16 September 2025  A new setting inside MuseumsQuartierFrom September 15 to 20, 2025, Vienna Fashion Week transforms the MuseumsQuartier once again into a stage for fashion, this time moving indoors to Halle E and G. Traditionally known for concerts and theater performances, these venues hosted yesterday's opening show, preceded by a gathering with music and drinks. The move marks a departure from the 16-year tradition of staging the event in a temporary tent outside the complex.Changing framework and reduced participationThe opening of the 17th Vienna Fashion Week presented an overview of participating labels, but the atmosphere felt less energetic than in past years — as if "the air had gone out." While the organizers offered their customary introduction, the usual greetings from key sponsors such as the Austrian government's arts division and the cultural department of the City of Vienna were absent. This omission, combined with fewer designers taking part, highlights the pressure on Austria's independent fashion scene. It suggests a negative interplay between the industry's financial challenges and the waning institutional support.Despite concerns, strong collectionsDespite the overall impression of strained circumstances, the collections shown at the opening proved engaging and worth seeing. From September 17, a sales popup will open at the MuseumsQuartier, offering another point of contact between designers and audiences. The full program with detailed scheduling is available on the Vienna Fashion Week website. For visitors, the event remains a chance to encounter surprising talents in contemporary fashion.Image: The opening evening of Vienna Fashion Week 2025: organizers Elvyra Geyer, Zigi Mueller-Matyas, and Maria Oberfrank introduce the program inside Halle E at MuseumsQuartier on September 15. Photo: © Fashion.at |