Charlotte Fashion Week Settles Into PINE for Five Days of Runway

Charlotte Fashion Week opened Tuesday night with a kickoff party and runs through Saturday, September 26, with every show staged at PINE, 4100 Raleigh St., near the NoDa arts district.

The event is produced by Charlotte Seen, led by Rita Miles; the organization dates to 2010 and launched the fashion week in 2011. Organizers pitch it as open to anyone, from five-year-old first-timers to models in their 80s, regardless of experience.

The Week's Highlights

• Tuesday, September 22: kickoff party, 6:30 to 9 p.m., with champagne, small bites and desserts.
• Thursday, September 24: a design challenge at 7:30 p.m. sponsored by All About Fabrics. Designers choose their fabric within one hour, then have four months to build a full collection. The winner earns a place at New York Fashion Week next year.
• Friday, September 25: a sustainability-themed show built around recyclable materials, including a segment of garments made from a water brand's own bottles and labels.
• Saturday, September 26: two runway shows, a daytime show from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and an evening show from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., each preceded by a cocktail hour and vendor shopping. After-parties are at Stylus Lounge and Soul Gastrolounge.

Fashion show tickets run $58 to $79. Axios Charlotte reported more than 80 designers and 600 models taking part, though a ticketing listing cited smaller numbers, so counts vary by source.

More Than a Runway

The week also carries a message. Organizers say programming addresses bullying and mental health, with speakers at shows and rehearsals and encouragement for models to share their stories and seek support. Applications for designers and models for the 2027 edition are already open.

Sources: Axios Charlotte; Charlotte Seen.