DARK ROOM: A High-Fashion Performance That Changes the Way Fashion Is Experienced

During New York Fashion Week, Marcel Castellano Studio presents a cinematic production bringing together dance, theater and original music composed specifically for the event, featuring 20 models, 10 dancers and the studio’s Creative Director himself onstage.

On September 15, 2026, Creative Director and Visual Artist Marcel Castellano will premiere Dark Room at The Theater Center (210 W 50th St, New York), in the heart of Manhattan, as part of New York Fashion Week SS27. Dark Room moves away from the conventional runway to present a cinematically structured stage production in which the designs are not the only protagonists. Through theatrical lighting, live music and an original score, Marcel Castellano shares his vision and creative universe with the avant-garde approach that has always defined his work.

Music is the backbone of Dark Room. Composed entirely by Marcel Castellano, three original pieces will guide the movements of 20 models and 10 contemporary dancers onstage, with Marcel himself taking a central role in the performance.

The collection reinterprets conventional notions of designer fashion, often governed by trends, to explore the body, desire and sensuality from a different perspective through a Gothic and architectural aesthetic, without being explicit. His vision, developed through his studies at the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design in London and the Madrid Film Institute, is complemented by his knowledge of craftsmanship and respect for tradition and his roots. His production creates a constant dialogue between industrial techniques and the handmade work developed at his Artistic and Creative Laboratory in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.

“We do not conceive garments as isolated pieces, but as the physical construction of a cinematic scene. Dark Room brings the discipline of the atelier and the memory of traditional craftsmanship to the scale of a Broadway stage, showing that contemporary luxury lies in the skill and narrative of the person who creates it.”

Marcel Castellano

Following the presentation of the Alquimia Errante collection at NYFW 2025 and coverage in international publications including Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and L’Officiel, the presentation at The Theater Center further establishes Marcel Castellano Studio in the international market and reinforces the role of Latin American design in the future of fashion.

EVENT / LAUNCH DETAILS

• Production: Dark Room – A Fashion Performance

• Date: September 15, 2026

• Location: The Theater Center, 210 W 50th St, Manhattan, New York, NY 10019

• Presented During: New York Fashion Week 2026

• Stage Direction and Original Music: Marcel Castellano

• Cast: Marcel Castellano, 20 models and 10 dancers onstage

• Press and Media Credentials: web@marcelcastellano.com

  
  

Marcel Castellano Studio is a designer label based in the United States and Latin America, dedicated to preserving artisanal heritage while exploring contemporary visual expression. The press kit, high-resolution images and invitations for on-site backstage and red-carpet coverage are available exclusively through the official press email.

Written by Paola Lozano, Contributing Writer (@yoylamoda)