On September 30, the historic Maison de l’Amérique Latine in Paris hosted international fashion shows, a contemporary art exhibition, and the VUGA TV Award 2026 ceremony, recognizing the achievements of 26 professionals across the fashion, beauty, and art industries.
Paris Fashion Week has traditionally brought together designers, artists, and creative industry professionals from around the world. Today, however, the fashion industry is increasingly moving beyond conventional runway presentations, transforming fashion events into platforms for international collaboration, professional recognition, and cultural exchange.
This approach formed the foundation of an extensive program held on September 30, 2026, at Maison de l’Amérique Latine in Paris.
Organized by the international production company 12|11 PRO, the event brought together designers from Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, alongside beauty professionals, models, contemporary artists, and representatives of the creative industries.
The program featured international runway shows, an art exhibition, special presentations, and the VUGA TV Award 2026 ceremony, dedicated to recognizing professional achievements in fashion, art, beauty, and related creative fields.
International Fashion on One Parisian Stage
One of the central highlights of the program was the first collaboration between 12|11 PRO and Fashion Designers of Latin America (FDLA), an international platform supporting fashion designers, founded by Albania Rosario.
Over the years, FDLA has established a professional network connecting emerging and established designers, primarily from Latin American countries. The organization supports their expansion into international markets, facilitates professional connections, and provides opportunities to present collections to broader audiences.
The joint project with 12|11 PRO marked an important milestone in the platform’s development: FDLA’s first collective runway presentation in Paris.
Five designers and brands participated in the shows:
- Michelle Espinoza
- Jesús de la Garsa
- Ivanildo Nunes
- Valverde
- Urban Palais
The collections showcased the diversity of contemporary Latin American fashion, where cultural heritage meets innovative design approaches and individual artistic visions.
The collaboration continued FDLA’s international strategy, which had previously focused on developing projects in New York, while opening new opportunities in the European fashion market.
From Europe to Asia: Designers from Different Cultures Share the Runway
In addition to the FDLA program, September 30 featured runway presentations by designers from several countries.
The collections included Diana Caramaci from Romania, Run The Way and RAIS from Russia, SADF from Saudi Arabia, Meruert Balmanova from Kazakhstan, and Vietnamese designer Nguyen Phuc Tuan, who presented the collection Numéro 6: Vũ khúc Cố đô.
Each participant brought a distinctive interpretation of contemporary fashion, shaped by individual creative experiences, national traditions, and aesthetic exploration.
Bringing together such diverse design perspectives transformed the runway from a space for presenting collections into a platform for international cultural dialogue.
For the designers, participating in the Paris program provided an opportunity to introduce their work to new audiences, expand professional networks, and strengthen their brands’ international presence.
Behind the Scenes: An International Team of More Than 200 Professionals
Organizing an international fashion program of this scale required extensive preparation and coordination among numerous professional teams.
More than 200 professionals contributed to the production, including models, casting directors, makeup artists, hairstylists, technical specialists, producers, backstage coordinators, and volunteers.
Overall production management was led by Valentina Varnavskaia and Ruslan Evseev, international fashion producers working on projects in Paris, New York, Miami, and other cities.
Casting Director Mariia Anosova was responsible for model selection and coordinating the casting process across the various runway shows.
The beauty department was led by Cristina Cuellar, together with the Instituto Cristina Cuellar team, providing professional makeup and hairstyling services for participants.
Ilyssa Wexler Zacchei and Fashion for Futures also made a significant contribution. Their volunteer team supported backstage operations, model coordination, and communication between production departments.
The coordinated efforts of these professionals made it possible to bring together numerous designers, models, and creative participants within a unified international program.
Fashion Meets Contemporary Art: An Exhibition Curated by Anna Sashina
A distinctive part of the program was a contemporary art exhibition curated by Anna Sashina.
The exhibition brought together three artists working across different creative disciplines: Mirco Piccioli, Elen Sharafullina, and Komiljon Pattaev.
Its concept explored the relationship between fashion, visual art, literature, and cultural memory.
