Australian Fashion Week 2025 took place in Sydney, organized by the Australian Fashion Council. The event featured collections from a wide range of designers and appearances from models including Taylor Hill, Shanina Shaik, Gemma Ward, Billie Jean, and Montana Cox.
"Quiet luxury" and sculptural couture defined the season, alongside a runway controversy that sparked fierce debate.
Key Runway Presentations
Maticevski returned to the runway with a collection defined by sculptural forms and couture finishes. One garment featured layers of silver leaves requiring weeks of preparation. The designer created a striking trapezoid shoulder silhouette by placing the model's head inside the structure.
Esse Studios (designer Charlotte Hicks) presented a collection described as "quiet luxury" by observers. The label showed a fringed satin dress in muted colors.
Alix Higgins presented his fifth AFW show. The collection included polo shirts cut in half and reworked as bottomwear, paired with ribbons and colorful patterns. Front row attendees included cast members from the television series Heartbreak High.
Carla Zampatti presented tailored pieces in lilac and crimson, described as a departure from traditional neutrals.
Gary Bigeni showed a blue draped jersey dress similar to styles from his first collection 20 years ago.
Bianca Spender's collection featured opera gloves in leather for daywear, sheer fabrics, bubble-hemmed skirts, and aviation motifs.
Christian Kimber presented a relaxed suit in natural fibers with tonal colors and patterned accessories, described as combining Australian and European styles.
Mariam Seddiq cast models of diverse body sizes. The collection included a draped bodice top with a trailing hemline paired with leather trousers.
Nagnata introduced denim tote bags styled as a top looped over a model's head and belted.
L'Idée Woman showed a pleated kaftan with trailing sleeves, modeled by Taylor Hill. First Nations model Billie Jean Hamlet opened and closed this show and walked for several other labels.
Ngali featured a water-resistant cotton coat with circular embellishments representing waterways, paired with a lavender headscarf featuring prints by Gija artist Lindsay Malay.
Incident and Controversy
Gatecrasher: Sculptures by the Sea founder David Handley accidentally interrupted the Commas show by performing stretches. The incident received international media attention.
Controversy: Designer Jordan Gogos (label Iordanes Spyridon Gogos) staged a runway segment where a model dragged artist Kirsha Kaechele by the leg. This drew sharp criticism from some observers for depicting violence against women.
Trends
"Swampy greens" appeared across multiple collections, including those by Aje and Gary Bigeni.
Graduate Show
TAFE graduate Luke Rutherford-Durney presented the final look, "The Heiress," featuring a hoodie tracksuit with a tabletop silhouette created by a floating belt made from plywood and discarded building materials. The bottom half had a shredded hemline and train.