The future of Australian Fashion Week looks bright, as The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) and Destination NSW team up to produce the event in 2025.
The fate of the iconic fashion program has been uncertain since mid November, when media company IMG Fashion Events and Properties announced it would withdraw its backing.
Since then, designers and other industry heavyweights have shown their support for the future of the event, including gathering at the Sydney Opera House last month alongside Australian Fashion Council chief executive Jaana Quantance-James, to petition for government funding to ensure the event could continue.
Now, the NSW government have confirmed their backing, with the Honourable John Graham, the Minister for Arts, Night Time Economy and Music, saying, "Fashion Week is an essential showcase of one of our largest creative industries, highlighting the depth of talent not only in NSW but throughout Australia."
“The industry has come together swiftly, pulling together its great expertise, to ensure that Fashion Week can go ahead in 2025. The NSW Government is pleased to confirm its continued support of the event.”
With this funding, the 2025 program will go ahead as planned, returning to Carriageworks from May 12-16.
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As for exactly what this new era of Australian Fashion Week will look like, the AFC have enlisted Simon Lock, who co-founded the event in 1996 before selling it to IMG in 2005, to play a key role in devising the future of AFW.
“Lock and the AFC are working to assemble a team with extensive fashion week experience to guide the event’s delivery,” AFC chair Marianne Perkovic said in a statement.
“The approach will ensure the event continues to benefit designers, buyers and the entire fashion ecosystem while driving long-term value for the industry.”
Members of this team, as well as the program for Australian Fashion Week 2025, are expected to be announced in the New Year. We'll keep you updated as we know more.
