From Latin American fashion debuts to contemporary art and international recognition, September 30 brought a diverse creative community to Maison de l’Amérique Latine in Paris, where 12|11 PRO presented a program featuring global designers, cultural collaborations, and the VUGA TV Award 2026.
On September 30, 2026, the historic Maison de l’Amérique Latine in Paris became the setting for an international gathering that explored the many dimensions of today’s fashion and creative industries.
Rather than concentrating exclusively on runway collections, the event combined fashion presentations, contemporary art, music, professional recognition, and opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration.
Produced by 12|11 PRO, the program welcomed designers representing Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, alongside models, beauty specialists, artists, producers, and representatives of the international creative community.
The evening also featured the VUGA TV Award 2026, which recognized 26 professionals whose work spans fashion design, beauty, visual arts, modeling, and other creative disciplines.
Together, these elements reflected an increasingly interconnected fashion landscape in which designers, artists, media platforms, and production professionals contribute to a broader cultural conversation.
A New Chapter for Latin American Fashion in Paris
Among the defining moments of the September 30 program was a collaboration that introduced a new dimension to the international activities of Fashion Designers of Latin America (FDLA).
Founded by Albania Rosario, FDLA has developed a platform dedicated to connecting Latin American designers with international audiences and industry opportunities.
Having established a presence through projects in New York, the organization expanded its activities in Europe through its first collective runway presentation in Paris, produced in collaboration with 12|11 PRO.
Five brands and designers participated in this presentation: Michelle Espinoza, Jesús de la Garsa, Ivanildo Nunes, Valverde, and Urban Palais.
Their collections offered different interpretations of contemporary design, reflecting individual creative identities and the wider cultural influences shaping Latin American fashion.
The presentation illustrated how designers can draw from their heritage while developing collections intended for an international marketplace.
For FDLA, the Paris collaboration represented another stage in its mission to build connections across fashion capitals and create opportunities for designers to engage with new professional communities.
For 12|11 PRO, the partnership expanded the international scope of its Paris programming and contributed to a wider dialogue between designers from different regions.
A Global Fashion Program Bringing Together Distinct Creative Perspectives
The international character of the event extended beyond the FDLA presentation.
Throughout September 30, audiences encountered collections by designers whose work reflected different cultural backgrounds and creative approaches.
Romanian designer Diana Caramaci joined a lineup that also included Russian brands Run The Way and RAIS, Saudi Arabian brand SADF, and Kazakhstan’s Meruert Balmanova.
Vietnamese designer Nguyen Phuc Tuan presented Numéro 6: Vũ khúc Cố đô, adding another distinctive perspective to the international program.
The collections demonstrated how fashion can communicate cultural references, individual artistic interests, and evolving ideas about contemporary style.
While the participants came from different markets and design traditions, their work shared a common setting in Paris, allowing varied approaches to fashion to be presented within a single event.
The runway program also created opportunities for designers to establish connections beyond their domestic markets and engage with an international network of creative professionals.
The Production Team Behind the International Event
The scale of the September 30 program depended on an extensive production structure working behind the scenes.
More than 200 professionals participated in bringing the event to life, representing areas such as modeling, casting, makeup, hairstyling, technical production, backstage management, coordination, and volunteer operations.
International fashion producers Valentina Varnavskaia and Ruslan Evseev oversaw the overall production. Their professional activities include fashion projects in Paris, New York, Miami, and other international destinations, bringing experience across different markets and event formats.
For the Paris program, their responsibilities included coordinating the different runway presentations and managing the teams involved in their execution.
Mariia Anosova, serving as Casting Director, managed model selection and casting coordination for the participating designers.
The event’s beauty direction involved Cristina Cuellar and the Instituto Cristina Cuellar team, who worked on makeup and hairstyling for the presentations.
Backstage organization also received support from Ilyssa Wexler Zacchei and Fashion for Futures. Their volunteer team assisted with model coordination, backstage activities, and communication across departments.
Although runway shows are typically experienced through their final visual presentation, the work of these teams formed the operational foundation of the event.
Their combined efforts enabled multiple international designers and creative participants to present their work within a coordinated production.
When Fashion Enters the Art Gallery
While the runways introduced the work of international designers, another part of Maison de l’Amérique Latine offered visitors a different creative experience.
