Australian Fashion Week is back in May: 30 years on with a stylishly scaled-down schedule full of strong designers

Melissa Hoyer

Led by the Australian Fashion Council, AFC Australian Fashion Week, presented by Shark Beauty, signals an optimistic new chapter.

In 2026, AFC Australian Fashion Week arrives to reconfirm Australia as a player in fashion, creativity and innovation.
This event was born from industry-wide collaboration, bringing together fashion’s leading voices to reimagine a re-invented Fashion Week in Sydney this May.

AFC Australian Fashion Week will serve as a premier showcase of both emerging and established Australian designers, celebrating creativity and innovation.

AFC Australian Fashion Week arrives in Sydney, 11-15 May 2026. As an invitation-only event with delegates having to apply for accreditation to Australian Fashion Week 2026.

Successful applicants will gain unparalleled access to exclusive runway shows and networking opportunities with leading fashion professionals.

Approved applicants receive:

• Official accreditation as an Australian Fashion Week delegate
• Inclusion in the delegate directory for participating designers
• Access to the official Australian Fashion Week media portal

Applications to become a 2026 Delegate are now opened.

To speak to the AFW team regarding any late registration requisitions, please contact: [email protected]

Australian Fashion Week has had many location and popularity incarnations over its 30 years of life – from being held at the then Fox Studios to the Overseas Passenger Terminal to Carriageworks … but this year the bulk of the shows will happen again down near Sydney Harbour – at the Museum of Contemporary Art in fact – which, to be honest, is the perfect setting.

Nothing nothing beats the backdrop of Sydney Harbour and from a pure visual, the images will be spectacular.

Having been to and covered every fashion week since, gulp, 1996 – minus one Covid-sick year – I’m incredibly happy it’s become an industry-only event again as there were a number of years where it became a soul reason for wannabe influencers and egoists just to well, umm, show off.

And while we ALL want to see street style – I love, love it – a couple of years of influencer overload totally took it away from the creative spirit of the actual designers, all of whom had put their heart and soul into creating a collection which, for many of them, costs a hell of a lot of money.

And the way the fashion industry’s financial situation & demand for fast fashion is, no designers can afford to be spending a heap of bucks and not get any recognition, eyeballs or attention.

While I was a big part of fashion week for many years, I am now but a mere observer, commentator and small bit player. I’ve seen it evolve, be reshaped & still love and appreciate observing what our designers create, particularly from the pub culture angle.

While experience and strong backgrounds aren’t often heralded in the Australian fashion industry – being pretty is the calling card – I’m hoping to be included in a few shows, so my media commentary can be heard.

Fashion is a much different beast than it was 20 maybe even 30 years ago – street style is paramount and personal, innate creativity and social media numbers is what fashion and style is seemingly all about.

So, bring it on I say! Any kind of recognition of the industry can only help enhance and draw attention to people wanting to buy and in this current climate that is paramount for the industry to survive.

Here are the designers who will be showing …

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Destination NSW

Australian Fashion Week is delivered in partnership with the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. Spearheading a whole-of-government approach to visitor economy growth, Destination NSW influences and shapes the visitor economy through strategic research, policy and thought leadership, stakeholder engagement and consultation, commercial partnerships and investment in visitor experiences, business support, marketing and events.

Afterpay

Afterpay has been woven into Australian fashion culture since day one – empowering shoppers to buy what they love and pay over time, on their terms. Trusted by thousands of the world’s most loved retailers and millions of customers globally, Afterpay is redefining the way the world pays.

City of Sydney

Sydney is a globally competitive, creative and innovative city and Australia’s premier destination to live, work and visit. The City of Sydney supports the local fashion sector through ideas that drive innovation, sustainability and business growth. From Australian Fashion Week to programs such as The Australian Fashion Council’s FashTech Lab, industry roundtables, environmental and social impact guides, as well as partnering with Seamless and supporting Vogue Fashion’s Night Out, the City of Sydney fosters a dynamic and resilient fashion industry. By investing in collaboration, sustainability and new opportunities, it wants to make sure Sydney remains a hub for fashion, creativity and economic success.

DHL

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. With about 395,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility, fashion and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

The Fashion Week board includes …

AFC Australian Fashion Week Board: AFW is guided by an Executive Board of industry leaders, bringing together expertise across fashion, retail, education, and creative business. 

*Marianne Perkovic — Executive Chair, Australian Fashion Council and AFC Fashion Events

*Professor Robyn Healy – Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Learning, Teaching and Quality, DSC, RMIT University

*Alex Schuman – CEO, Carla Zampatti

*Renuka Kimber – Co-founder, Christian Kimber

*Bridget Veals – Executive General Manager, Womenswear, Footwear and Accessories, David Jones

*Adrian Norris – Co-founder and Co-CEO, Aje.