For its 2026 edition, the HEC Fashion Show reimagines one of the world’s most iconic fairy tales, Sleeping Beauty, through a bold, contemporary and beautifully stylized lens.
Titled HYPNOS, the show takes us inside the world of Liora, a central figure whose journey moves between dreams, sleep, transformation and awakening.
Inspired by Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, this year’s production explores the fascinating space between consciousness and the unconscious, where reality begins to blur and imagination takes over.
But HYPNOS is far more than a fashion show. It is a complete visual, narrative and sensory experience, where every look, silhouette, movement and atmosphere reveals another layer of the story.
The journey begins in a delicate world filled with light, flowers and softness, reflecting Liora’s innocence and youth.
That harmony is soon broken by a symbolic prick, plunging her into a deep sleep. The mood shifts as darker, more enveloping tones take over, drawing us into the mystery of her inner world.
From there, the dream begins to unfold in all its hypnotic glory. The universe becomes distorted, extravagant and completely free, allowing creativity and imagination to come alive without limits.
In the final act, Liora awakens to a modern, chaotic and vibrant world where visual codes collide. Her return to reality is lucid but disordered, marking the end of her journey and the beginning of a completely new version of herself.
A fashion fairy tale, reimagined.
PHOTOGRAPHY by Joshua Lai and Etienne Orfila-Gauthier
