The PennZone

OAKLAND, Calif. - PennZone -- FVF is a visually immersive evening of fashion, music and political theater that exposes the rise of fascism in the US and the need to resist. A runway revolution premiering October 3 in Oakland, CA. Democracy is under siege, and culture is one of our most potent defenses.

Fashion has always been a mirror held up to power, celebrating individuality, challenging convention, and giving people a language for self-expression when words fall short. This fall, a collective of designers, artists, and organizers is turning that mirror on the politics of the moment with Fashion vs. Fascism (FvF), a live runway show and political theater experience premiering October 3, 2026 at the Rotunda in Oakland, California.

Part fashion show, part protest, part performance art, FvF stages five runway collections, spotlighting the pillars of contemporary fascist politics and the urgent need to resist: the myth of a "glorious past," the manufactured emergencies used to justify surveillance and crackdowns, and the oligarchs and grifters profiting from it all. Runway fashion shares the stage with political theater and live music, with a closing call to action.

More on The PennZone

• Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania Honors United Way and Local Leaders
• New Finnish Affiliate Site Ilmaiskierrokset.com Puts Wager-Free Spins in the Spotlight
• Major FDA Victory; Preservative-Free Ketamine Approved Ahead of November 10 Goal Date as Commercial Launch Opportunity Comes Into Focus for NRx Pharma
• Veterans Day Breakfast Celebration in Valley Forge to Honor America's Military Heroes
• Best Black Friday 2026 Deals on Lightweight Foldable Electric Wheelchairs – Save Up to 60%

"We need lawsuits, ballots and mass protests, but none of it lands if we're not also fighting for people's imagination," says Linda Burnham, co-producer of the show. "People are exhausted and scared. Fashion vs. Fascism will expose the absurdities of fascist mythology and ideology in ways a news headline cannot, and spark new ideas about how to resist."

"Fascism doesn't win by policy alone. It wins by telling a story. A myth about a golden age. A permanent emergency that makes cruelty seem necessary. That's not an accident, it's a strategy, and it works on the same terrain as culture: image, spectacle, emotion," says Aya De León, the show's playwright.

"Every piece on this runway translates what is happening under fascism into a feeling," explains Erica Furlong, the Runway Creative Director. "One designer's trench coat is covered in pockets stamped TRUTH, MEMORY, HOPE, VOTE, FUTURE because that's literally what gets seized first, pocket by pocket, under fascist decline. Fashion can hold grief and hope in the same silhouette, and that tension is exactly what this moment needs."

More on The PennZone

• Immerse Yourself in the Historic Tochigi Autumn Festival, Celebrated Every Two Years Since 1874
• Resident Inspect Expands Virtual Property Inspections With AppFolio and Rentvine Integrations
• Unlocking the Next Phase of Growth with New AI Innovations; Targeting 2027 as Breakeven; Revenue Momentum Accelerates: ZenaTech (N A S D A Q: ZENA)
• Dr. Marilyn Pendelton Releases The Grief Reset to Address Grief Beyond Death
• AeroNet Deploys netElastic vBNG and CGNAT with Tarana Wireless to Deliver Scalable, Fiber-Class Broadband Across Puerto Rico

At its best, fashion is about creativity, diversity, innovation, experimentation and the free exchange of ideas. Fascism, by contrast, demands conformity and control, while suppressing dissent. Fashion vs. Fascism: because democracy should always be in style.

Featured designers include Erica Varize, Rickie Lee, Tianna Charity, Julie Wong, and Maria Flores. The evening features a script by lead playwright Aya De León, musical performances by Mindeullae Project and DJ Emancipation, and other special guests

FvF is designed to travel. Following the Oakland premiere, FvF will extend its reach through a documentary short, a curriculum on contemporary fascism in the U.S., and a full replication playbook — design templates, script, and curriculum — so organizers in other cities can stage their own version of the show.

Visit Fashion vs. Fascism for more details.