SOMAYA AHMADI AT VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK F/W 2026

Somaya Ahmadi FW26 — BODIES IN QUESTION

Day 2 at Vancouver Fashion Week

Introduction

At Vancouver Fashion Week, where emerging voices often speak the loudest, Somaya Ahmadi chose something far more compelling—she asked a question and let the clothes answer.

For Fall/Winter 2026, BODIES IN QUESTION unfolded not as spectacle, but as a confrontation.  Ahmadi explored how women's bodies are shaped—not just by fabric, but by history, expectation, and the ever-watchful gaze of society. The result? A runway that felt less like a presentation and more like a conversation we're still learning how to have.

The Designer: Somaya Ahmadi

Vancouver-based designer Somaya Ahmadi has steadily carved out a space for herself as a storyteller of substance. A graduate of La Salle College Vancouver (coverage of Somaya Ahmadi at La Salle College), she has applied what she has learned. Her work is deeply conceptual, centring women's lived realities and translating them into garments that feel both intellectual and emotionally resonant.

Her design language is built on a striking duality: structure and softness. Through architectural tailoring and controlled silhouettes, Ahmadi uses construction as a visual language of strength—while moments of fluidity introduce a quieter, more introspective femininity.

But what sets her apart is intent. From earlier collections like Zanan-e-Azad, which focused on resilience and the lived experiences of women, to her latest work, Ahmadi consistently approaches fashion as a tool for dialogue. Her garments don't just dress the body—they question it, challenge it, and ultimately empower it.

The Collection: A Study in Structure, Memory, and Resistance

A REVIEW

With BODIES IN QUESTION, Ahmadi pushes her narrative further, turning her focus toward the external forces that shape how women exist in the world. I spoke briefly with Somaya Ahmadi on the side of the runway. The designer explained how the collection examines how women's bodies are observed, judged, and defined by layered societal expectations. 

On the runway, this translated into silhouettes that felt deliberate—almost disciplined, inviting the audience to appreciate the careful craftsmanship behind each shape. Look 1 on the runway set the tone for a refined, sophisticated collection. The black satin bustier was sharp, and the one sleeve and train on the opposite side played with balance and asymmetry. There is a juxtaposition between the structured and the flowing draping. The exaggerated, pointed shoulders of look 2 gave us a slightly "Super Woman" vibe, which followed through the collection's silhouettes.  Ahmadi explored shape and how it works with or against the model's bodies. While unconventional elements were present, Ahmadi showed her developed skills with slick tailoring as seen in look 4, a pinstriped suit in a traditional navy. Somaya Ahmadi said in a recent interview, "Structure is a key metaphor in this collection. Tailoring and defined silhouettes represent systems that attempt to shape and contain women. But the garments are not about restriction- they are about transformation".

There was also a subtle but powerful emotional undercurrent. These silhouettes are for strong, confident women. The garments of this collection are embedded with meaning and are totally wearable, which, after all, is the purpose of fashion.

Somaya Ahmadi created a collection that empowered women with silhouette and colour. The colour palette was strong tones for the fall/winter season, black, navy and a couple of brilliant shades of red. Limited and bold colour defined the 10 looks, which together form a collection unified by the designer's powerful choices. The last two looks on the runway gave eveningwear. The first look: look 9, a gown in sparkling red and a darker red, sculptural bodice with sharp points, beautiful and slightly dangerous-looking. The closing look came from a slightly different voice, more playful, with a full circle skirt and a bead-fringed bodice in cherry-red.

One of the most poignant elements of the show was its casting. By featuring both younger and more mature models, Ahmadi allowed the same silhouettes to tell different stories. Identity, after all, is not static. It evolves, deepens, and reshapes itself over time. As each model moved down the runway, the garments seemed to shift in meaning—less about the clothes themselves, and more about the lives within them.

Closing Thoughts

Somaya Ahmadi isn't interested in offering easy answers—and frankly, fashion is better for it.

BODIES IN QUESTION is a reminder that clothing can do more than adorn; it can interrogate, protect, and empower. It asks us to reconsider not just how we see the body, but how we define it—and who gets to decide. Ahmadi delivered something enduring: a collection that lingers long after the runway goes dark.

Somaya Ahmadi and I at Vancouver Fashion Week

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