A Canberra Girl’s Guide to Australian Fashion Week
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Australian Fashion Week 2026 has come and gone, once again transforming Sydney into a playground for fashion’s elite as designers, models, journalists and more gathered to celebrate the best of the industry.
Watching the street style and runways on social media, Australian Fashion Week (AFW) has always felt like another world – one so glamorous it seems almost absurd that it takes place so close to Canberra.
Only three hours (and a state) away, it’s hard to imagine that a city that many Canberrans consider a second home is where some of the most influential people in the fashion industry gather for a week, as local designers show why Australian brands continue to make their way into the wardrobes of celebrities around the world.
And following the news that a Canberra designer was making her debut at AFW26, the time felt right for some on-the-ground investigative reporting of what AFW is really like beyond the social media screens.
Here’s my Canberra Girl’s Guide to Australian Fashion Week – complete with the gloss and the grime of being on the ground.
A brief background about AFW
This year marked the second year the Australian Fashion Council has taken the helm of AFW. Originally run by IMG until 2025, the takeover by the peak body for the Australian fashion and textile industry ushered in a new era for the event – one that has seen it become more accessible than ever before.
The move to a non-profit model (allowing brands to more easily participate) in 2026 marked a milestone year: the 30th anniversary of AFW.
Celebrating three decades of uplifting local talent in the industry, the Australian Fashion Council made the major decision to move the location of AFW from the iconic industrial venue of the Carriageworks to the Museum of Contemporary Art. The concept? To bring the event back to the heart of Sydney, with iconic landmarks serving as dramatic backdrops.
A new venue, a new vibe and a whole new approach – including consumer shows and activations – means AFW has evolved from being something exclusive to something inclusive for everyone interested in fashion.
Wait, does that mean anyone can attend AFW?
The short answer? Yes, but access is limited. AFW is still an invitation-only industry event, with many shows only offering coveted seats to a select few. However, the 2026 event also provided lots of opportunities for the general public, including the chance to buy tickets to attend consumer shows, talks, workshops and more.
Shows were also livestreamed across AFW and designer channels, as well as on a large screen in front of the museum, meaning anyone could attend and feel a part of the experience, even if they never made it through the front door.
I attended AFW as a media delegate – and in all honesty, this wasn’t much different to being a member of the public. By flashing my email, I was able to get access to a media room to work and charge my laptop and phone, but shows were still invite-only and to attend, I had to reach out to the designer’s PR team with the hopes of being offered an invitation.
Did it shock me that I didn’t hear back from anyone? No. After all, when you have the likes of Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, Fashion Journal and RUSSH vying for seats along with other people in the fashion industry (including other designers and buyers), it only makes sense a regional publication like HerCanberra would be way down on the list.
But I did end up attending two shows – The New Gen Showcase and The Edit.
But what do you wear?!
That is the eternal question – and yes, it did send me into a tailspin. Both a place to be seen and be seen, dressing for AFW felt like my equivalent of the Hunger Games. I had resigned myself to wearing some trusty pieces from my wardrobe, but the HerCanberra team had a better idea: dress local.
And what better place to start than a local boutique? Momento Designz in Manuka has made a name for itself as one of the go-to shops in Canberra for those looking for that perfect mix of the most covetable designers and latest fashion trends from Australia (and around the globe).
Stocking brands including Alémais, Bec + Bridge, Rebecca Vallance, Scotch & Soda and Mossman, they have everything from casual (but very trendy) day wear to glamour party dresses. After speaking with the team and telling them my dilemma – I was attending AFW but had yet to hear back from PR, so wasn’t entirely sure what I would be doing – they started pulling clothing for me.
The result? Fabulous.
It’s not very often I love the first two items I try on, but the talented team knew exactly what would work for both my body and AFW. Lending me two gorgeous dresses from Sydney-based brand Pasduchas, I walked out with a strapless mini dress with a gorgeous orchid printed on the front and a black floral shift dress that felt both feminine and elevated. Both a little different to my usual style (sneakers, trousers and a t-shirt), they felt fun, fresh and the best part was I knew instantly how I could style them with pieces from my own wardrobe – perfect for some high-low dressing.
It also only made sense to reach out to the woman who started me on this journey in the first place: Alice Van Meurs of EDITION.
