Photo: Vancouver Fashion Week

Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) is back for its 17th season April 12 – 17, showcasing collections for Fall/Winter 2011. Since its start in 2000, VFW has become the premiere fashion event on the West Coast and a major platform for Canadian and international designers. VFW is also applauded by fashion insiders for its focus on culturally-diverse design and for acting as a platform for up-and-coming talent, including local Vancouver designers.

Despite being an industry event—VFW’s shows are packed with designers, buyers, and fashion editors—VFW is extremely friendly to consumers and fashion lovers of all stripes. Individual shows are just $25, or you can get a day pass for $75; if you love being in the forefront of fashion, that’s a small price to pay for seeing emerging designers whose clothes are both cutting-edge and (often) actually affordable.

VFW runway at the Empire Landmark Hotel. Photo: Vancouver Fashion Week

Like last season, the glamorous VFW runway is at downtown’s Vancouver Empire Landmark Hotel (grab a drink at the revolving Cloud 9 Restaurant while there).  Each day of VFW features several designers’ shows and demonstrates VFW’s dedication to diversity and creativity: Fall/Winter 2011 designers come from Paris, New York, Shanghai, Seoul, Los Angeles, Seattle, Edmonton, and Vancouver, with shows ranging from couture to street wear to aboriginal and eco-friendly designs.

Find a complete schedule—and details on the designers—here.

Vancouver Fashion Week runs from April 12 – 17, 2011.