A ‘curated lineup of international designers’ showcasing the best of animal-free and sustainable fashion is about to hit the stage in Vegan Fashion Week (VFW), a ‘tri-fold event’ featuring fashion shows, the Vegan World tradeshow, and a conference with panels and networking opportunities. The first session is set to begin at 5am Saturday October 9, Melbourne time, with the whole event schedule running over just two days, which is part of the event’s plan to practise what it preaches by reducing energy usage.

This year’s VFW theme is Expansion, aiming to explore the wider range of challenges facing our planet. To VFW founder Emanuelle Rienda, vegan fashion doesn’t just mean not using animal products, but also avoiding the plastic alternatives that still harm the environment. Plant-based materials such as pineapple leather are of greater focus here, with a hope that the entire fashion industry will take note of the creative possibilities available to them.

Vegan Fashion Week is a snapshot of this buzzing unleashed creativity, waiting for the right platform to exist. … It is not about being perfect, it’s about inspiring change and creating an ecosystem around values that are truly impactful for humans and non-humans.

– EMANUELLE RIENDA, VEGAN FASHION WEEK FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR.

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VFW will feature just four fashion shows from some of the world’s best vegan brands: Vegan Tiger from South Korea, Nouse Étudions from Argentina, and Los Angeles’ own Fan All Flames and Pure Void. The marketplace, however, will feature a selection of pieces from twenty animal-free, sustainable fashion designers as part of the tradeshow, Vegan World.