Meet the New Creative Director of Graduate Fashion Week 2026: Jiawa Liu
From the new partnership, her career highlights to advice for emerging fashion talent…
Graduate Fashion Foundation runs its annual Fashion Week, also known as Graduate Fashion Week or abbreviated to GFW, every June.
This year marks Graduate Fashion Week’s 35th anniversary, so it is only right we mark the pivotal moment by introducing more creativity, a new perspective and elevate the springboard for new talent with fresh ideas. Not only is Graduate Fashion Foundation partnering with F&F for 2026, but fort he first time, we are working with a Creative Director. Introducing, Jiawa Liu!
We interviewed the multi-hyphenate creative to discuss the hugely anticipated Graduate Fashion Week 2026 and her grand plans for the showcase. We also couldn’t resist diving into Jiawa’s hugely successful career, the monumental moments throughout her journey, and, of course, her advice for emerging fashion talent wishing to pursue a career in the industry.
So, buckle up and read on for a truly inspiring conversation…
Huge congratulations on the exciting news! How are you feeling?
Thank you so much, I feel extremely honoured. More than anything, I feel a sense of responsibility. GFW is about the next generation who will contribute to and transform our world, and I see my role as helping to create the strongest possible framework for their work to shine.
“Graduate Fashion Week is such a significant platform in the UK and international fashion landscape, and to step into the role of Creative Director in its 35th anniversary year feels exciting and deeply meaningful. I’ve worked with GFW in various capacities since 2017, so it feels like the evolution of a relationship that has been important to me for many years.”
How did the collaboration come about?
Last year, I had the privilege of serving as a GFF ambassador, which allowed me to work closely with the Foundation. I hosted several seminars for the Fashion Accelerator programme, which helped me better understand the impact GFF has on students, and what happens behind the scenes.
What will your role as the GFW26 Creative Director involve?
My brief is to align GFW with GFF’s renewed identity by creating a strong, coherent visual language that translates GFF’s core values of talent, youth, progressiveness and creativity into a physical, immersive experience.
My role is to define the overarching concept and visual direction for the event, which includes creating a unifying idea that can be translated across signage, exhibitions and the broader visitor experience. It is not only about how the event looks in person, but how its image resonates across the industry. The goal is to build a strong visual language that reflects the core principles of GFW - creativity, progressive thinking and youth culture - within a physical space.
Practically, that means developing the concept deck, moodboards, collaborating with production teams, briefing graphic designers and working closely with stakeholders across departments.
Ultimately, my goal is cohesion. When someone walks into GFW26, every touchpoint should feel intentional and aligned with GFF’s renewed identity.
You’ve worked on global campaigns with brands including Chanel and Penhaligons, and with media from Harpers Bazaar Singapore to Vogue Australia. We’d love to know more about how you began working with such iconic industry names!
My path into fashion was not at all conventional. I originally studied and worked as a Lawyer in Australia, where I grew up, before I moved to Europe to pursue a career in the creative industry.
Over the past decade, I’ve worked across multiple layers of fashion. I was a Contributing Editor for top-tier publications, such as Vogue Australia and Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, where I directed and produced editorial stories, as well as cover shoots. I was a Freelance Director and Producer for a broad range of brands, including Chanel, Penhaligon’s and the Michelin Guide. Alongside these creative projects, I also built my own creative studio and developed a social media presence.
I can proudly say my experience has given me a dual perspective, both editorially and digitally, into how fashion operates across traditional and contemporary channels.
How did you break into the fashion industry?
I entered the industry in what was, at the time, a relatively unconventional way, though arguably more common today. I started as a blogger and content creator long before TikTok existed and Instagram had the influence it has now. As my profile grew, it created a plethora of new work opportunities.
“The first film I ever directed was an editorial story for Chanel, which opened even more doors for me.”
What has been a monumental career high?
While I don’t often think of my career in terms of ‘highs’, there have been certain projects that spoke to important cultural and historical moments, which I am proud to have been a part of.
One highlight was creating a global digital campaign for Valentino during the pandemic. At the time, physical shoots were restricted, so I produced the project between Paris and Dubai, and combined in-person shooting with CGI in post-production. It became a playful outlet at a time when the world needed imagination and lightness.
Another defining moment was producing and directing a Vogue Scandinavia cover starring Ceval and eight other transgender talents. This project felt significant not only creatively, but culturally, as it reinforced for me how fashion can reflect society but also help shape it.
