Culture Fashion Show UK 26
Leeds is preparing for a landmark cultural moment as Culture Fashion Show UK returns on Saturday 6th June at Fearns, Leeds Dock. This year marks a pivotal shift in our journey — a moment that signals how far the platform has grown, and how far it is now reaching.
For the first time, CFSUK is welcoming designers from Florida, Nigeria, and Lagos, expanding the show into a truly international cultural fashion platform. Their collections will be showcased on our runway through our creative team, models, and stylists here in Leeds, reflecting a global exchange of culture, identity, and storytelling.
This milestone isn’t about travel. It’s about recognition. It’s about reach. It’s about the world choosing Leeds as a stage worthy of their work. CFSUK has always been rooted in community — but this year, the world is looking back.
What began as a local cultural showcase has evolved into a platform with international visibility and creative influence. This expansion reflects:
The strength of Leeds’ creative community
The authenticity of CFSUK’s mission
The hunger for platforms that centre culture and identity
The global appetite for storytelling through fashion
Leeds is no longer just hosting a fashion show. Leeds is hosting global culture.
The 2026 showcase will feature:
International designers
UK‑based emerging designers
The winner of the Culture Rising Student Runway Award
Live performances
A vibrant, diverse community audience
As part of our vision to become the cultural platform, CFSUK has introduced a dedicated South Asian Inspired Segment — a spotlight designed to honour and celebrate the richness, artistry, and influence of South Asian fashion. This segment reflects our commitment to:
Bridging cultures
Showcasing global narratives
Creating space for underrepresented voices
Celebrating heritage through contemporary design
It is a powerful moment within the show where tradition meets modernity, and where culture is expressed with pride, elegance, and authenticity. This spotlight is the first of many cultural segments we will introduce as CFSUK continues to grow into a global platform for identity‑led fashion.
Meet the Future of Fashion...
After receiving powerful, imaginative submissions from students across Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region, we are proud to reveal the three shortlisted designers for the Culture Rising Student Runway Award 2026. Each student designer brought a unique cultural lens, a strong creative voice, and a story worth telling. Their work reflects the heart of Culture Fashion Show UK: fashion as identity, fashion as narrative, fashion as culture in motion.
The Winner HARLEYZKDESIGNS — Harley Cranfield
University of Chester — BA Fashion Design
Harley’s concept explores Asian fusion through the powerful intersection of Japanese and Chinese cultural aesthetics. Drawing inspiration from traditional samurai attire and classical East Asian garments, her look blends structure with fluidity. The silhouette references the armourlike form of samurai clothing, while a large tie element symbolises the obi belt found in
kimono dressing — a thoughtful nod to heritage, symbolism, and identity. Her work stands out for its balance of strength and softness, tradition and reinterpretation, discipline and imagination.
Harley’s work demonstrated a rare combination of:
Cultural sensitivity and depth — her fusion of Japanese and Chinese influences was thoughtful, researched, and respectful.
Strong conceptual clarity — her narrative was clear, intentional, and rooted in identity.
Visual impact — the silhouette, structure, and symbolic elements created a striking, runwayready presence.
Technical promise — even at concept stage, her work showed an understanding of construction, proportion, and garment storytelling.
Alignment with CFSUK’s mission — Harley’s design embodied culture, creativity, and the power of fashion as narrative.
Her piece felt like a moment — a story unfolding through fabric — and we cannot wait for Leeds to experience it live.
Also in our top three shortlisted designers...
fashionablykensie — Mackensie Simpson
University of Huddersfield — BA Fashion Design
Mackensie’s concept celebrates the empowerment of identity through culture. Rooted in the belief that fashion is a language and a visual archive, her work draws from hiphop culture, girl and boy groups, and the artistry of Black hairstyles.
Her collection honours the past while boldly redefining the future — a tribute to rhythm, community, and the cultural movements that shape self expression.
melodyng studio — Melody Tszyan Ng
Manchester Metropolitan University — BA Fashion Design
Melody’s concept imagines the secret life of her childhood toy bunny, exploring the whimsical characters she might meet on her adventures. Inspired by the animated world of Oblivion Island:
Haruka and the Magic Mirror, the collection draws from Japanese folklore surrounding God
Inari and the spirits who collect lost human objects.
Her garments transform, shift, and repurpose — symbolising rediscovery, memory, and the magic of forgotten things. It’s storytelling through silhouette, texture, and playful transformation.
A Call to Fashion Students, Universities Creative Supporters
CFSUK has a clear mission - to create more opportunities for students to showcase their work here in the North.
We are actively seeking:
Fashion students ready to step into the industry
University partners who want to champion their creatives
Press and media who believe in emerging talent
Sponsors and collaborators who want to invest in the next generation
If you’d like to get involved, collaborate, or support our mission, contact us at cfsuk.team@gmail.com.