Anna Sashina views contemporary art and high fashion as interconnected forms of creative expression. Through her curatorial projects, she creates spaces where artists from different professional and cultural backgrounds can engage in dialogue with one another and with audiences.
Mirco Piccioli works at the intersection of collage, video art, and the visual aesthetics of luxury fashion. His work explores beauty, glamour, femininity, the psychology of perception, and the contradictions concealed behind the idealized imagery of the fashion industry.
Elen Sharafullina is an artist and writer based in France. Her creative practice combines art, cultural traditions, and contemporary interpretations of elegance.
During the Paris program, she presented her book Advent Calendar: Its Origins and History, which explores the origins and evolution of Advent calendar traditions and their place in contemporary culture.
Sharafullina is also the author of Etiquette on Board: A Guide for Yacht Owners and Guests, a book dedicated to international etiquette and yachting culture.
Komiljon Pattaev is a documentary photographer whose work explores Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage, everyday life, and the connections between generations.
His photography focuses on human stories, national traditions, and historical memory, including the heritage reflected in traditional costumes from different regions of Uzbekistan.
The exhibition became an independent artistic component of the event, extending its creative concept beyond the runway.
VUGA TV Award 2026: International Recognition of Achievements in the Creative Industries
The program culminated in the VUGA TV Award 2026 ceremony, an international awards event recognizing professional achievements, innovation, and creative contributions in fashion, beauty, art, and modeling.
The awards brought together professionals from diverse backgrounds, providing an opportunity to recognize both established industry figures and emerging creative talent.
According to the official selection protocol, 115 applications were reviewed, resulting in the selection of 26 winners.
The evaluation considered participants’ professional achievements, originality of creative approach, quality of completed projects, international activities, and contributions to their respective fields.
The awards were held with the participation of VUGA TV, an international media platform within the VUGA Group ecosystem.
Victoria Unikel, President and Co-Founder of VUGA TV, represented the leadership of the media platform.
Valentina Varnavskaia served as Fashion Director and Executive Producer of the awards, while Anna Sashina participated as a media and creative partner.
Special Runway Presentations by STOPYCHEVA BRAND and ANNA SOUL
The VUGA TV Award program also featured special fashion presentations by two designer brands.
STOPYCHEVA BRAND, founded by designer Olga Stopycheva, presented its collection during the ceremony.
Olga Stopycheva was also honored with the Best Luxury and International Designer award, recognizing her achievements in luxury and international fashion.
The second presentation featured ANNA SOUL, a brand associated with designer Anna Rud.
Anna Rud received the Best Kidswear Designer award, recognizing her creative achievements in children's fashion.
Both runway presentations became part of the awards’ artistic program, combining professional recognition with the opportunity to showcase collections on an international stage.
Musical Program: DJ SØLSTICE
Music played an important role in creating the atmosphere of the VUGA TV Award 2026.
French DJ and music producer SØLSTICE performed during the ceremony, complementing the program with contemporary electronic music.
His participation highlighted the multidisciplinary nature of the event, which brought together fashion, art, professional recognition, and musical culture.
The evening also featured a performance by Alan Starovoitov, who performed Non ti scordar di me.
Complete List of VUGA TV Award 2026 Winners
Following the professional selection process, 26 winners were recognized across five categories.
Fashion Designers
- Anna Sarkisian — Best Innovative Designer.
- Olga Stopycheva — Best Luxury and International Designer.
- Yuliia Volosovych — Best Ready-to-Wear Designer.
- Kateryna Frumina — Best Conceptual Designer.
- Anna Rud — Best Kidswear Designer.
Beauty
- Elena Zaborskaia — Best Makeup Artist, Natural and Fashion Beauty.
- Veronika Zaborskaia — Best Makeup Artist, Editorial.
- Michéle Magdić — Best Makeup Artist, Fashion.
- Yuliia Baranovska — Best Hairstylist, Editorial & Best Beauty Expert.
- Kristina Alferuk — Best Celebrity Makeup Artist, Art / Fashion.
