DFB Festival 2025: Showcasing original design and local identity in Brazil

Fairs|In Pictures

Catwalk show space Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Between May 14 and 17, the Ceará Events Centre in Fortaleza hosted the 2025 edition of the DFB Festival. With Claudio Silveira as the event's creator and director, and Helena Silveira as executive director, the festival brought together original designers and brands in catwalk shows, talks and discussion panels. There were also stands and an exhibition featuring fashion and homeware brands, with the aim of encouraging reflection on the paths of creation through the integration of tradition, innovation and local identity.

Straw chandeliers in the homeware exhibition Credits: Marta De Divitiis/FashionUnited

Claudio, at the opening of the event, highlighted the festival's role as a platform for visibility for Ceará fashion. He emphasised: “Here we celebrate the creative energy of our people, which has made Fortaleza synonymous with design, a city that breathes creativity and innovation (the city was awarded the title of Creative City of Design by Unesco - editor's note). Much of this is possible thanks to the joint efforts of civil society and the government.” Among those present were government authorities for culture and tourism, as well as representatives of companies supporting the festival, which had the theme ‘Original Intelligence’.

Leather and straw bags on an accessories stand Credits: Marta De Divitiis/FashionUnited

New Talent Competition

Through the New Talent Competition, the DFB Festival featured catwalk shows by students from various educational institutions who competed for a prize of 20,000 reais. The participants were: Unifor (Ceará), UFCA (Ceará), IFRN (Rio Grande do Norte), Senai RN (Rio Grande do Norte), Unipê (Paraíba), Unama (Pará), UFMG (Minas Gerais) and UCS (Rio Grande do Sul).

The top three were UCS – Universidade de Caxias do Sul (RS), which won the prize of 20,000 reais, followed by Unama – Universidade do Amazonas (PA) and Unipê – Centro Universitário (PB).

Look from the UCS collection, which came first in the New Talent Competition Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Patchwork dress in holographic material in the Unama look, second place in the New Talent Competition Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Mix of materials in the dress and cape from the Unipê catwalk show, third place in the New Talent Competition Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Lace, Upcycling, Handmade and Sophisticated Shapes

Lace patchwork on the Melk Zda dress and jacket Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

The Catarina Mina dress has lace inserts forming geometric designs Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Coloured lace top, straw bag and tailored shorts at 100 percent Ceart Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Asymmetric lace blouse with tailored palazzo pants from the brand Almerinda Maria Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Jonhson Alves worked ruffles and transparencies into the dress Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Dress with applied rouleau loops from the brand Hand Lace Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Lindenbergue opted for illustrations inspired by paintings by Egon Schiele Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Crochet wheel top imitating the print of the skirt at Oco Club Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Tailored piece worn with a macramé top, by Vitor Cunha Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Fluid dress with a print in warm tones, by Marina Bitu Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Animal print, lace and embroidery in the George Azevedo look Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Wide trousers and shirt developed from denim waste from the brand Creations Lil Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

David Lee used tea towels to develop shirts and blouses, trimmed with crochet Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Almir França developed a collection with waste from uniforms from the energy company Enel, which supports the event Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

Well-made tailoring on the trousers and blouse with functional pockets, by Bruno Olly Credits: Eduardo Maranhão

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

DFB Festival

original fashion

Sustainable Fashion

Upcycling