Atlanta Fashion Week Expands Beyond the Runway for 2026

Atlanta Fashion Week returned Sept. 30 through Oct. 4, 2026, with its biggest footprint yet, blending traditional runway programming with a new slate of Citywide Partnership Events held across the city. Centered at Atlantic Station and powered by BMW, the five-day celebration connected designers, artists, retailers and entrepreneurs with the broader creative community. Founder Angela Watts said the expanded Citywide Partnerships were designed to give audiences more ways to engage with the people shaping Atlanta's creative scene. New programming included Art After Dark at Gallery Anderson Smith, featuring live jazz, a tequila tasting from Black-owned brand Reyalibre, and work spanning painting, sculpture and mixed media. Another highlight, Personal Space, paired fragrance house Candleporium with scent brand LEIƏR for a sensory experience combining candle-making, jewelry from Black-owned brand URBANE, and live music from Justin Ruff. The week's main showcase, ATLFW: Intersections, broke from convention by placing models in live, stationary installations rather than a moving runway, letting guests walk around and study garments up close. Runway coach Renaissauja said the format required models to hold poses and stay focused despite the close proximity of the crowd, calling it a markedly different experience from traditional runway shows.