A contemporary art exhibition curated by Anna Sashina brought together Mirco Piccioli, Elen Sharafullina, and Komiljon Pattaev.
Rather than serving simply as a visual addition to the fashion program, the exhibition explored themes connected to artistic identity, cultural heritage, literature, and the representation of beauty.
For Anna Sashina, the relationship between contemporary art and high fashion provides opportunities to connect creative practices that are often presented separately. Her curatorial approach brings artists from different backgrounds into a shared setting, encouraging audiences to discover connections between their work.
Mirco Piccioli: Examining the Imagery of Fashion
Mirco Piccioli explores the visual language of luxury, glamour, and beauty through collage and video art.
His artistic practice considers the idealized images frequently associated with fashion and investigates the psychological and cultural tensions behind them.
Themes of femininity, perception, and contradiction play an important role in his work, offering audiences a perspective on the imagery that shapes contemporary fashion culture.
Elen Sharafullina: Literature, Culture, and Modern Elegance
France-based artist and writer Elen Sharafullina approaches creative expression through literature and cultural exploration.
As part of the exhibition, she introduced Advent Calendar: Its Origins and History, a book examining the historical development of Advent calendars and their continuing cultural significance.
Her literary work also includes Etiquette on Board: A Guide for Yacht Owners and Guests, which explores international etiquette within the world of yachting.
Komiljon Pattaev: Preserving Cultural Memory Through Photography
Documentary photographer Komiljon Pattaev focuses on the people, traditions, and cultural heritage of Uzbekistan.
His photographs explore everyday experiences and connections between generations while recording elements of national identity.
Traditional regional costumes are among the subjects represented in his work, providing visual insight into the historical and cultural diversity of Uzbekistan.
Together, the three artists gave the exhibition a multidisciplinary character, bringing different interpretations of identity, aesthetics, and cultural memory into the Paris Fashion Week setting.
VUGA TV Award 2026: Recognizing the People Shaping Creative Industries
Professional recognition was another major component of the September 30 program.
The VUGA TV Award 2026 ceremony honored individuals whose achievements represent different areas of the international creative economy.
The awards acknowledged work in fashion design, modeling, beauty, contemporary art, photography, literature, and related professional fields.
According to the event’s official selection protocol, 115 applications were evaluated, and 26 winners were selected.
The selection process considered factors including professional accomplishments, the quality and originality of creative work, international experience, and contributions to the development of individual industries.
The ceremony took place with the involvement of VUGA TV, an international media platform operating within the VUGA Group ecosystem.
Victoria Unikel, President and Co-Founder of VUGA TV, represented the platform’s leadership.
Valentina Varnavskaia held the roles of Fashion Director and Executive Producer of the awards, while Anna Sashina contributed as a media and creative partner.
By bringing together participants from multiple disciplines, the ceremony illustrated how the creative industries are shaped by contributions from professionals working both onstage and behind the scenes.
Designer Presentations Add a Fashion Dimension to the Awards
Alongside the recognition ceremony, guests were introduced to two designer presentations by STOPYCHEVA BRAND and ANNA SOUL.
Founded by Olga Stopycheva, STOPYCHEVA BRAND presented a collection as part of the awards program.
Stopycheva was also named Best Luxury and International Designer, recognizing her professional work in luxury and international fashion.
The second presentation featured ANNA SOUL, associated with designer Anna Rud.
Rud received the Best Kidswear Designer award for her achievements in children’s fashion.
These presentations allowed the designers’ collections to be experienced directly by the audience while their professional accomplishments were recognized during the ceremony.
Music as Part of the Evening’s Creative Identity
The event’s multidisciplinary atmosphere extended into its musical program.
French DJ and producer SØLSTICE provided an electronic music performance during the VUGA TV Award 2026 ceremony.
His participation introduced another creative discipline into the program, connecting the visual character of the event with contemporary music.
Guests also attended a performance by Alan Starovoitov, who presented Non ti scordar di me.
The combination of musical performances, runway presentations, and awards contributed to the evening’s broader cultural character.
The 26 Recipients of VUGA TV Award 2026
The awards recognized professionals across five principal categories, each representing a different part of the contemporary creative landscape.
Fashion Designers
The fashion design category recognized approaches ranging from innovation and conceptual design to ready-to-wear, luxury fashion, and childrenswear.
