When you think of Sydney, what comes to mind? The Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, perhaps? The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) certainly reckons so. In its second year as organizer of Australian Fashion Week (AFW), the council has swapped industrial venue Carriageworks for the Museum of Contemporary Art, which sits just in front of these very Aussie landmarks.

The AFC hopes the move will increase the week’s global pull for press and buyers, to better help brands establish themselves not just in the Australian market, but also globally. “We know from past shows that take place [at Sydney landmarks], like Bondi Born and Carla Zampatti last year, that those images go global,” says AFW fashion director Kellie Hush. “There’s nothing more iconic than seeing a model with the Opera House or the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.”

The AFC took up the helm of AFW just six months prior to the 2025 event, after IMG, who ran the week for almost 20 years, pulled out in November 2024. Under IMG ownership, brands were faced with terms that made participating unattainable for many. Now, as it moves to a non-profit model, the AFC aims to shape AFW into a more accessible edition that doubles as a launchpad for reaching global scale.

“Australia is a small country,” Hush says. “There are 27 million of us. For a business to really thrive and grow, they have to look to international markets, because considering the size of the market here, you do eventually cap out.” The catch-22 is that international expansion is expensive, which is why Hush is keen to connect brands with wholesalers who can aid the transition. Beyond the shows, buyers will be connecting with brands in showrooms and scheduling meetings, which the AFC also helps coordinate; Net-a-Porter, for instance, will travel beyond Sydney to Melbourne and Byron Bay while in town.

Running from May 11 to 15, AFW kicks off with a traditional Welcome to Country, which is a land acknowledgement ceremony. Then, Carla Zampatti will open the week, followed by a show from occasionwear label Maticevski, whose founder Toni Maticevski will make a return to AFW for the first time in 10 years. The rest of the calendar includes runways from veteran brands such as Aje, Bianca Spender, Beare Park, Ngali, and Nicol & Ford, alongside newer names such as Courtney Zheng and Esse. Fashion favorites Alix Higgins and Iordanes Spyridon Gogos are in the mix as well.

As is often the case in New York and London, the calendar will be accompanied by a flurry of brands showing off-schedule. Vogue Australia’s deputy editor and fashion features director Alice Birrell notes non-profit Indigenous corporations First Nations Fashion and Design, which will hold shows on the Sunday night before fashion week kicks off. “These are always powerful, layered showcases that have been the catalyst for a lot of self-reflection in the industry on the lack of representation traditionally of First Nations creatives,” Birrell says. “[Designer and founder] Grace Lillian Lee leads these and is a proven changemaker.” Meanwhile, industry favorite Albus Lumen will close out the week with an off-schedule Friday show.

Birrell is optimistic that having an industry body lead AFW will mean a renewed focus on the designers themselves. “I anticipate seeing a refreshed and re-energized industry, with a chance to reshape its direction,” she says. “There’s been an increased emphasis on creating a schedule with designers who should have a distinct creative point of view, contribute to the conversation, and shape what Australian fashion looks like in 2026, in one way or another.”

Vogue Australia will help round out the week with a Thursday designer dinner and the first Aussie edition of the Vogue Vintage Market on Friday morning. For those not invited to the shows, there will also be ticketed events to join in on the week’s energy.

The pull Down Under

This year, 10 international buyers will be in town for AFW. (The interest was higher, Hush says, which means she’s keen to up the budget next year.)

The resort and lifestyle focus of much of Australian fashion is a pull for many retailers. “The aesthetic coming out of the region aligns really well with our customer as it has that easy, feminine feel that fits naturally into what we do,” says Brigitte Chartrand, chief buying and merchandising officer at Net-a-Porter, who will be sending a member of its buying team. “Resort is a growing space for us, so it’s important to be there in-person, and get a real sense of what’s new and what’s resonating in the market.”

It’s the first time Kristine Humbert, buying manager at Abu Dhabi’s Tryano, is attending. She says AFW has been on her radar for some time, given Australia’s strong position in contemporary fashion. “There is something very distinctive about Australian fashion: the balance between creativity and wearability, the ease of the silhouettes, and the attention to fabrication,” Humbert explains. “Experiencing that firsthand allows us to build a more instinctive and informed edit for our clientele.”

That many brands are still what retailers consider to be emerging is another draw for buyers, often adding a point of difference to the product mix. “Our customer comes to us for discovery, so we’re always looking out for emerging brands, and with so much exciting talent coming out of Australia right now, it felt like the right moment to be on the ground,” Net-a-Porter’s Chartrand says. Liberty London womenswear and accessories buyer Bella Kelly is also focused on the discovery element. “It’s absolutely worth the journey, because it allows us to discover both established names and emerging, niche brands that aren’t yet widely available in the UK,” she adds.

This year, AFW comes at a moment where global travel remains disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East. For many buyers coming from Europe, travel to Australia often means a stop over in this region. “Obviously, what’s happening in the Middle East has been a little bit of a challenge,” Hush says. “I think next year will have even more demand because there’s a bit of nervousness about being in Australia at this time, but it’s been incredible still.”

Liberty’s Kelly says that, though the team is mindful of the wider global context, based on current guidance and careful planning, they felt good about going ahead with travel. “AFW remains an important moment in the fashion calendar, and it felt valuable to continue supporting and engaging with the global fashion community in-person,” she says.

The other challenge is often getting brands to show in the first place, Hush says, because of the steep cost to do so. “It’s not Paris, there’s no billion-dollar budgets,” she explains. Her ambition is to get some of the bigger brands on-schedule alongside the mid-size and emerging labels. Still, AFW received about 200 applications to show this season, which Hush feels was strong.

As for the week’s new backdrop, Birrell joins Hush in believing that it will help land AFW onto the global fashion map. “The venue, on the water, fronting onto the harbor will reinforce those larger ideas about what Australian fashion is at large internationally: the proximity to the elements, the outdoors, and an ease and abundance of sunshine,” she says. “Sunny resort-focused clothing may not represent all facets of Australian fashion, but it is an important one and has been part of some of our biggest success stories.”

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