Vienna Fashion Week.26: collections by PLURAL, ROEE, Nicolas Dudek and more
From minimalist urbanwear and upcycling to fairytale tulle looks
Vienna Fashion Week.26 continues to demonstrate just how diverse contemporary fashion can be. In recent days, PLURAL, FRÖHLICH, Nicolas Dudek, Empowerment Studio, Michelbeuern Fashion School and ROEE presented their collections. On the runway, understated minimalism met upcycling, fairytale silhouettes met social initiatives, and the experiments of young designers offered different visions of what fashion can be.
PLURAL
The Graz-based label PLURAL has been creating clothing and bags for modern urban women since 2015. Its guiding principle is «live fair and beautiful» — a combination of aesthetics, comfort and a responsible approach to the environment.
The new collection is built around minimalism. Monochromatic looks, straight oversized silhouettes and clean lines dominate the range. Yet the simplicity of the cuts never feels boring — the focus instead falls on textures and the quality of the materials.
PLURAL works with certified organic fabrics, natural materials and other textiles produced according to sustainable manufacturing principles. The label designs its pieces in Austria, while production takes place both in Austria and elsewhere in Europe.
The result is a wardrobe for the city that is easy to imagine in everyday life. Relaxed silhouettes and fabrics that feel pleasant against the skin are designed to create a sense of freedom and confidence.
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FRÖHLICH, Presented by SAUBERMACHER
FRÖHLICH focuses on pieces that are not tied to a particular season. The label creates comfortable, uncomplicated clothing in small runs and as one-of-a-kind pieces.
Each garment is designed and made in a Vienna atelier. Production relies primarily on European leftover fabrics, known as deadstock. Vintage materials also find their way into the collections.
Upcycling is another important part of FRÖHLICH’s work. The team searches for unwanted textiles at flea markets, sorts them and transforms them into new garments. As a result, many of the designs exist only as one-of-a-kind pieces.
Each of these garments carries its own logo — «sin | gu | lär» — and effectively becomes a unique item of clothing. The label also accepts individual commissions, including requests for specific colors and sizes.
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Nicolas Dudek
For 19-year-old Nicolas Dudek, this show was particularly special — it marks the fifth consecutive time the designer has participated in Vienna Fashion Week.26, and he remains the youngest participant in the main program.
He founded his eponymous label in Vienna in 2022. Dudek taught himself how to sew, starting quite literally from scratch. Since then, he has become known for his romantic and theatrical designs, particularly voluminous tulle dresses with long trains.
Tulle has become something of a signature for Dudek. The designer uses it to create volume while maintaining a sense of lightness in his silhouettes. He also chooses sustainable leftover fabrics for his collections.
In 2025, Vogue Germany included Nicolas Dudek among 25 Austrian brands to watch. This year, the designer has also attracted considerable attention on social media, with his content reaching millions of viewers.
He titled his new collection «Les 101 Dalmatiens» and dedicated it to the famous story of the 101 Dalmatians and Cruella de Vil.
One side of the collection featured fluffy white silhouettes with black spots applied by hand to the tulle. The other explored Cruella’s aesthetic through dramatic dresses in vivid red and deep black, voluminous capes and sculptural ruffles.
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EMPOWERMENT STUDIO
Empowerment Studio offers a completely different perspective on fashion. The independent label operates in Kabwe, Zambia, and was founded in 2022 by Austrian designer Pia Hintz.
Each year, the studio creates one conceptual collection that reinterprets real-life experiences in Zambia through contemporary design, craftsmanship and the stories of local people.
For the label, however, fashion is only part of a much larger mission. Empowerment Studio aims to create long-term opportunities for women in the local community. The collections are made entirely by a team of Zambian artisans, who receive professional training, employment and opportunities to develop within the creative field.
All profits from sales are directed toward education, vocational training and the development of local communities.
Through fashion, Empowerment Studio also seeks to change the way Zambia is perceived around the world — presenting the country not only through the lens of aid, but as a place with its own culture, talent, craftsmanship and strong creative communities.
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ROEE
ROEE focuses on a simple but important idea — people should feel comfortable in their clothes while also being able to express their personality through what they wear.
The label aims to make contemporary fashion more accessible to customers without forcing them to choose between comfort and quality.
That is why ROEE’s collections combine practicality, comfort and the freedom to adapt garments to an individual style.
Vienna Fashion Week.26 continues to showcase fashion from a wide range of perspectives — from understated urban looks and responsible production to theatrical dresses, social initiatives and bold experiments by young designers.
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Michelbeuern Fashion School — «NAHTSCHATTEN»
Students from Michelbeuern Fashion School also presented their work at Vienna Fashion Week.26. The collections were brought together under the title «Nahtschatten».
The young designers deliberately move away from conventional approaches to clothing and seek to express personal experiences through form, materials and silhouettes.
In these designs, seams become more than a technical detail — they turn into an integral part of the design itself. Together with textures and construction, they help convey the character of each collection and a particular emotional state.
In this way, clothing becomes a means of expression without words — the designers’ inner experiences and perspectives take visible form.
The «Nahtschatten» show offered a glimpse into several different creative approaches of the younger generation and showed how students are rethinking the future of fashion.
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Photo for the cover: Instagram @irf_wien
