Polimoda Graduate Show 2026 highlights global perspectives and personal narratives in fashion education

Fashion students from around the world will present collections exploring identity, culture, memory, and social change at the Polimoda Graduate Show 2026, showcasing the diverse creative approaches emerging from contemporary fashion education.

The graduating designers represent countries including Italy, the United States, Armenia, Ukraine, Thailand, Germany, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and Réunion Island, reflecting the international nature of today's fashion classrooms. Across the collections, students examine themes ranging from queer identity and cultural heritage to digital technology, belonging, grief, and sustainability.

Several projects draw directly from personal experiences. Isabella “Zaz” Alvarino’s Hot Nerds honours a late friend and explores freedom, queerness, and self-expression through tailoring, while Lisa Criaco’s The Pressure uses deep-sea diving as a metaphor for grief and personal transformation. Emily Horton’s Jew…ish examines the intersection of Jewish identity and American baseball culture, exploring questions of community and belonging.

Other collections investigate broader cultural and societal themes. Diana Avetisian’s Another Role explores femininity as performance through references to vintage automobiles and mechanic uniforms, while Matteo Bardi’s VULNERA challenges perceptions of vulnerability within queer communities. Evelina Kryvopust’s UN examines conformity and resistance through the figure of a piano teacher, and Jakob Nittmann’s Unlearning Neutral questions the historical disappearance of colour in menswear.

Digital and physical realities

Technology and contemporary life also feature prominently. Isabel Antonia Richter’s Simulation explores the blurred boundaries between digital and physical realities, while Emilie Wenckstern’s No Longer Human investigates how digital avatars and artificial representations are reshaping perceptions of the human body.

For fashion educators, the collections highlight the growing emphasis on research-led design practice, interdisciplinary references, and storytelling within fashion curricula. Students draw inspiration from film, literature, architecture, art, cultural history, and personal narratives, demonstrating how contemporary fashion education increasingly encourages critical thinking alongside technical and creative development.

The Graduate Show offers a snapshot of the issues and ideas shaping the next generation of designers, reflecting both individual experiences and wider conversations taking place across the global fashion industry.