- Naltana Kruk — Best Makeup Artist, Art, Fashion & Editorial.
- Solomiia Romaniuk — Best Brow Expert.
- Alina Kuznevych — Best Hairstylist, Fashion.
- Alona Ksenofontova — Hairstylist, Art Category.
Art
- Mirco Piccioli — The Glamour, The Beauty and Its Contradiction Award.
- Komiljon Pattaev — Excellence in Documentary Photography.
- Roman Zhuchkov — Best Artist.
Models
- Iuliia Bazhan — Best Haute Couture Model.
- Anya Marcon — Best Editorial Model.
- Luana Larkin — Best International Runway Model.
- Marie Rich — Best Beauty Model.
- Anastasiia Nagornaya — Best International Model.
Special Awards
- Kozhokar Olena — Excellence in Wedding Visual Storytelling.
- Mariia Anosova — Contribution to the Fashion Industry Award.
- Kateryna Brovkova — Innovation Award.
- Elen Sharafullina — Excellence in Contemporary Literature.
The ceremony highlighted the diversity of professional disciplines within today's creative industries, where the achievements of designers, artists, models, and beauty experts contribute to a shared international professional community.
Event Partners: Beauty, Perfumery, and Jewelry
Brand partners representing different sectors of the contemporary luxury industry played an important role in supporting the event.
POLARE PARIS — Official Skincare Partner
POLARE PARIS is a French premium skincare brand whose heritage dates back to 1907, when Parisian pharmacist J.B. Large began working in facial skincare.
Its signature L'ÂGE-MIRACLE collection includes a serum, face cream, and eye treatment designed to support skin hydration, firmness, and radiance.
During Paris Fashion Week 2026, POLARE PARIS served as the event’s official skincare partner, contributing to model preparation backstage.
Young Voyage — Fragrance as a Journey of Personal Growth
Young Voyage is an independent fragrance brand founded by Nadine Ahmad, whose concept brings together perfumery, music, and nature.
Its debut fragrance, Musk Thé, is a vegan unisex eau de parfum with a 25% fragrance concentration, blending soft musk, floral notes, and vanilla.
A distinctive feature of the Young Voyage concept is that each fragrance will be accompanied by its own musical composition. The Musk Thé packaging also includes plantable paper embedded with chamomile seeds.
The fragrance’s first release is limited to 1,000 bottles.
Oliver Weber — Austrian Jewelry Traditions
Oliver Weber is an Austrian jewelry brand founded in 1994, known for its jewelry featuring high-quality European crystals.
The brand supported the event by providing special gifts for guests.
Professional Selection of International Program Participants
Preparations for the international event included a professional selection process in which 12|11 PRO involved independent experts from the fashion, beauty, and modeling industries.
The expert committee included Inesa Tyshchenko, Kateryna Dudka, Yana Kucherenko, Olimjon Salmon, and Valeriia Serebriakova.
The experts participated in reviewing applications from designers, models, and beauty professionals, assisting the production team in selecting participants for the international fashion program.
This approach combined creative diversity with professional evaluation of candidates’ experience, achievements, and potential.
International Perspectives: New Partnerships and the Development of Creative Industries
The September 30 event demonstrated how multifaceted an international fashion week program can be.
Within a single program, designer collections from different countries came together with contemporary art, musical performances, professional awards, and international brands.
For designers, participation in the Paris project provided an opportunity to present their collections to new audiences and expand professional connections.
For artists and VUGA TV Award recipients, the event offered an international platform for recognition of their achievements and opportunities to connect with representatives of other creative disciplines.
For the organizers, the program continued their work in developing international fashion projects, establishing new professional partnerships, and strengthening collaboration across the creative industries.
The joint project between 12|11 PRO and Fashion Designers of Latin America marked the beginning of a new chapter in international collaboration, while the VUGA TV Award 2026 ceremony emphasized the importance of professional recognition and support for creative talent.
Paris once again reaffirmed its role not only as one of the world's fashion capitals but also as a meeting place for different cultures, artistic ideas, and professional communities.
Photo Credit: 1211 PRO
