.
Magazine Launch
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.