ATLFW 2025: Creating Space in Atlantic Station: Runway shows, Pop-ups, and Events
- evobeautyworldwide
- Sep 15
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 1
This October, Atlanta Fashion Week (ATLFW) returns — but this time it’s not just a week of runway shows. With its 2025 edition, ATLFW is transforming Atlantic Station into a fully immersive fashion ecosystem: storefront activations, talks, pop-ups, brand moments, public access, runway, retail, and community engagement. In short: fashion doesn’t just take place; it lives.
Under the banner “Creating Space,” ATLFW is not merely exhibiting design — it’s offering visibility, infrastructure, and connection to emerging voices. As founder Angela Watts put it: the goal is “visibility, building brand awareness and giving creators the opportunity to connect directly with the people who wear and support their work.
Here is your full guide: events, activations, sponsors, and how to plug in.
In a bold move, ATLFW 2025 places its heart at Atlantic Station, turning its retail corridors, storefronts, and streets into stages. ATLFW activates three core tracks:
The Shows — runway presentations (women’s fashion on Oct 3; men’s on Oct 4) for press, buyers, and cultural tastemakers
The Shops — pop-up storefronts, emerging designer retail, exclusive drops, and experiential brand spaces.
The Talks — panel discussions, workshops, thought leadership and community conversations at the intersection of fashion, identity, innovation, business
Because Atlantic Station is a mixed retail + residential + public space, guests can flow between shows, shops, and talks without the typical gated separation. It gives ATLFW a street-level energy.
Also note: ATLFW kicks off Oct 2 with an invite-only opening night and concludes Oct 5 with a public shopping experience at Bloomingdale’s.
Pre-Events & Cultural Bridges
ATLFW leads up with events that set the cultural tone and link fashion to broader art, music, and discourse. Here’s a taste of what’s happening:
Drive & Design: A Private Evening with BMW x ATLFW (September 24, 2025) — an exclusive, invite-only blending of automotive design + style conversations.
SKIP Day Presents: Fashion • Art • Music • Eats (September 26) — ATLFW creates immersive installations, music, food trucks, DJ sets, and art experiences, collaborating with the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF).
Group Project: Partnerships in Fashion & Business (Sept 26, evening) — a mixer + live panel discussion with industry leaders, exploring how creative and business partnerships are formed. Atlanta Fashion Week
Also, Atlanta Art Fair runs in late September (Pullman Yards) as a visual art backdrop to fashion’s emergence in the city.
These pre-events provide momentum, audience crossover, and narrative build for the fashion weekend proper.
Daily Highlights & Signature Activations: Runway shows, Pop-ups, and Events
Opening Night Celebration & Fashion Visionary Award — ATLFW ushers in the week by honoring James Whitner (founder of The Whitaker Group) with a Fashion Visionary Award and a kickoff gala.
adidas Originals Pop-Up Experience — located in the former Z Gallerie building in Atlantic Station (4:00–8:00 PM), this immersive setup includes style previews, branding touchpoints, and live styling moments.
Lenox & Parker Present: Couture Collective: Faith, Fashion & Philanthropy — a panel + presentation event (6:30–9:30 PM) spotlighting celebrity stylists, fashion and faith conversations, and philanthropic dialogue.
Friday, Oct 3 — Women’s Fashion & Shoppable Pop-Ups
ATLFW: The Shows – Women’s Collections
Popup & shops operate throughout Atlantic Station: discover emerging designers, limited drops, brand activations.
Talks & workshops on topics like branding, fashion tech, sustainability, creator economies.
BMW experiential activation — as part of its renewed partnership (BMW is ATLFW’s automotive sponsor), expect curated brand spaces, VIP lounges, lifestyle integrations, surprise installations.
Saturday, Oct 4 — Men’s Fashion & Elevated Crossovers
ATLFW: The Shows – Men’s Collections
Fashion + Art crossovers — certain pop-up storefronts may blend visual art, fashion installations, and multimedia displays.
Public/walkable programming — more open access, allowing the community to engage with shops, talks, and interactive zones.
Sunday, Oct 5 — Finale, Shopping & Community Access
Public shopping day at Bloomingdale’s (Atlantic Station / Lenox Square) — the week closes with an open-access retail experience.
Final activations, meet-and-greets, designer pop-ups, and maybe encore performances.
Wrap-up talks or casual panels to reflect and invite next steps.
Candleporium Fragrance House presents...
Noted: The Official Sensory Lounge of Atlanta Fashion Week.
This two-day experience is where fashion meets fragrance — and every guest becomes part of the story. From wine tastings to soundscapes to live screen printing, each stop engages your senses and reveals a unique fragrance note.
Collect your notes. Create your blend. Leave with something special.
You’ve been Well Noted.
Creating Space:
Key Partnerships, Sponsors & Brand Moments
To understand the infrastructure—and opportunity—behind ATLFW 2025, here are prime brand activations and sponsorship details.
BMW x ATLFW
BMW returns as a multi-year sponsor, bringing design, luxury, and lifestyle activations into the fold.
BMW will host invitation-only experiential spaces during the week.
In pre-fashion week programming, BMW is activating storytelling campaigns and luxury touchpoints.
The idea is not merely to display cars—but to embed BMW into moments of creation, design, culture and style.
Atlanta Fashion Week x Bloomingdale’s Retail Incubator
ATLFW continues its partnership with Bloomingdale’s Lenox Square via a Retail Incubator program called the Summer Solstice Collection, featuring rising brands like Bēchë, Tribal ëyës, and R&R Skincare.
The incubator runs from June 2 through September 25, 2025.
In-store activations, meet-and-greets, and designer showcases will drive visibility before the fashion week window.
During ATLFW, the connection to Bloomingdale’s gives designers a retail launch pad and shoppers a curated access point.
Microsoft (past ATLFW partnership) was among brand partners for programming like panels or cocktails.
Independent designers, artist-led brands, retail pop-ups form the heart of The Shops activation.
ATLFW’s web presence encourages brand sponsorships and activations as a core part of how the event is built.
Designer Participation & Presentations
ATLFW is a juried platform. Designers applying for 2025 must meet criteria including a track record, portfolio, brand identity, and sales presence. Once accepted, designers are responsible for models, hair & makeup, and production of their runway or presentation.
In addition to runway shows, designers may offer Fashion Presentations, intimate, immersive
viewing sessions where audiences can experience designs up-close and interact with the designer.
This hybrid model (runway + presentation) gives flexibility: not all designers need a formal catwalk to showcase their work.
What Makes ATLFW 2025 Distinct
Public integration — by embedding into Atlantic Station, parts of ATLFW are open, consumable, walkable. It’s not behind velvet ropes only.
Multi-track programming — combining runway, retail, talks, activations give something for every stakeholder: designers, shoppers, creatives, press.
Brand ecosystem approach — partners like BMW and Bloomingdale’s aren’t just sponsors; they’re experience architects (pop-ups, incubators, storytelling zones).
Year-round value — the Bloomingdale’s incubator and pre-event programming give creative momentum months before October.
Amplified access — community and public moments reduce barriers between audience and creator.
ATLFW 2025: Creating Space in Atlantic Station: Runway shows, Pop-ups, and Event
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