Australian Fashion Week Marks 30 Years, Goes Viral

SYDNEY — Taylor Hill might have been the biggest celebrity model in town, but one Sydney man wound up becoming a global media sensation at Australian Fashion Week’s resort 2027 collections showcase in Sydney last week.

David Handley is the founder of the annual “Sculpture by the Sea” exhibition in Sydney and Perth, Australia‘s largest annual outdoor sculpture showcase. Last Tuesday, after he accidentally gate-crashed the Commas show at Tamarama Beach, footage went viral of Handley wandering down the beach stairs in front of the models, doing stretches on the sand and taking a morning dip midshow.

According to data supplied to WWD by Launchmetrics, the viral moment generated $929,000 in media impact value over the following 48 hours for Commas, Richard Jarman’s 10-year-old men’s swim and resortwear label — 10 percent of whose product offering is womenswear. The brand sells through 43 doors across Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and the Middle East, including Galeries Lafayette Paris, Harrods, Mytheresa and Harvey Nichols Dubai. 

“It literally was like wildfire,” said Jarman of the story, which reached a combined audience of 342 million people across 86 pieces of coverage in outlets including CNN, The New York Times, People, USA Today and MSN, according to Jarman’s own metrics via the CoverageBook platform, with Commas’ social media views lighting up 390 percent since the show. 

“His timing was unbelievable,” he added. “We had just started the soundtrack and he was directly in front of the first model, so he opened the show. Like, you could not script it.”  

The story added to buzz that was already building for the 30th edition of Australian Fashion Week, which is now under the management of the Australian Fashion Council — and notably, the AFC’s decision to move the event this year from its former 13-year home of Carriageworks, a repurposed industrial site in inner-city Redfern, to the Museum of Contemporary Art down on Circular Quay. This returned AFW to Sydney Harbour, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House once again forming the backdrops to many shows and street style photography. The schedule featured 39 designers across 27 shows. 

From 2003 to 2012, AFW was staged at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney’s largest cruise liner hub which is adjacent to the MCA. On Friday the terminal came alive again with fashion with a Vogue Australia takeover for a Sydney iteration of the Vogue Vintage Market pop-up concept. Presented by AFW partner eBay Australia, which live streamed shows throughout the week, and cohosted by model Gemma Ward, the market attracted 700 people, with a portion of proceeds going to the AFC. 

Although Vogue Vintage Market sales data was unavailable at the time of writing, separate eBay Live auctions throughout the week generated significant revenue, according to eBay Australia. The most-watched stream was Calum Best’s March 12 auction of 40 luxury watches, which generated more than 300,000 Australian dollars or $215,145 at current exchange.

“The mood was the strongest I have seen at fashion week,” said David Jones executive general manager beauty, womenswear, footwear and accessories Bridget Veals, whose favorite collections were Aje, Maticevski, Bianca Spender, Christian Kimber, Nagnata and Carla Zampatti, with new discoveries made including Alma Ines, Van Brusel, Edition x Sarrita King, Alberta Bucciarelli and Haluminous. 

“A key highlight was the new harborside venue, which created a strong sense of energy and connection,” said Veals. “There was also a noticeable increase in international buyers, with strong interest in the Australian fashion aesthetic.” 

“Toni Maticevski made an incredible return to the runway with a collection that reinforced his mastery of sculptural design and fabric innovation,” she added. “Sheer layering, denim and fringing were key trends, with a fresh approach to styling, particularly pairing sheer pieces with denim for a softer look. There continues to be a strong focus on beautifully crafted, pared-back collections from brands such as Esse Studios and Beare Park. 

“Other notable trends included shades of brown and mocha, soft pinks, micro shorts, and an emphasis on texture and sculptural silhouettes. These feel aligned with broader global directions while still maintaining a distinctly Australian sensibility. The scarf was a standout accessory, styled at the waist, worn as a top, and featured in menswear, notably at Farage.”

Net-a-porter buying manager Rachel Nimmo flagged Aje, Hansen & Gretel and L’Idée Woman as standout collections. A seven-year-old Perth-based label noted for its pleated eveningwear, L’Idée Woman flew Taylor Hill in for its show on Thursday, transforming the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s largest performance space at the harborside Walsh Bay Arts Precinct into a Studio 54-style experience for the evening.

“The mood felt optimistic and engaged, with a clear interest in the shift toward stronger ready-to-wear collections,” said Nimmo of the week. “The show settings were a real highlight, with iconic locations from the harbor to the Museum of Contemporary Art and views of the Sydney Opera House. These settings really helped to create a more emotional and memorable experience around the collections. 

“The week felt like a real evolution for Australian fashion, with a clear move away from predominantly resort and swim into more rounded rtw collections, with a strong global appeal,” she added. “I loved the balance between relaxed dressing and high-impact eveningwear, all tied together by an overall mood of confidence and sexiness. Sexiness was the defining trend across tailoring, boho dressing, eveningwear and resort. Sporty accents, bubble hems, soft blues and rich burgundies also stood out as trends this season, alongside ultra miniskirts and short-shorts. Sheer fabrics continue to dominate globally and were very present here, too.” 

“AFW marks the beginning of the summer 2027 buying season ahead of New York, Milan and Paris next month, it’s the perfect opportunity to gain early insight into collections and start planning and allocating for the season ahead. Discovering new brands ahead of market appointments is incredibly valuable from a buying perspective,” said Liberty womenswear and accessories buyer Bella Kelly, whose favorite shows were Hansen & Gretel, Aje and Esse Studios, along with off-schedule discoveries at SIR, Maison Essentiele, Deiji Studios, Mode Mischief and Roame.

“Australian brands are incredibly strong right now,” she added. “I already buy several Australian brands, so the market is highly relevant to our customer base. There’s a growing appetite for Australian fashion, particularly brands that combine relaxed sophistication with strong design identity and wearability.

“Fringing was everywhere, draped across garments, used on linings and styled as multipurpose accessories like scarves. It looked particularly fluid and impactful on the runway. Organza and sheer layering were also major trends throughout the week. These trends definitely align with what we’re seeing globally, but Sydney brought a freshness and wearability to them that felt distinctly Australian. There was also a strong focus on texture, embellishment and effortless styling. Customer behavior is shifting toward vibrancy, texture, embroidery and pieces with real points of difference, there’s definitely strong momentum around color and statement dressing.”

Tryano Abu Dhabi buying manager Kristine Humbert singled out as highlights Aje, Esse Studios, Carla Zampatti, Commas, Christian Kimber and the craftsmanship at Maticevski. 

“There is a very distinctive identity and authenticity to Australian fashion that comes across even more strongly when experiencing it locally,” said Humbert.

“One of my favorite experiences of the week was the Commas show,” she added. “Set against the backdrop of Tamarama Beach, the location was absolutely breathtaking and perfectly captured the unique beauty and spirit of Australia. With the models walking alongside the waves, the show felt incredibly authentic to Australian Fashion Week: the kind of natural setting and atmosphere that would be impossible to replicate anywhere else in the world.”