How to attend this year’s Afterpay Australian Fashion Week

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Until last year, Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) was an industry-only event. The launch of AAFW: The Experience in 2022 ushered in a new era for the country’s only international Fashion Week, which previously only offered the general public glimpses of its magic on weekends. The series 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.

From 15 to 19 May at Carriageworks in Sydney, this year’s program will feature runway shows from established and emerging designers and a series of talks with industry leaders, along with bespoke activations and premium food and drink offers for attendees to take in between shows. Below, we’ve compiled a guide to our standouts from the show. Go here to see the program in full.

On the runway

Erik Yvon, May 16, 2 p.m

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 solo show in 2022.

Get tickets here.

Iordanes Spyridon Gogos, 16 May, 20:00

Iordanes Spyridon Gogos was founded in 2019 by Sydney designer Jordan Gogos with the aim of using the label as a platform for community making and collaboration. The label debuted its designs on the runway at 2021’s AAFW and has received widespread critical acclaim for its colorful, 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) returns to AAFW in 2023 to launch new collections from a variety of Australia’s leading and emerging First Nations designers. The runway is supported by David Jones and every designer featured on the runway is part of the IFP Pathways programme. The IFP Pathways program, also supported by David Jones, was created to support First Nations designers through all stages of developing their label, through workshops and mentoring.

Get tickets here.

Next Gen, May 19, 2 p.m

AAFW’s Next Gen program recognizes the new generation of industry innovators and the impact they will have on the fashion industry’s future. First established in 1996, the show 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 exhibition will feature the four winning designers, who will be announced at the end of February.

Get tickets here.

#WearAustralian x Afterpay, May 19, 7pm

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

Get tickets here.

Karla Spetic, May 17, 7 p.m

Launched in 2008, Sydney label Karla Spetic is 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, weaving fantasy and mysticism into each design.

Get tickets here.

In conversation

Identity and agency: Gender diversity and the fashion industry, May 16, 5 p.m

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 diversity and trans talent in an empowering way.

Get tickets here.

I Love the Nightlife: Club Culture and Fashion, May 17, 5 p.m

This panel will delve deep into the lineage of Sydney’s club culture and reveal the long-lasting impact it has had on Australian fashion. Designer Alix Higgins will join 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, 17 May, 14:00

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

Get tickets here.

Tickets are limited and available now. Go here to buy them and explore the full program.