All the designers showing at Australian Fashion Week 2026
image via @nicolandford/instagram
words by fashion journal
Just announced: The designer line up for AFW 2026.
The Australian Fashion Council has officially dropped the designer lineup for Australian Fashion Week (AFW) 2026 and if this year’s program is anything to go by, the future of Australian fashion is looking very bright.
Running from May 11 to 15, AFW will also see a major location shift. Departing its long-time home at Carriageworks, the event will take up residence at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, with Sydney Harbour as its backdrop.
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While the schedule still features a strong lineup of established names, including Alix Higgins, Courtney Zheng, Nicol and Ford, Nagnata, Iordanes Spyridon Gogos and Aje, it’s the emerging cohort that feels especially worth watching this year.
Case in point: the New Gen show, presented by DHL. Long considered a launchpad for Australia’s next big names, the 2026 lineup highlights experimental designers from cross-disciplinary practices. Designers Alberta Bucciarelli, Edition Alice Van Meurs x Sarrita King, Gloria Chol and KingKing Creative will take part, each bringing unique perspectives that reflect the evolving shape of local fashion right now.
Then there’s The Frontier, a group showcase made in partnership with Create NSW, which reads like a roll call of IYKYK designers and rising creative forces. Featuring Haluminous, Madre Natura, Ouse, Paris Jade Burrows and Suzaan Stander, it’s a segment that feels closely aligned with where Australian fashion is heading.
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The FDS: The Innovators showcases the next wave of homegrown design talent from TAFE, with emerging designers Luke Rutherford-Durney, Oliver Parry, Tate Boswarva and Zoe Markopoulos making their debut this year.
First Nations design will be centre stage, with two dedicated runways shows featuring designers Buluuy Mirrii and Van Ermel Scherer. This reinforces a broader shift towards platforms that centre Indigenous voices rather than folding them into broader group presentations.
Other established designers showing this year include Bianca Spender, Carla Zampatti, Christian Kimber, Commas, Common Hours, Farage, Gary Bigeni,
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According to AFC Executive Chair Marianne Perkovic, this year’s program drew an “extraordinary level of interest”, making the selection process particularly competitive. Guided by AFW Fashion Director, Kellie Hush, the final lineup strikes a balance between legacy designers and those actively reshaping the industry.
That balance feels key. As AFW continues to position itself as both a cultural event and a commercial platform, the emphasis on emerging talent suggests a conscious shift towards future-proofing Australian fashion on a global stage.
This year, Shark Beauty returns as Presenting Partner, while the event’s industry-facing talks program, developed with Afterpay, is set to expand, offering workshops and discussions centred on sustainability, local production and international growth.
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And for those outside the industry, there’s good news: AFW will once again open its doors to the public, with a lineup of ticketed shows giving audiences the chance to experience the week firsthand, including curated showcases featuring see-now-buy-now collections.
With a new home and a sharper focus on the next generation, AFW 2026 feels like it’s entering a slightly different era, one where the most exciting moments might not come from the biggest names but from the designers just starting to break through.
To learn more about Australian Fashion Week 2026, head here.
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