By Eva Fydrych
The Return to the Calendar
Fashion illustration by Eva F.
After a decade-long hiatus, Rio de Janeiro has reclaimed its place on the official fashion calendar. The first edition of Rio Fashion Week (RFW) took place from April 14 to 18, 2026, marking the city's return to hosting a major fashion event since 2014, when it was known as Fashion Rio.
The event was organized by IMM, the same company behind São Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW), which celebrated its 30th edition in 2026. A strategic reshaping of the Brazilian fashion calendar accompanied the launch: starting in 2026, SPFW will no longer hold editions in the first half of the year, focusing instead on the second half, while Rio Fashion Week takes the first-semester slot.
LENNY NIEMEYER (Photo: Rio Fashion Week)
"We are reshaping the Brazilian fashion calendar," said Gustavo Oliveira, director at IMM, who expects RFW to establish itself as a permanent fixture. The partnership with Rio's city government has been signed for three years, with the possibility of renewal.
Venues and Scale
The main hub of Rio Fashion Week was concentrated in four warehouses at Pier Mauá and the recently renovated Touring Building in Praça Mauá, in the city's port district. The opening ceremony took place on Tuesday (14) at the City Palace in Botafogo, the official headquarters of Rio's city government, with an invitation-only Osklen show.
Organizers expected an audience of more than 30,000 people across the five-day event. The city government projected an economic impact of R$100 million for the local economy, with some estimates suggesting the figure could reach R$200 million when considering broader effects.
Photo: Rio Fashion Week (RFW) Click to enlarge
Photo: Rio Fashion Week (RFW)
The Runway Lineup
The event featured runway shows from 21 brands, ranging from established names to emerging labels. Among the confirmed designers and brands were:
- Osklen – The Rio-based brand founded in 1989 opened the event at the City Palace, seeking to reposition itself as a pioneer of Brazilian fashion.
- Lenny Niemeyer – A symbol of sophisticated beachwear, closing the event on Saturday.
- Misci – Founded in 2018 by Mato Grosso-born designer Airon Martin, presenting at the Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí.
- Isabela Capeto, Patricia Vieira, and Karoline Vitto – Representing established and emerging names.
- Hisha – A brand founded in 2018 by Giovanna Resende from Minas Gerais, making its first-ever runway appearance.
- Adidas – The only foreign brand in the lineup, presenting designs for the 2026 World Cup in partnership with Time Brasil.
- BlueMan, Salinas, Handred, Apartamento 03, Dendezeiro, and Aluf – Completing the diverse schedule.
LENNY NIEMEYER (Photo: Rio Fashion Week)
According to Oliveira, São Paulo Fashion Week remains more oriented toward the business environment, while Rio Fashion Week is part of a broader "lifestyle" strategy for the sector. The distinction reflects the complementary roles the two cities play in Brazilian fashion.
Oskar Metsavaht, Osklen's creative director, articulated this vision: "São Paulo has a well-established business and industrial base, while Rio has its own symbolic and cultural strength. When these two centers operate in a complementary way, Brazilian fashion gains depth, diversity, and international relevance."
Amazon-born Brands and Decentralization
A significant theme of the 2026 edition was the presence of designers from outside the traditional fashion hubs. Brands Aluf and Normando, both founded by designers from the northern state of Pará, showcased collections made from natural fibers, using RFW as a platform to expand their reach in Brazil and abroad.
Normando, established in 2020 in Belém, gained international visibility when actress Alice Carvalho wore a Normando dress at the Oscars. The piece was made from natural fibers of jute and malva, cultivated by families in the Amazon region. The brand's participation in RFW marked its entry into a more structured wholesale format.
For these brands, the return of a fashion week to Rio represents an opportunity to decentralize the calendar and reinforce the city as a production hub for the industry.
ÁRBOL ACEITERO (Photo: Rio Fashion Week)
GLOBO: A NOBREZA DO AMOR (Photo: Rio Fashion Week)
The Misci Show at the Sambadrome
One of the most anticipated moments was the Misci show at the Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí on Friday (17). The brand presented its new collection, "Escapismo Tropical," created in collaboration with carnival designer Annik Salmon and accompanied by the drum section of Beija-Flor de Nilópolis.
The event coincided with Misci's expansion into Rio. With five stores in São Paulo, the brand opened its first location in the city in January 2026, in Ipanema.
Carnival and High Fashion
An exhibition titled "A Alta Costura no Carnaval" (High Fashion in Carnival) ran throughout the event at the Pier Mauá hub. Curated by multi-artist Gringo Cardia and conceived by Milton Cunha, the exhibition featured 50 looks—costumes and headpieces—worn by celebrities including Sabrina Sato, Xuxa, Anitta, and Adriane Galisteu. All pieces were created by renowned designer Henrique Filho, and visitors could watch about 15 embroiderers from his atelier working live.
LENNY NIEMEYER (Photo: Rio Fashion Week)
Brand Activations and Sponsors
The event drew significant sponsor participation, with seven brands activating at Pier Mauá:
- Riachuelo (master sponsor) presented the concept "Incrivelmente Brasil," including a partnership with Misci featuring denim made with viscose containing 20% recycled cotton waste and bio-based elastane derived from sugarcane.
- Decathlon made its first appearance at a fashion week, sponsoring wellness programming and the Apartamento 03 runway show.
- Adidas was the sole international brand in the official runway lineup.
- PRIO delivered an artistic activation with young artists from Instituto Spectaculu creating portraits of visitors in real time.
- Beleza na Web and Sebastian Professional pioneered a live e-commerce channel for products used backstage.
- Mantecorp Skincare prepared models' skin for shows including Misci, Blue Man, Salinas, Osklen, and Apartamento 03.
- C6 Bank offered exclusive ticket pre-sales to clients.
ÁRBOL ACEITERO (Photo: Rio Fashion Week)
Looking Ahead
The return of Rio Fashion Week represents more than just an event—it signals a strategic repositioning of Brazilian fashion on the global stage. By establishing a complementary calendar with São Paulo, the industry aims to create a more structured and internationally relevant fashion ecosystem.
As Sharon Azulay, creative director at BlueMan, noted: "Rio is a global postcard that represents Brazil abroad. Bringing the summer fashion season back to the city is extremely important."
Read more: Fashion Capitals - Rio de Janeiro
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