However, I don’t consider these moments to belong to me alone; they are the result of teams collaborating to create something larger than any individual.
How are you preparing for GFW26?
Preparation has been both conceptual and strategic. I’ve reviewed previous editions of the event and the Foundation’s high-level objectives to understand how this year can best serve its mission. I’m also observing how global exhibitions, fashion weeks and cultural institutions are responding to a broader sense of oversaturation. I’m striving for clarity, intention and cohesion for this year’s GFW.
What can we expect from GFW26 and the 35th anniversary and what are you most looking forward to?
The 35th anniversary is a moment of reflection, but also reinvention. GFF’s rebrand positions it as brave, creative, spirited, inclusive and innovative, and I would like GFW26 to embody those qualities spatially. One of the key ideas I’m exploring is a response to oversaturation. In an age of constant digital noise, what does it mean to create something intentional and meaningful? I am looking at clarity, strong visual language, thoughtful design of space, and ensuring a sense of purpose behind every element.
I am excited to see how this year’s graduates interpret our moment. Students are in a unique position because they’re not yet constrained by commercial targets or market pressures. Instead, they are free to be creative, respond instinctively and critically to the world around them, sometimes in a confronting way, which we need from time to time. This fresh and unfiltered perspective is incredibly powerful, and I’m looking forward to witnessing it.
Why is GFW so pivotal for emerging creatives?
GFW is more than a showcase; it is a bridge into the industry, which many sectors don’t have. For many students, this is the first time their work exists within a professional context. It connects education to employment, visibility, as well as access to industry professionals, talent acquisition teams, editors and peers. The GFW Live talks, industry breakfasts and Careers Quarter initiatives offer genuine opportunities for dialogue and learning.
The platform is pivotal to their careers, which is precisely why I believe GFF and GFW are so important. They create a space where students can present their work to people in a position to give them opportunities. I only hope that students find supportive mentors and collaborators willing to take a chance on them, just as others once did for me.
What is your advice to students ahead of GFW26?
Firstly, step outside your own perspective and consider how you would like your work to be understood by the industry, not what you think people want to see, but what you want them to recognise about you. Often this comes down to legibility - how clearly can you communicate your vision? You do not need to convince everyone, only those who share your values and may want to support your journey.
Secondly, use this moment to build a community. The people beside you may collaborate with you in the future. There is enormous strength in pooling resources and ideas, especially at the beginning of your career.
What excites you most about the fashion industry?
Fashion exists at a fascinating intersection. At its base, fashion is functional - we all need to get dressed. On the other hand, it’s escapism, imaginative, and almost virtual in how it constructs alternate realities parallel to the real world.
What excites me most is that fashion can absorb ideas from every other industry, whether it's politics, technology, art or music, and translate them into something experiential. Few industries produce objects that are simultaneously functional and symbolic, offer a reflection and projection of our world, yet fashion encourages it.
What is your advice for creatives embarking on a career in fashion?
The industry can feel intimidating, and people fear it is oversaturated, especially with the democratisation of platforms and tools. However, the world is hungry for substance. So, before you think about building your image, focus on building meaningful work, something rooted in your own beliefs and unique perspective. Trends come and go, but meaning compounds.
What was the most useful piece of advice you have been given?
“Give them what they didn’t know they wanted.”
It’s important to understand the market, but it’s equally important to trust your instinct. If people aren’t asking for something yet, it doesn’t mean it’s not valuable, it may be they haven’t imagined it yet.
What are your 2026 trend predictions?
We are in a shift between what is easy to what is hard. With AI-generated content flooding our screens, we’re developing real fatigue for speed and volume. I think we’re experiencing a strong swing back toward valuing visible effort, craftsmanship, human process, and long-form storytelling.
In 2026, I foresee a renewed appetite for tactility, for reality, and for time invested. In practical terms, this could mean a renewed emphasis on traditional craftsmanship and slower, manual techniques. We may see more designers spotlighting how garments are constructed, rather than only how they look on a model. There is potential to see more transparency around the process and behind-the-scenes content that shows pattern cutting, textile development, weaving, and hand-finishes. The story of how something is made may become as important as the final image itself.
“Ultimately, I believe the biggest trend in 2026 may not be aesthetic, but intention, a renewed attention on the human hand behind the work.”
