What happens when one of the world’s most recognizable brand identities is handed over to a new generation of designers? At IMA 2026, McDonald’s Pakistan found out. Through its collaboration with the School of Art & Design, Superior University, the brand became the starting point for original student collections that took familiar McDonald’s cues beyond their usual setting and into fashion.
Rather than simply reproducing logos or signature colours, the young designers approached McDonald’s as a creative language of its own. The Golden Arches, packaging, products, visual identity and playful personality were interpreted through different silhouettes, materials and design perspectives. With six creative approaches coming together on the runway, the showcase demonstrated how a familiar brand can take on entirely new forms when emerging creatives are given the freedom to make it their own.
The experience also gave students something more valuable than inspiration: the chance to work with a real-world brief and see their ideas move from the classroom to a professional platform. By opening its identity to young designers, McDonald’s Pakistan helped create a space where experimentation could lead to exposure, confidence and industry experience. At IMA 2026, the brand’s move into fashion became as much about the people creating the collection as the collection itself.
