Happy 10th, Miami Fashion Week!

MIAMI FASHION WEEK  |  OCTOBER 13, 2026

A Celebratory Start: Miami Fashion Week Opens Its 10th Anniversary

From a press conference at the Freedom Tower to a gala at Queen Miami Beach, the anniversary edition is underway through October 18.

Miami Fashion Week opened its anniversary edition Tuesday with a 9:30 a.m. press conference at the historic Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College. The anniversary marks a decade since Miami Fashion Week’s 2016 relaunch, when Antonio Banderas was named the event’s honorary president. The week runs through October 18, with runway shows, industry programming and events bringing together international designers, Latin American talent and Miami’s creative community.

Speakers included Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega and Colombian designer Andrés Otálora. The mix of civic leadership, education and fashion set the tone for a week that reaches beyond the runway.

The day continued with an influencer lunch in Coconut Grove before the focus shifted to South Beach, where the evening gala became the celebratory centerpiece of opening day.

Queen Miami Beach, with its expressive architecture and atmosphere of a major social occasion, provided a striking backdrop. Guests began gathering at 6 p.m., including fashion and media figures, designers, influencers and members of Miami’s creative community, for an evening of polished looks and conversation.

For the gala, Otálora presented his Spring/Summer 2027 vision: a polished resort wardrobe shaped by coastal ease. Airy linen pieces, fluid dresses, wide-leg trousers, swimwear and pareos were accented with sculptural draping, embroidery, floral appliqué and scenic prints. These prints and the designer’s exacting tailoring have defined the house since he founded it in Cali in 1992.

The program also included a performance by Joaquina, the Venezuelan-American singer-songwriter and longtime Miami resident who became the youngest-ever winner of the Latin Grammy for Best New Artist in 2023. The ticketed gala benefits Miami Dade College’s Miami Fashion Institute.

From the Freedom Tower to Coconut Grove to Queen Miami Beach, opening day set a festive tone for an edition with most of its runway still ahead. Shows continue at the Freedom Tower, the MIAFW Summit convenes at the Wolfson Campus, and the first-ever Stitch Lab pop-up opens on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables.

Article by: Hannah Rosenberg | Photos by: Kristina Voyloshnikova for FM24