In the UK, the conversation around what independent brands need to achieve sustainable growth is taking place at an institutional level. In 2026, the British Fashion Council reframed its mission within the BFC 2030: Access, Creativity, Growth strategy and took on the role of a business accelerator, providing emerging brands with funding, infrastructure, mentorship and access to the industry.
Emerging designers are becoming increasingly influential in shaping the global fashion landscape. They are rethinking production, turning to local cultural codes and developing their own brand concepts. International professional platforms help such growing brands turn creative visibility into new business opportunities. Moscow Fashion Week, which will take place from 26 September to 1 October, has also become a major platform for promoting independent brands. The event introduces a new generation of designers to a global audience and brings together fashion industry representatives from different countries.
The international programme of this season’s Moscow Fashion Week will feature designers from Spain, Türkiye, Sri Lanka, China, Nicaragua and other countries. Among the participants is British label The Black Crown Label. “The collection was inspired by my vision of moving fine art beyond the canvas and giving it a new life through fashion, movement and the human form. I conceived the project on an exceptional scale, transforming 70 individual artworks into 70 distinct fashion creations, each interpreted through silhouette, colour, textile and construction”, says the brand’s designer Nohad Al Samarrie. The selected works originate from the artistic practice of internationally recognised musician and visual artist Naseer Shamma.
The participation of brands from around the world in Moscow Fashion Week demonstrates how independent brands use international fashion platforms to connect with new professional audiences. The opportunities these platforms create for emerging names are also highlighted by Eda Meltem Yılmaz, Founder and President of Antalya Fashion Week:
“For emerging designers, one of the greatest challenges is not simply demonstrating their talent, but being discovered on the right international platform at the right moment. By bringing together designers from different countries, Moscow Fashion Week creates an important space where they can introduce their cultural identity and creative vision to an international audience.”
Alongside international participants, Russian brands will also present their collections on the runway, including Victoria Andreyanova, Arngoldt, Lesel, Za_Za, Elisabetta and dozens of other established and emerging names. This season, organisers received more than 1,000 applications from designers across 63 Russian regions, and for many of them, presenting at Moscow Fashion Week will become a turning point in their business development.
Moscow’s international fashion programme will continue with the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, which will take place from 28 to 30 September. More than 200 industry leaders, designers, entrepreneurs and experts from BRICS countries, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and North America will gather for professional dialogue and the development of international cooperation.
Shirene Rifai, Founder and CEO of Jordan Fashion Week, highlights what both Moscow events offer to national fashion industries that are actively building international connections: “Platforms such as the BRICS+ Fashion Summit and Moscow Fashion Week create opportunities for designers to build relationships, exchange knowledge, discover new markets, and form partnerships that would be difficult to achieve independently.”
by Eleanor Brown