The event, which concluded on 1 October, ran for six days and brought together more than 350 designers from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America. Independent brands from Russia, China, India, Sri Lanka, the US, Türkiye, Spain, the UK, Kenya and Nicaragua, among other countries, presented to an international audience of industry professionals. Organisers report strong interest from buyers, media and fashion experts, and describe the week as reinforcing Moscow's position as a global hub for emerging fashion.

Among the showcases was KikoRomeo, a Kenyan brand presented through a partnership between Nairobi Fashion Week and Moscow Fashion Week, and the show was, by the organisers' account, very well received. The collection let artisanal technique shape the patterns and textures. Motifs of the Turkana people of north-western Kenya appeared in geometric batik patterns and hand-painted designs on linen. Cotton was woven on handlooms, while stamped batik patterns were applied to brown fabric made from handmade yarn before dyeing. The menswear and womenswear were all made in Kenya and finished with hand-carved coconut-shell buttons, a detail that says as much about the label as any silhouette.

Founder Iona McCreath sees Moscow as a natural fit. "Every new opportunity opens another world. Our brand is very artistic and we know Moscow has a very strong art scene. We hope to find lots of synergy," she says. She links the brand's growth abroad to that artistic approach: "Our core purpose has always been to use art and fashion as a universal language to bring people together and build understanding across cultures. We are thrilled to bring our heritage, material intelligence, and story-driven craft to an expanding international audience."

The same thread of heritage ran through other shows. Russian house Slava Zaitsev presented couture that combined natural silk and damask brocade with Vologda and Yelets lace and hand embroidery, while Gapanovich also worked with Yelets lace. Alexandra Serova, whose gowns are chosen by celebrities for red-carpet appearances and the Met Gala, dedicated its Krasnaya Moskva collection to the history of the Russian fragrance of the same name, pairing hand embroidery with floral motifs. Others looked to painting for inspiration: Sol Selivanova Olga turned Russian canvases into fringe and shimmering threads, and Kiri revisited the 1950s with large flowers across a skirt and corset in tapestry-like fabric.

The international programme also included India's Kanika Goyal, whose KGL brand is worn by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone and who appears on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Presenting through an agreement with the Fashion Design Council of India, she showed her Arc Echo collection of braided denim and mosaic knitwear. British label Black Crown Label brought long dresses with kimono-inspired silhouettes, wide belts and theatrical hems.

For South African readers, the story has a local angle. Soweto Fashion Week's partnership with Moscow Fashion Week has enabled South African designers to show in Russia in previous seasons, and the country's fashion industry has followed Russian runway shows for several seasons. Stephen Manzini, founder and CEO of Soweto Fashion Week and president of the South African Fashion Association, sees a strong affinity between the two cities. "Designers in both cities are driven by passion – they tell stories through fabric, culture, and emotion," he says, adding that there is "this hunger to be seen, to redefine how the world perceives fashion from our regions."

He is candid about what the relationship has delivered. "Our engagement with Moscow Fashion Week has created opportunities for South African designers to access a new market and build relationships within the Russian fashion industry," Manzini says. "The biggest lesson is that meaningful partnerships can come from unexpected places."

For emerging African labels, that may be the real takeaway from KikoRomeo's week: a handloom, a stamp of batik and a coconut-shell button can travel a very long way.