Ten designers, ten rescue organizations and twenty runway looks came together for the fourth annual Catwalk Furbaby, where fashion’s spotlight supported a greater purpose.
Fashion can captivate through creativity, but its influence can extend far beyond the runway. At New York Fashion Week, Catwalk Furbaby returned for its fourth annual presentation, bringing designers, models and animal rescue organizations together for a competition centered on philanthropy and animal welfare.
Created by Karen Floyd, founder of ELYSIAN Impact, the initiative pairs designers with nonprofit rescues, using fashion’s visibility to support charitable causes. The 2026 edition featured ten rescue organizations, ten designers and twenty runway looks, alongside $25,000 in People’s Choice, Judges’ and Publisher’s awards.
Ten Designers, Ten Rescue Organizations
The participating teams brought together diverse design perspectives and animal welfare missions.
The lineup included Second Chance Rescue NYC with Victor dE Souza; Stand Up for Pits Foundation with Any Old Iron; Foster Adopt Rescue Transport (FART) with Hot Girl Quilting; Wings of Rescue with D’Marsh Couture; and Operation Kindness Humane Society with Marc Bouwer.
Also participating were PetSet with Magpies & Peacocks; Companion Animal Alliance with L’Agence and Cate Brown Studio; Big Dog Ranch Rescue with Anne Fontaine; Bridgeport Animal Rescue Cre Connecticut (BARC-CT) with Bless Mazarura’s Bless by Bless; and Spartanburg Humane Society with Halyna Shunevych.
Twenty models brought the collaborations to the runway, connecting each designer’s creative vision with the mission of a participating rescue organization.
When Fashion Serves a Greater Purpose
At its core, Catwalk Furbaby uses fashion’s reach to bring greater visibility to animal welfare. By placing rescue organizations alongside designers and industry figures, the event creates a space where creativity, advocacy and philanthropy intersect.
The 2026 judges were Camelia Entekhabifard, Dr. Christina Rahm and Jean Shafiroff, with Charlii Sebunya serving as emcee.
Sponsors included BarkAir, Discover South Carolina, Merci Dupre Clothiers, International Development and Carmel Fauci. The event also acknowledged D Diamond NY, Pawsh House, Enid Blythe Mariebelle New York and the New York City International Fashion Film Festival.
A Growing Philanthropic Legacy
Catwalk Furbaby forms part of the broader philanthropic work of ELYSIAN and its charitable arm, ELYSIAN Impact. The luxury lifestyle brand empowers women through storytelling, mentorship and philanthropy, supporting initiatives benefiting women, children, animals, service and the environment.
To date, ELYSIAN Impact’s Catwalk Furbaby event has raised and distributed more than $475,000 toward philanthropic initiatives.
Funds raised through the 2026 event benefit the ELYSIAN Impact Fund, a component fund of the Spartanburg County Foundation, a charitable organization recognized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
By bringing designers and rescue organizations together, Catwalk Furbaby demonstrates how fashion can extend beyond spectacle. Its impact lies in the causes it brings into view and the communities it helps support, reminding audiences that creativity and compassion can share the same runway.
About ELYSIAN
ELYSIAN is a luxury lifestyle brand dedicated to empowering women through storytelling, mentorship and philanthropy. Through ELYSIAN Impact, its philanthropic arm, the organization supports initiatives benefiting women, children, animals, service and the environment.
Tighten the team list furtherMerge the final two sections
