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On the Street
Chicago Fashion Week
Oct. 9 – 19,
Chicago, IL
Chicago Fashion Week lit up the city—and the suburbs—with an 11-day celebration that proved once again why Chicago’s style scene deserves a national spotlight. Sixty-one events across 49 venues created a whirlwind of creativity, community, and couture, drawing thousands of attendees for a lineup that blended fashion education, exhibitions, retail markets, in-store activations, runway showcases, and high-energy social events.
John Leydon, Founder of CHIFW, summed up the magic perfectly: “This year’s Chicago Fashion Week demonstrated the power of fashion as a connector and as a draw to the city.” From emerging designers to industry vets, from curious locals to out-of-state fashion lovers, the city buzzed with excitement—and a whole lot of great outfits.
This year’s mission was clear: make fashion accessible. And CHIFW delivered. Most events were free or budget-friendly, and many were packed to the walls, including new favorites like the School of the Art Institute’s
forward-thinking panel on the future of fashion and the River North Design District’s deep dive into fashion’s influence on interior design. Add in sold-out runway hits like Surround
Sound of Fashion and Runway Latinx.
Chicago Fashion Week let each event organizer bring their own flavor while offering citywide marketing support to keep the momentum strong. The result? A bold, diverse, high-quality fashion moment that reminded us all that Chicago isn’t just keeping up with global fashion culture—it’s shaping it.
For more information about Chicago Fashion Week 2026 visit www.chicagofashionweek.com.
Photo Credit Katherine B Peterson