- 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
The beauty awards highlighted specialists working in makeup artistry, editorial beauty, hairstyling, and related areas of professional beauty expertise.
- 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
The art category acknowledged contributions to contemporary artistic expression and documentary photography.
- Mirco Piccioli — The Glamour, The Beauty and Its Contradiction Award
- Komiljon Pattaev — Excellence in Documentary Photography
- Roman Zhuchkov — Best Artist
Models
The modeling category recognized achievements across haute couture, editorial work, international runways, and beauty modeling.
- 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
The special awards acknowledged accomplishments in other creative and professional disciplines.
- 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
Together, the recipients represented a broad spectrum of professional activity, demonstrating the different forms of expertise that contribute to fashion, beauty, and the arts.
Brand Partnerships Connecting Fashion, Beauty, and Luxury
The Paris program also introduced audiences to brands operating in skincare, fragrance, and jewelry.
The involvement of POLARE PARIS, Young Voyage, and Oliver Weber reflected the connections between fashion events and the wider luxury and lifestyle industries.
POLARE PARIS: French Skincare Heritage
French premium skincare brand POLARE PARIS participated as the event’s Official Skincare Partner.
The brand traces its origins to 1907, when Parisian pharmacist J.B. Large began his work in facial skincare.
Today, its L’ÂGE-MIRACLE collection includes a serum, facial cream, and eye treatment developed to support hydration, firmness, and skin radiance.
During Paris Fashion Week 2026, POLARE PARIS contributed to backstage model preparation, integrating its skincare products into the fashion production environment.
Young Voyage: A Fragrance Concept Inspired by Music and Nature
Founded by Nadine Ahmad, independent perfume brand Young Voyage combines fragrance creation with musical and nature-inspired elements.
Its first fragrance, Musk Thé, is a vegan unisex eau de parfum featuring a 25% fragrance concentration and a composition of soft musk, floral notes, and vanilla.
The brand’s concept includes the development of an individual musical composition for each fragrance, creating a connection between scent and sound.
The Musk Thé packaging also incorporates plantable paper containing chamomile seeds.
The initial edition of Musk Thé consists of 1,000 bottles.
Oliver Weber: Austrian Jewelry Design
Established in 1994, Oliver Weber is an Austrian jewelry brand recognized for designs incorporating high-quality European crystals.
The brand participated in the Paris event by contributing special gifts for guests, bringing a jewelry and accessories element to the wider fashion and luxury experience.
Industry Experts Contribute to the Selection Process
The international program was supported by a professional review process involving specialists from different areas of the fashion and beauty industries.
For this purpose, 12|11 PRO worked with an expert committee consisting of Inesa Tyshchenko, Kateryna Dudka, Yana Kucherenko, Olimjon Salmon, and Valeriia Serebriakova.
Their involvement included reviewing applications submitted by designers, models, and beauty professionals being considered for the international fashion program.
The committee contributed industry perspectives to the selection process, taking into account candidates’ professional backgrounds, creative achievements, and potential.
This evaluation helped the production team develop a program featuring professionals from a range of disciplines and international markets.
A Paris Event Reflecting the Changing Structure of Fashion
The September 30 program at Maison de l’Amérique Latine illustrated how international fashion events can operate across several creative fields rather than focusing on runway presentations alone.
The collaboration between 12|11 PRO and Fashion Designers of Latin America introduced a new European platform for FDLA’s collective runway activities.
The broader fashion program connected designers from different countries, while Anna Sashina’s exhibition introduced artistic perspectives extending beyond clothing and collection design.
The VUGA TV Award 2026 recognized 26 professionals whose contributions reflect the diversity of the contemporary creative industries.
At the same time, partnerships with beauty, fragrance, and jewelry brands demonstrated how fashion events bring together creative production and commercial industries.
For the participating designers, artists, and professionals, the event created opportunities for visibility, international connections, and professional exchange.
For 12|11 PRO, the Paris program represented another chapter in its international production activities and its work connecting creative communities across different markets.
The gathering demonstrated that the relevance of a major fashion event increasingly extends beyond the clothes presented on the runway. Its broader impact can also be found in the partnerships it establishes, the professionals it recognizes, and the cultural exchanges it makes possible.
