China (Qingdao) International Fashion Week will kick off its seven-day run in style on the night of Sept 19 in Qingdao city in East China's Shandong province.

Proceedings got off to a great start with a seafront catwalk at the Olympic Sailing Center in the city's Shinan district, with the organizers saying it turned the 5A tourist spot into "an open-air theater of style".

The first-day opener features a drone light show that sketched silhouettes of gowns and the event logo above the harbor before the first model stepped onto a red carpet stretched along the marina breakwater.

Designers and invited guests are joined by local fashion students and ticket-holding members of the public, a break from the industry-only front rows of previous seasons.

A unique drone show will precede the runway, with hundreds of drones forming dazzling patterns in the night sky, creating a dreamy atmosphere of technology and fashion.

The highlight of the night will be a show by international high-end custom brand The Atelier, presenting its S/S26 wedding dress series "Fleurs Crues Plumes". The collection features feather-inspired designs that evoke a dreamy, artistic aesthetic.

The picture shows the opening scene of the 2024 China (Qingdao) International Fashion Week, the previous edition. [Photo/WeChat account: Shinanly]

Models pose together by Qingdao pier at the opening of last year's China (Qingdao) International Fashion Week. [Photo/WeChat account: Shinanly]