Fashion Week Yorkshire: A celebration of identity and empowerment

Under the indulgent glow of fairy lights, seven designers boldly showcased their work on the Leeds runway – uniting the cherished fashion traditions of cultures across the globe. 

Held at Left Bank Leeds, Fashion Week Yorkshire 2025 was hosted by the charismatic Danielle Broadbent, with the founder Carron Cummings and her team, including Leeds’ very own Fashion Marketing students, supporting the event.

“Fashion is for everyone … your body is your art”

Carron Cummings, founder

This year wasn’t just about style – it held messages about the identity of global designers, female empowerment, and paid homage to both past and future generations. Truly an all-inclusive event. 

Designer Emy Samuels exhibited his Victorian Era inspired designs, showcasing his goal to, “redefine what it means to be royal in the modern age”, each piece giving life to generations past. Meanwhile, Carron herself presented her female empowerment section, crowning models of our youth with the message that feminism is about equality for all, empowering the women of our future.

“My passion is to keep making women feel beautiful and confident”

Iwuji Oluchi Golden, GOLDENHOUSEOFFAB

Alongside the power of time, designers Iwuji Golden (GOLDENHOUSEOFFAB), Zainab Kolawole (STYLEDBYZK), and Tosin Ologun (TÁÀNWÁ), reflected on childhood memories to influence their works; my personal favourite being Zainab’s incorporation of seashells on her hand crafted fabrics, reminiscent of the time spent telling stories at her grandparents’.

“I’m trying to bring our culture to the western world”

Myckel Couture, MYCKEL COUTURE

Other designers at the event included Myckel Couture (MYCKEL COUTURE), and Anthony Nwok (NDOKI), both advocates of infusing African

culture with western design – as well as Anthony Gatewood-Skeete (BLESS:44), whose mission it is to spread the Word of God through urban fashion. 

The fashion show as a whole carried a delightfully diverse and inclusive community spirit, with raffles, performances, awards for the best dressed, and even an opportunity for the crowd to walk the runway. All proceeds of the event went to Pathways to Hope - the event contributed to those beyond the crowd.

As the event drew to a close, Fashion Week Yorkshire had created a sense of unity: conceptualising art without borders and stitching together stories of heritage and humanity.

Words by Lisa Clark, she/her