SYDNEY (27 April 2021)
IMG today announced the final schedule of events and programming for Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW). AAFW will take place 31 May – 4 June 2021, in-person at Carriageworks, Sydney, and virtually at AUSFW.com. The schedule was announced live during a special breakfast in the Yallamundi Rooms at the Sydney Opera House.
AAFW will engage the industry alongside fashion’s most passionate consumers in one dynamic program, marrying physical and digital activations that celebrate Australia’s preeminent designers and fashion’s cultural influence. Please click here to view the official AAFW schedule.
To celebrate individuals shifting Australia’s representation landscape and leveraging fashion as a cultural catalyst, IMG announces the 2021 Changemakers, honoring a collective of the leading names in Australian fashion: Daphne Nguyen, Emma Jarman, Gadir Rajab, Gillian Campbell, Grace Lillian Lee, Joel Babicci, Joel Forman, Jordan Dalah, Jordan Gogos, Justin Ridler, Levi Neufeld, Lisa Cox, Lisa Fatnowna, Mahalia Handley, Manahou Mackay, Nathan Mcguire, Richard Jarman, Rory Rice, Sarah Starkey, Tre Koch and Yatu Widders-Hunt. Each of IMG’s 2021 Changemakers will participate in the official AAFW schedule in various capacities, ranging from programming, to runway shows, content integrations and more.
AAFW will support designers in various capacities including shows, presentations, trade showrooms, virtual content and programming. Select runway highlights will include:
- Romance Was Born: Romance Was Born will return to the AAFW schedule for the opening night show on Monday, 31 May at 6pm at Carriageworks. Consumers may purchase tickets to an encore presentation at 7.30pm, directly following the industry presentation.
- Jordan Dalah: As one of Australia’s most notable rising stars in fashion, Jordan Dalah will make his debut at AAFW on Monday, 31 May at 9am at Carriageworks.
- Afterpay’s “Future of Fashion” Runway: On Friday, 4 June at 7.30pm at Carriageworks, AAFW will feature its first collective showcase celebrating diversity, inclusion, sustainability and accessibility, including designers Alice McCall, Anna Quan, bassike, Bec + Bridge, BlairArchibald, Camilla, Cue, Ginger & Smart, Ginny’s Girl Gang, Manning Cartell, P.E. Nation and Romance Was Born. The show will be produced by IMG FOCUS., IMG’s full-service creative and event production company, in partnership with Creative Director Tony Assness and stylist Kelvin Harries.
- Indigenous Fashion Projects: A Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair Foundation program, the Indigenous Fashion Projects runway on Thursday, 3 June at 1:30pm at Carriageworks will feature the collections of leading First Nations designers Indii, Kirrikin, Liandra Swim, MAARA Collective, Native Swimwear and Ngali. The show will be curated by founder of Jira Models Perina Drummond.
- AAFW: The Experience: AAFW’s integrated consumer offering invites consumers to attend a selection of events and programming, including runway shows from Alice McCall, bassike, KITX, First Nations Fashion and Design, Manning Cartell and Romance Was Born. Tickets are priced from $59 and are available now at australianfashionweek.com/experience.
AAFW’s runway shows will be complemented by trade showrooms, The Suites, to host AAFW’s visiting buyers and media, and will feature a curated selection of Australian designers, including A.BCH, Ambra Maddalena, Aqua Blu, Arnsdorf, Autark, Bailey Nelson, Best Jumpers, Bird & Knoll, Chosen by Tuchuzy, Christian Kimber, Etcetera, fallenBROKENstreet, First Nations Fashion and Design, Homebodii, Indigenous Fashion Projects, Isabelle Quinn, JETS Australia, Katya Komarova, Kerrin, Kloke, Manning Cartell, Palma Martin, Porter Jewellery, Rumer, Seafolly, Shona Joy, Silk Laundry, Slyletica, We Are Kindred and Worn, among others.
As previously announced, IMG has partnered with the Australian Fashion Council (AFC)and ORDRE to launch the AAFW edition of AFC Virtual on ORDRE, the luxury online wholesale portal. The virtual showroom will complement AAFW’s live events to increase trade outcomes for Australian fashion designers and will feature Resort 2022 collections from Bondi Born, Oroton, Ginger & Smart, Romance Was Born, Aaizél and Erik-Yvon, among others.
