Avavav Turns the Runway Inside Out - and Oatly Pours it Forward
Rhea-AI Summary
Oatly (OTLY) partnered with Avavav for a reversed-runway performance at Milan Fashion Week on March 1, 2026, turning guests into the observed and models into spectators.
Oatly created three oat-based signature drinks — New Fashioned, Lace Bottoms Up and Jell-OAT Shot — designed to translate the collection’s silhouettes, textures and concepts into flavor and form.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
OTLY was down 2.14% pre-news with mixed peer moves: USNA (-1.06%), WEST (-4.12%), LWAY (-0.18%), JBSS (+2.27%), MAMA (+0.82%). Only one momentum-screened peer (SENEB, +2.21%) appeared, supporting a stock-specific rather than sector-wide setup.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11 | Year-end report posted | Neutral | -9.6% | Publication of interim condensed consolidated financial statements for 2025. |
| Feb 11 | Q4 & FY25 earnings | Positive | +10.7% | Improved margins, narrower net loss, and positive Adjusted EBITDA with 2026 guidance. |
| Jan 12 | Earnings date notice | Neutral | -0.3% | Announcement of timing and webcast details for Q4 2025 results release. |
| Oct 29 | Q3 2025 earnings | Neutral | -3.5% | Q3 revenue growth with flat margin and a wider net loss driven by financing costs. |
| Oct 16 | Trend report launch | Positive | +3.4% | Release of Future of Taste Report highlighting emerging beverage trends for 2026. |
OTLY has shown stronger positive reactions to clearly constructive updates (e.g., margin-improving earnings, trend reports) while more neutral filings and routine disclosures have often coincided with negative moves.
Over the past six months, Oatly’s news flow has centered on financial results, refinancing, and brand positioning. On Feb 11, 2026, Q4 and full-year 2025 results highlighted revenue of $233.8M, gross margin of 34.5%, and improved Adjusted EBITDA, with shares rising 10.72%. The same day, publication of the full year-end report saw a separate -9.6% move. Earlier, Q3 2025 results on Oct 29, 2025 brought revenue of $222.8M but a wider net loss and a -3.46% reaction. Brand/trend content like the Future of Taste Report on Oct 16, 2025 coincided with a 3.36% gain, suggesting marketing and cultural positioning have also been well received at times.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights Oatly’s collaboration with Avavav at Milan Fashion Week, where three oat-based signature drinks were woven into a performance-focused runway concept. The news reinforces Oatly’s emphasis on culture and experimentation rather than providing new financial or regulatory details. In context of recent earnings improvements and refinancing activity, investors may watch whether such creative partnerships translate into sustained volume growth, margin support, and broader brand relevance beyond the core drinks category.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Where fashion performance meets oat drink innovation
MILAN, March 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avavav and Oatly, the world’s original and largest oat drink company, come together at Milan Fashion Week for Avavav’s Autumn/Winter 2026 show, to blur the boundaries between fashion, performance and flavor.
Staged as a reversed runway, the show turned the traditional format inside out: guests become the ones being observed, while models take their place as spectators. Continuing Avavav’s ongoing exploration of fashion as performance rather than presentation, the concept plays with exposure, perspective and power, reframing who gets seen, and who does the seeing.
Within this immersive world, Oatly didn’t just show up; it made the performance drinkable, translating silhouettes into sips.
A shared language of culture and experimentation
Speaking about the creative exchange, Beate Karlsson, Creative Director of Avavav, said:
“For me, fashion is about creating worlds - not just clothes. Over the years, Avavav has become known for creating performances rather than traditional runway shows. This format allowed us to work with contrast, between observation and exposure, depth and entertainment, while responding to an industry still shaped by a male gaze, despite being built around womenswear and female consumers.
Community has always mattered to us, but right now it feels more important than ever. Working with Oatly felt natural because they don’t just make oat drinks, they build culture. They understand humor, experimentation, and vision. The drinks became an extension of the collection, playful, strange, thoughtful and very Avavav.”
The creative exchange reflects a shared belief in expression without boundaries. Both Swedish-born brands are known for challenging convention in their respective industries, Avavav through radical runway performances, and Oatly through culture-shaping brand storytelling and plant-based innovation.
From silhouettes to sips
Working closely with Karlsson, Oatly developed three oat-based signature drinks inspired directly by the collection’s materials, textures and conceptual themes. The result was a sensory crossover where fashion ideas were translated into flavor, texture and form - living inside the same creative universe as the show itself.
Rowena Roos, Head of FADE at Oatly, said:
“We wanted to support Avavav’s show in a way that felt meaningful, conceptual and fully integrated into the experience. Working closely with Beate, we translated her silhouettes and ideas into three signature drinks that belong to the same world as the performance. It wasn’t about pouring drinks, it was about building something unexpected together.”
The creative exchange marks Oatly’s continued evolution beyond the drinks category, seeking out creative collisions that spark conversation across fashion, culture and design.
Oatly’s signature drinks
Created exclusively for the Milan Fashion Week show, the three signature drinks reinterpret classic forms through Avavav’s design language and Oatly’s oat-based innovation:
- New Fashioned: A clarified bourbon oat drink, reimagining a timeless classic through a plant-based, fashion-forward lens.
- Lace Bottoms Up: A non-alcoholic signature drink served in a cocoa butter–laced glass, referencing fragility, texture and contrast found in the collection.
- Jell-OAT Shot: A playful oat-based jello shot combining Oatly Matcha, apple and herbs, blurring boundaries between drink, dessert and design object.
Oatly Contact: Sergio Guimaraes, Prime Group, sergio.guimaraes@primegroup.com
About Avavav
Avavav is a creative-driven designer brand, shaped by the contrasts of modern culture, seen through the female gaze. We are committed to building an ecosystem fueled by unique design, strong identity, and distinctive storytelling. Avavav operates under the creative direction of Beate Skonare Karlsson, whose vision is defined by a commitment to creative independence and a continuous exploration of form, proportion, and silhouette.
About Oatly
We are the world’s original and largest oat drink company. For over 30 years, we have exclusively focused on developing expertise around oats: a global power crop with inherent properties. Our commitment to oats has resulted in core technical advancements that enabled us to unlock the breadth of the dairy portfolio, including alternatives to milks, ice cream, yogurt, cooking creams, spreads and on-the-go drinks. Headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, the Oatly brand is available in more than 50 countries globally.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/803af778-6be2-46d5-8cc8-5503995840a8
FAQ
What did Oatly (OTLY) do at Avavav's Autumn/Winter 2026 show in Milan on March 1, 2026?
What are the three signature drinks Oatly (OTLY) created for Avavav’s Milan Fashion Week show?
How did Avavav’s reversed runway concept change the Milan Fashion Week presentation on March 1, 2026?
Why did Oatly (OTLY) partner with Avavav for the Autumn/Winter 2026 show?
Will Oatly’s (OTLY) Milan Fashion Week drinks be sold commercially after the Avavav show?
