How to attend this year’s Afterpay Australian Fashion Week if you’re not an industry insider

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Prior to last year, Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) was an industry-only event. The introduction of AAFW: The Experience in 2022 ushered in a new era for the country’s only international Fashion Week, which previously provided the general public with brief glimpses of its magic only on the weekends. The lineup of consumer-accessible events is back for 2023 and will give attendees exclusive access to designer shows and events on the official AAFW schedule.

Discover more up-and-coming local designers in our Fashion section. 

Running from May 15 to 19 at Carriageworks in Sydney, this year’s program will feature runway shows from both established and emerging designers and a series of talks with industry leaders, alongside bespoke activations and premium food and beverage offerings for attendees to take in between shows. Below, we’ve put together a guide to our standouts from the program. To view the program in full, head here.

On the runway

Erik Yvon, May 16, 2pm

Melbourne designer Erik Yvon launched his eponymous label in 2017 and has become known for his bold, vibrant designs that redefine our perceptions of masculinity and femininity. He made his AAFW debut as part of 2021’s Next Gen Runway, followed by his first standalone show in 2022.

Get tickets here.

Iordanes Spyridon Gogos, May 16, 8pm

Iordanes Spyridon Gogos was founded by Sydney designer Jordan Gogos in 2019 with the aim of using the label as a platform for community making and collaboration. The label first showcased its designs on the runway at 2021’s AAFW and received widespread critical acclaim for its colourful, experimental and non-gendered approach to fashion, and for its celebration of community.

Get tickets here.

David Jones Indigenous Fashion Projects, May 18, 8pm

Indigenous Fashion Projects (IFP) makes its return to AAFW in 2023 to launch new collections from an array of Australia’s leading and emerging First Nations Designers. The runway is supported by David Jones and each designer featured on the runway is part of the IFP Pathways Program. The IFP Pathways Program, which is also supported by David Jones, was created to support First Nations designers across all stages of developing their label, through workshops and mentorship.

Get tickets here.

Next Gen, May 19, 2pm

AAFW’s Next Gen program recognises the new generation of industry innovators and the impact they’re set to have on the fashion industry’s future. First established in 1996, the program has helped launch the careers of numerous labels, including Anna Quan, Akira, Sass & Bide and Camilla and Marc. Last year the winning designers were Clea, Phoebe Pendergast, Not A Man’s Dream and Asiyam, who you can read more about here. The 2023 showcase will feature the four winning designers, who will be announced in late February.

Get tickets here.

#WeWearAustralian x Afterpay, May 19, 7pm 

This groundbreaking show will close AAFW: The Experience. A collaboration between Afterpay and #WeWear Australian, an initiative established to support the local fashion sector, it will be an immersive runway experience featuring over 50 Australian brands.

Get tickets here.

Karla Spetic, May 17, 7pm

Launched in 2008, Sydney label Karla Spetic is well-known (and much loved) for its soft tailoring, feminine fabrications and masculine silhouettes. Through each collection, the label explores what it means to be a woman in this day and age while weaving fantasy and mysticism into each design.

Get tickets here.

In conversation

Identity and Agency: Gender Diversity and the Fashion Industry, May 16, 5pm

Despite the Australian fashion industry experiencing increasing demand for more diverse talent, many of the traditional power structures are still in place. For this talk, Melbourne designer Jackie Wu and models Manahou Mackay and Kai Warr come together to discuss establishing a framework for working with gender-diverse and trans talent in an empowering way.

Get tickets here.

I Love the Nightlife: Club Culture and Fashion, May 17, 5pm

This panel will dive deep into the lineage of Sydney’s club culture, revealing the longstanding impact it’s had on Australian fashion. Designer Alix Higgins will be joined by multidisciplinary artist Byron Spencer, model and casting director Basjia Alaaman and Sydney queer icon and music producer Jonny Seymour for a conversation exploring the symbiotic relationship between nightlife and fashion.

Get tickets here.

Sustainability and Industry 4.0, May 17, 2pm

Presented by the City of Sydney, this discussion will explore the sustainable fashion technologies shaping the future of fashion. Together, the University of Technology Sydney’s Dr Lisa Lake and Bondi Born’s founder Dale McCarthy will unpack how the Australian fashion industry can embrace sustainability and remedy supply chain inequities using both existing and emerging technologies.

Get tickets here.

Tickets are limited and available now. Head here to purchase them and explore the full program.