New York City International Fashion Film Festival Celebrates Global Storytelling and Honors 2025 Award Winners

The New York City International Fashion Film Festival (NYCIFFF) closed its third edition on September 17, 2025, with a night that fused cinema, fashion, and culture under one roof at Soho House New York in the Meatpacking District. With a packed house of filmmakers, designers, models, and creatives, the evening marked another milestone for the festival, which has quickly become a leading platform for fashion film worldwide.

This year’s program presented 40 official selections, chosen from more than 800 submissions—a record-breaking season. Filmmakers from 14 countries showcased their work, underscoring the festival’s mission to spotlight diverse voices and innovative storytelling within fashion.

Pedro Oberto, Festival Director, reflected on the caliber of the submissions:

The evening culminated in the exclusive screening of A Man With Sole – The Impact of Kenneth Cole, directed by Tony-winning filmmaker Dori Berinstein. The documentary chronicled Cole’s dual legacy as a designer and activist, blending his contributions to fashion with his advocacy for social change.

Following the screening, Cole joined Berinstein and Oberto for a live Q&A, inspiring emerging filmmakers and designers to explore fashion as both an artistic and cultural force. Cole captured the evening’s spirit succinctly: “Standing up for a cause, and standing out, will always get you noticed in fashion.”

Hosted by designer Marc Bouwer, the Awards Ceremony honored achievements across multiple categories:

• Fashion Documentary: A Man With Sole – The Impact of Kenneth Cole – directed by Dori Berinstein
  

• Fashion Film: Self-Mimetic – directed by Christophe Chudy, France
  

• Micro Fashion Film: Narente + Ivan Delogu Senes – directed by Franco Erre & Lucio Aru, Italy
  

• Model Performance: Candice Swanepoel – Where Time Stands Still by JP Micallef, French Polynesia
  

• LGBTQ+ Representation: Clash of the Prints – directed by Jimi Urquiaga, United States
  

• Music Video: Intruso – directed by Eugenio Recuenco, Spain
  

• Fashion Editorial Film: Florescence for Shon – directed by Alice Gatti & Diego Indraccolo, United Kingdom
  

• Best Emerging Talent: Edo Odion – directed by Samuel Chukwuebuke Iwor, Nigeria
  

• Best Student Fashion Film: Pure Negation – directed by June Seo, Parsons School of Design, The New School
  

• Fashion with a Purpose: Catwalk Furbaby 2 – directed by Karen Floyd, ELYSIAN Impact, United States

Beyond its winners, the NYCIFFF continues to define itself as more than an awards platform. With international participation, industry luminaries, and strong media reach, it fosters an environment where fashion intersects with activism, artistry, and storytelling. Official sponsors—including NYC Visuals, Marc Bouwer, Lawlor Media Group, and ELYSIAN Impact—helped elevate this year’s edition, reinforcing its reputation as a touchstone event on the cultural calendar.

In just three years, the New York City International Fashion Film Festival has carved out a distinct space within both the fashion and film industries. By championing creative risk-taking and highlighting global talent, the festival not only celebrates style but also challenges audiences to see fashion as a lens through which to understand culture, identity, and innovation.