Start Outfit Planning, Fashion Queens: The AAFW 2023 Program Has Been Released

It’s a week of dodging puddles in heels, clasping an almond latte, and powering through a croissant. It’s a week of lipstick top-ups and sparkling water. It’s a week of pulling out all your most exciting outfit combos, bringing a new vibe to each and every day. It’s a week of camera flashes, platform shoes and too many Australian celebrities to keep count. It’s a week of gaining inspiration through design, beauty and aesthetics.

It’s Afterpay Australian Fashion Week.

The official lineup of designer runways shows and programming for Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW): The Experience, was announced by IMG yesterday. And we’re excited.

What Is AAFW?

Taking place from 15 – 19 May at Carriageworks, AAFW: The Experience gives consumers exclusive access to designer shows and events on the official AAFW schedule.

“This year’s five day programme features Australia’s most exciting designers showcasing their creativity on the Asia-Pacific’s biggest global fashion stage,” said Natalie Xenita, Vice President-Managing Director of IMG Fashion Events and Properties, Asia-Pacific, in a statement.

“The consumer-integrated Fashion Week model was pioneered right here in Australia and the line-up of runway shows and experiences offers fashion fans an unrivalled opportunity to experience the excitement of Fashion Week in person and at AAFW.com.au, the digital destination for AAFW, where they can tune into the shows from anywhere in
the world live and on demand.”

What Designers Will Be At AAFW 2023?

AAFW: The Experience will feature runway shows from new and notable names in Australian fashion,
including Michael Lo Sordo, Gary Bigeni, Karla Špetić, Iordanes Spyridon Gogos, Erik Yvon, and Cue.

The event will also feature group showcases from David Jones Indigenous Fashion Projects runway presented by
Afterpay, TAFE NSW’s Fashion Design Studio, and DHL Next Gen, AAFW’s emerging designer program.

AAFW: The Experience will close with a groundbreaking showcase championing Australian fashion. The
final runway show is a collaboration between Afterpay, the leader in ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ payments, and WeWearAustralian, an initiative established to empower the fashion sector in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, who will create an immersive runway featuring over 50 Australian brands and giving consumers the chance to see more of the brands they love on the runway.

What Else Is On at AAFW 2023?

AAFW’s series of informative panels with industry leaders, artists, and icons, is a highlight of the event.

In 2023, The Talks, presented by Glenfiddich, will return with topics including:

Identity and Agency: Gender Diversity and the Fashion Industry

Designer Jackie Wu and model Kai Warr come together for an insightful discussion about establishing a framework for working with trans and gender-diverse talent while empowering them in the workplace.

I Love the Nightlife: Club Culture and Fashion

Designer Alix Higgins will be joined alongside multidisciplinary artist Byron Spencer, model and casting director Basjia Alaaman and Sydney queer icon Jonny Seymour for a conversation exploring the lineage of Sydney’s club culture,
revealing its continued influence on Australian fashion.

New Voices in Fashion Criticism

Take part in a roundtable discussion with the leading voices who have built their own success spearheading a new wave of fashion criticism.

On Trend: Key Directions in Australian Fashion

Taking place on the final day of AAFW, this panel brings together four leaders in fashion including Harper’s Bazaar features and fashion news director Patty Huntington, stylist Miguel Urbina Tan, Urban List fashion editor Sammy
Preston, and IMG Fashion Events and Properties Asia-Pacific’s vice president-managing director Natalie Xenita in a conversation moderated by POPSUGAR Australia’s Amanda Bardas. Together, they will discuss Fashion Weeks’ key trends, from runway collections and shows to the emerging values and perspectives shaping the future of the industry.

Women With Drive: Lesleigh Jermanus

Porsche presents a conversation with ALÉMAIS’s Founder and Creative Director Lesleigh Jermanus following her AAFW debut.

Sustainability and Industry 4.0

The City of Sydney presents a discussion about the sustainable fashion technologies shaping the future of fashion with the University of Technology Sydney’s Dr Lisa Lake and BONDI BORN founder Dale McCarthy.

Where Can You Book Tickets to AAFW 2023?

Tickets are limited and available online now at on the AAFW official website.