After interviewing her and contemporary jeweller Phoebe Porter about making their AFW debut as part of AFW’s emerging designer showcase New Gen, I knew I wanted to go watch the runway to cheer them on and show Canberra pride. With some help from Alice I was able to get a ticket, and when it came to what to wear to that show, the choice was obvious: one of her designs.
Alice was kind enough to lend me one of her dresses created in collaboration with First Nations artist Sarrita King – a stunning, hand-painted and sustainably made artwork called TRAILS that is inspired by animal tracks running through the land from a bird’s eye view.
And yes, it did feel fabulous sitting next to the runway dressed by one of the designers.
But as for what it’s like when you’re milling about with the other fashionistas on the ground?
All I’ll say is, the whole point of fashion is to express yourself. So as long as you feel confident and happy, it doesn’t really matter what you wear – designer or off the rack. Unless you want to be photographed by Vogue. Then it’s a whole different ball game.
So, what is it like to be on the ground?
With shows taking place all over Sydney, the Museum of Contemporary Art was simply the base for AFW. It wasn’t always hustling and bustling – instead, people would flock there in waves depending on when the next show, talk or workshop was taking place. But there were some keen people (myself included on day one) who were there from 9 am, either snapping street style looks or being snapped.
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Everyone – and I mean everyone – was lovely. From the AFW staff serving Fashion Pass holders free coffee (doing God’s work), to those who were just there for the vibes (or to be featured in Vogue’s best dressed), it was a wholesome gathering of people who all love fashion. I went by myself and walked away with several new friends, both in and out of the industry, which was a lovely bonus.
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From morning until evening, it truly felt like watching your own personal fashion show until the actual runway started inside. But it was long. Most of the excitement happened after lunchtime and would only last about an hour pre-and post-show, with my phone struggling to keep up with capturing content. My advice? Take at least two power banks and expect your phone to live in a perpetual state of 30 per cent, no matter how long you charge it. Oh, and consider taking a spare pair of comfy shoes…
What’s it like to attend a runway show?
There’s nothing like the glamour of an AFW runway (at least when watching it online), so being inside and watching it live felt incredibly special. A collision of artistry and storytelling, flashing my ticket and lining up for both the New Gen showcase and The Edit made me feel like I was living my best Devil Wears Prada life – minus the brutal boss and anxiety-inducing job.
The New Gen showcase was an amazing debut for the designers involved, with the models walking down the runway in designs that where experimental, playful and refreshingly new. With four designers showcasing approximately 10 looks each, it was a fast blur of colour and fabric that left the audience in awe.
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The Edit runway was different – it was a showcase of contemporary Australian designers including fashion favourites Aje, Henne, Silk Laundry and Anna Quan.
I paid for a front row ticket (right near the photographers), and the view was unparalleled, with the models hitting their mark right in front of me. As for the show itself, it was everything you would expect from a line-up like that – a kaleidoscope of colour, detailing and “Oh I LOVE that” moments were you mentally add items to cart.
The trends featured in this show included polka dots, butter yellow, fringe, lace, funnel neck jackets, chocolate brown, and trench coats, and it felt almost like an exclusive look inside the brand’s showroom for the autumn/winter season. Just with dramatic music, gorgeous models and lots of cameras flashing.
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I will say when it comes to the runways, that it turns out there is such a thing as ‘fashionably late’. While all the tickets were clear about when doors would open, and the show would start, you needed to add about an extra 30 minutes onto how long you’ll expect to be there. Mostly, it depends on how long it takes the well-dressed guests to fill the seats – and with plenty of Instagram moments at every turn, you can imagine why they might run slightly behind.
Is attending AWF fabulous?
This depends on your perspective. If you love or are involved in fashion – whether personally or professionally – I would say yes. However, there is a price tag attached. Many of the events consumers had access to started from about $100 a ticket, with a few free things to balance it out, including a talk from the team behind the Style-ish podcast with designer Bianca Spender and a Shark Beauty activation on the lawns of the museum. If you just want to be seen going to AFW without, you know, actually going, you might find it a little lackluster.
While I personally didn’t get through every door or see every show, the little glimpse I did have into the world of AFW showed me one thing: we weren’t in Canberra anymore.