IMG’s series of culturally enriching panel discussions will again return, featuring some of the most notable names in the fashion industry. AAFW: The Talks, presented by Glenfiddich Whisky, will feature:
- Passion for Purpose: i=Change founder Jeremy Meltzer, Mahalia Handley and Spell Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer Elizabeth Abegg come together for a discussion about creating engaging social experiences to connect with customers.
- Wonder Women: Australia’s brightest creative minds discuss driving change and representation across the fashion industry, hosted by founder of online community @ausindigenousfashion Yatu-Widders Hunt, and featuring Disability Affairs Officer Lisa Cox, model and activist Manahou Mackay, IMG model Bree McCann, and INPRINT Magazine’s creative director Megha Kapoor.
- Fashioning the Future, presented by City of Sydney: Designer Maggie Hewitt, Nobody Denim Co-Founder John Condolis and Glam Corner’s Audrey Khaing-Jones will unpack the bigger picture around social sustainability.
- Generation: NXT, presented by DHL:2021 Next Gen winners Minhee Jo, Erik Yvon, Megan Taylor and Amanda Nichols speak about the challenges and opportunities of working during the pandemic and where they see the future of their industry.
Additional conversations and special events at AAFW will include:
- ZIMMERMANN: Acclaimed Australian designers Nicky and Simone Zimmermann will speak with Vogue’s editor in chief Edwina McCann about their continued success at home and abroad after 30 years in business.
- lady-brains: lady-brains podcast co-founders and hosts Anna Mackenzie and Caitlin Judd will present their breakout podcast live from Carriageworks.
- In Conversation With…, presented by Shopify Plus: An intimate series of curated conversations between some of the industry’s favourite designers and fashion stars, including Alex Perry, Pip Edwards, Claire Tregoning, Camilla Franks, Edwina Forest, Adrian Norris, Elliot Garnaut, Jess Pecoraro, Emma Jarman and Richard Jarman.
- Chit Chat, presented by Grazia:Launching exclusively on AUSFW.com, fashion insiders and icons come together in a virtual series of candid conversations on the latest shows, trends, and happenings at AAFW.
- AAFW Hair Masterclass, presented by Redken: Celebrity hair stylist Richard Kavanagh will be joined by Sheree Knobel for an agenda of interactive demonstrations and Q&A live at Carriageworks.
Also previously announced, IMG will collaborate with First Nations Fashion and Design (FNFD) to showcase Indigenous Australian designers and talent. AAFW will open with a Welcome to Country curated and presented by FNFD founder Grace Lillian Lee and will feature designs commissioned for the Museum of Arts and Applied Sciences. As a continuation of IMG’s partnership with FNFD, Lee will join IMG model Charlee Fraser and Nathan McGuirealongside Luke Currie Richardson and designer Lyllardya Allirra Briggs-Houstonto discuss the continued growth and industry support of Indigenous Australian fashion.
“AAFW is a momentous occasion to showcase the unmatched creative talent of the Australian fashion industry to the world. This season’s incredible schedule of designers, fashion events and programming will strengthen AAFW’s position as the leading fashion event in the region and the global destination for resort collections,”
Nick Molnar, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Afterpay, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with IMG to create a world-class event that supports Australian designers on both a local and international stage. With Australian fashion designers being the founding partners and the core of Afterpay, this year will see us champion and foster both emerging and established designers through various consumer shows like never before. We can’t wait to celebrate our commitment to the future of fashion with such a strong and incredible lineup of shows and special events.”
AAFW is an IMG event supported by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.
NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the calibre of talent and partners involved, and the diversity of programming would make AAFW a highlight of Sydney’s event calendar.
“Sydney is globally recognised as a hub of creativity and innovation, and the 2021 Afterpay Australia Fashion Week program is a true celebration of both. It’s fantastic to see Sydney lead the way hosting major COVID-safe events and no doubt industry representatives and the public are equally excited about the return of Fashion Week and will embrace the chance to see the latest designs and ideas shine against the backdrop of our spectacular Harbour City.”
In addition to Afterpay and Destination NSW, AAFW is made possible through the support of City of Sydney, DHL, Shopify Plus, ghd hair, Redken, LG Laundry Appliances, Napoleon Perdis, Hunter Lab, GlamCorner, Hendrick’s Gin, Glenfiddich Whisky, San Pellegrino, Tempus Two, Disaronno, Vittoria Coffee and SKYE Suites.
Followers can get a front row seat to all the AAFW action by streaming on AUSFW.com and following @AusFashionWeek across Instagram and Facebook and @AUSFW on TikTok and Twitter and through the official event hashtags #AUSFW and #AAFW.