Australian Fashion Week is ushering in a new era with its 2025 return under the Australian Fashion Council — and it’s showing on the runways.
Heritage brands like Carla Zampatti and Bianca Spender as well as the new fashion guard—Courtney Zheng, Beare Park, Wynn Hamlyn, et. al—are a show of Australia’s most treasured talent, both here and abroad.
They’re also setting the tone for what’s to come locally from the fashion set, dictating the trends we’ll see everywhere in the months to come, attuned to our style palette in ways the international fashion weeks aren’t.
Already, a few key trends are taking form at 2025 Australian Fashion Week, our favourite of which we’re curating here.
2025 Australian Fashion Week Trends
Frills & Fringing
Whether it was floor-skimming and frayed edges at Wynn Hamlyn, fringed skirts and dresses that satisfyingly swished as models walked the Aje runway or the delicate, feminine ruffles that gave sumptuous texture to Lee Mathews pieces, there was no shortage of fabulous frills and fringing this year.
Romance & Sensual Dressing
A strong shift away from structured tailoring was evident amongst the runways this year, designers instead favouring the feminine, sheer and delicate.
Beare Park’s signature tailoring took on a soft focus and was complimented with draped silks, lace and sensual silhouettes.
Over at Carla Zampatti and Lee Mathews chiffon was gathered and draped oh-so delicately while at Aje billowing dresses and layered layered ruffles brought an air of romance to the runway.
Checks & Plaid
Once reserved for our winter wardrobes, plaid and checks quickly become a transeasonal staple.
The print has had a strong presence on international runways (seen at Tod’s, Acne and The Row) and now it’s made its way to our shores albeit in a more muted palette.
At the Frontier show Wynn Hamlyn clashed check on check on floral, while signature silhouettes were given at preppy flare courtesy of the print at Lee Mathews.
Polka Dots
TikTok influencer Rebeca Oksana was onto something when she predicted the polka dot revival of 2025 earlier this year.
The former go-to print of 2010s it-girls was all over the AFW runways, looking fresh and elevated in sheer fabrics at Bianca Spender and varying proportions at Carla Zampatti while over at Lee Mathews dots were imperfect, as though hand-painted.
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