Emerging designers explore cultural heritage at Graduate Fashion Week 2026

Fashion students at Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts (CSVPA) are bringing personal stories and cultural traditions to the forefront of their work after earning multiple nominations and shortlist placements at Graduate Fashion Week 2026.

Among the emerging designers selected for the Graduate Fashion Week Collective Show are Raven, originally from Hong Kong, and Safiya, from Kazakhstan, whose collections explore themes of identity, heritage and cultural storytelling through fashion.

Raven's collection takes inspiration from Yum Cha, the dining tradition that plays a central role in Hong Kong culture. Using dumpling-inspired silhouettes as a foundation, the designer combines unconventional materials including second-hand tablecloths, coconut fibre and hay to recreate textures inspired by traditional dishes. The collection aims to celebrate community, cultural exchange and the importance of preserving traditions through contemporary design.

The designer's experimental approach has earned nominations for the Digital Fashion Award, Pattern Cutting Award, Considered Fashion Award, Fashion Portfolio Award and Fashion Innovation Award. Raven cites John Galliano and Alexander McQueen among key influences and hopes to pursue a future in haute couture after completing postgraduate study.

Fellow BA Fashion student Safiya has been shortlisted for the Cultural Heritage Award with a collection inspired by Kazakh women and traditional Kazakh culture. Drawing on childhood memories of traditional dress and family celebrations, the collection reinterprets carpets—commonly displayed in Kazakh homes—as garments that symbolise strength, resilience and female empowerment.

Using carpets as both a material and metaphor, Safiya challenges traditional perceptions of women's roles, presenting them not as decorative figures but as powerful and independent individuals. "I wanted to show brave Kazakh women who are free," she explained, describing the collection as a tribute to the strength of women and the cultural traditions that shaped her upbringing.

For Safiya, the nomination represents an important recognition of the collection's cultural message. Following graduation, she hopes to gain industry experience through internships before eventually launching her own label, using fashion as a platform to communicate ideas and explore social and cultural issues.

Both designers credit CSVPA's international learning environment and close support from tutors for helping them develop their technical skills and creative confidence. Their collections reflect a broader trend among emerging fashion graduates who are increasingly drawing on personal histories, cultural identity and lived experience to create work that goes beyond aesthetics and engages with wider conversations around heritage, representation and belonging.

As Graduate Fashion Week continues to showcase the next generation of fashion talent, designers such as Raven and Safiya demonstrate how cultural storytelling remains a powerful source of inspiration for emerging creatives entering the industry.