Catwalk Furbaby returns to NYFW with rescue animals and designer teams

ELYSIAN IMPACT brought Catwalk Furbaby back to New York Fashion Week for its fourth year, pairing 10 rescue organizations with 10 designers in a runway event that mixed couture with fundraising. The 2026 edition included $25,000 in awards and benefited the ELYSIAN Impact Fund, which has raised and distributed more than $475,000 to date.

Why it matters: - Catwalk Furbaby turns New York Fashion Week visibility into fundraising for animal rescue and broader philanthropic causes. - The 2026 event added $25,000 in awards, raising the stakes for designers, models and rescue groups. - Funds support the ELYSIAN Impact Fund, a component fund of the Spartanburg County Foundation and a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3).

What happened: - ELYSIAN IMPACT staged the 4th Annual Catwalk Furbaby during New York Fashion Week in New York. - Karen Floyd, ELYSIAN IMPACT founder, publisher, filmmaker and philanthropist, created the event. - The 2026 show paired 10 rescue organizations with 10 designers for 20 looks. - The competition included People’s Choice, Judges’ and Publisher’s awards totaling $25,000.

The details: - ELYSIAN describes itself as a luxury lifestyle brand focused on empowering women through storytelling, mentorship and philanthropy. - ELYSIAN Impact says Catwalk Furbaby has raised and distributed more than $475,000 to date. - The event supports initiatives for women, children, animals, service and the environment. - Teams included Second Chance Rescue NYC with Victor dE Souza and models Rachel Donohue and Paige Erekat. - Other pairings included Stand Up for Pits Foundation with Any Old Iron; Foster Adopt Rescue Transport with Hot Girl Quilting; Wings of Rescue with D’Marsh Couture; Operation Kindness Humane Society with Marc Bouwer; 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, or BARC-CT, with Bless Mazarura Bless by Bless; and Spartanburg Humane Society with Halyna Shunevych. - Judges were Camelia Entekhabifard, Dr. Christina Rahm and Jean Shafiroff. - Charlii Sebunya emceed the event. - Sponsors included BarkAir, Discover South Carolina, Merci Dupre Clothiers, International Development and Carmel Fauci. - The team also thanked D Diamond NY, Pawsh House, Enid Blythe Mariebelle New York and the New York City International Fashion Film Festival.

Between the lines: - The event is designed to make fashion a vehicle for charitable attention, not just entertainment. - The mix of designers, rescue organizations and public voting suggests a format built for both competition and cause marketing. - The fundraising total signals that the concept has moved beyond a one-off runway stunt into a repeatable philanthropic platform.

What's next: - ELYSIAN Impact will direct proceeds from the 2026 initiative to the ELYSIAN Impact Fund. - Future Catwalk Furbaby editions are likely to keep linking fashion week programming with rescue and philanthropy. - The event’s awards structure and sponsor roster suggest the format may continue to expand its reach.**