2025/08/01
This year, the Budapest Central European Fashion Week (BCEFW) gives more space than ever to young Hungarian designers. For the Spring/Summer 2026 season, two Hungarian higher education institutions have decided to present their graduation collections as part of the official BCEFW programme. This allows the new generation to debut in both the domestic and international spotlight, further strengthening the visibility of Hungarian brands and talent development. Between 1 and 7 September, nearly 100 Hungarian and regional creators’ collections will be showcased at the 16th Budapest Fashion Week, accompanied by exciting fashion industry programmes, roundtable discussions, showroom openings, and exclusive offers throughout the city.
This autumn, the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) will organise the Budapest Central European Fashion Week (BCEFW) for the 16th time, which has become not only one of the leading fashion events in Central Europe but also a key professional platform for the regional creative industry. The BCEFW aims to serve as a bridge between regional countries while operating an effective Central Eastern European fashion network hub, presenting the collections of the region’s significant representatives for the first time in a given season. The participating brands, which are ready for the international markets, view BCEFW as a springboard, boosting their positioning and expanding their commercial opportunities and international visibility.
At the Budapest Fashion Week, taking place from 1 to 7 September, Hungary will be joined by six Central European countries (Czechia, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia, and Ukraine) in presenting creations by over 100 designers. Among them, for the first time, are the recent graduates of the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) and the Budapest Metropolitan University (METU) Fashion and Textile Design Programme, who will showcase their diploma collections this year, offering insight into the innovative thinking of the next generation. This initiative aims to open doors for young talents to achieve future success by drawing focused attention from the domestic and regional fashion industry, enabling them to make a more significant impact on the region’s fashion scene.
“It is an important mission for BCEFW to provide a platform for the next generation of talents. This year, for the first time, two Hungarian higher education institutions are holding their graduation shows within the framework of the fashion week – a clear sign that BCEFW has become a professional milestone, offering an ideal opportunity for emerging designers to showcase their work. MOME, following the traditions of its predecessors, has been providing excellent fashion education for over a century, launching the careers of numerous renowned designers. METU has been consciously building an innovative and market-oriented fashion education for nearly 20 years. The alignment of the two institutions’ programmes with the official schedule of BCEFW is not only a significant step for the students, but also the entire industry, providing an opportunity for collaboration between higher education in Hungary and professionals from both the Hungarian and international fashion scenes, demonstrating that talent development is not only a long-term investment, but also an active force shaping the present of the profession,” emphasized Zsófia Jakab, CEO of the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency.
Nearly 60% of the brands debuting at the fashion week are by young designers, a result not only of the diploma collections but also of BCEFW’s long-standing and consistently developed talent support platforms. Through the Young Talents category, comprising emerging talents, the New Generation collective fashion shows, focusing on young creators, and the Fashion Hub presentations, numerous talents get the opportunity to showcase their creations, including the winners of the HFDA’s “Get in the Picture! – New Talent of the Year” programme. The close relationship established with educational institutions is further strengthened by the opportunity provided each season for hundreds of students training in tailoring and garment construction to attend the fashion shows, giving them insight into how the garments they help produce are ultimately presented to buyers and industry professionals.
Each season, BCEFW strives to bring fashion to runways and beyond: during the one-week-long event, Budapest’s streets, cultural spaces, and stores fill with fashion industry programmes. During the event, presentations, pop-up events, promotions, showroom openings, and professional forums provide opportunities for the whole spectrum of the fashion industry, from education and manufacturing to distribution and consumption, to gain visibility. A key goal is to introduce the values of Hungarian brands to a broad audience and incentivise more people to choose products made by Hungarian designers. BCEFW not only showcases but also incentivises the demand for Hungarian brands, contributing to the economic strengthening of the creative industry.
In recent years, BCEFW has gained its position in the international fashion world, becoming a key player in the Hungarian and Central European fashion industries. Editors from several international fashion magazines, renowned stylists, and industry professionals attend the fashion week, which attracts 5,000 to 6,000 visitors each season. Thanks to international collaborations, the event acts as a bridge connecting the countries of the region. Just as Budapest provides visibility for regional designers, regional partner organisations offer Hungarian designers opportunities for exposure and sales promotion abroad. Thus, the event simultaneously increases professional prestige, strengthens international relations, and shapes contemporary fashion culture.
On the opening day of Fashion Week, Monday, 1 September, 26 graduating students from METU will present their diploma collections at the National Museum. On Thursday, 4 September, the MOME Fashion Show, a long-standing event that draws full houses year after year, will take place on the Zugligeti Road campus, organised by the university, with a symposium and an exhibition. The main catwalk shows will run from 5 to 7 September at the Apolló Gallery and Building D of Millenáris, while the National Dance Theatre will host the Fashion Hub over the weekend, featuring roundtable discussions and industry workshops.
© Creative Hungary. 2026. Minden jog fenntartva.
