IMG has announced the final schedule for Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW).
The event will take place 31 May – 4 June 2021, in-person at Carriageworks in Sydney, and virtually on the Australian Fashion Week website.
As previously reported by Ragtrader, AAFW will celebrate and support both established and emerging designers through a range of programs and activations.
As part of this mission, IMG has announced the 2021 Changemakers, celebrating individuals shifting Australia’s representation landscape and leveraging fashion as a cultural catalyst.
The 21 Changemakers will participate in the AAFW schedule in a range of capacities including programming, runway shows, content integrations and more.
The 2021 Changemakers are:
- Daphne Nguyen
- Emma Jarman
- Gadir Rajab
- Gillian Campbell
- Grace Lillian Lee
- Joel Babicci
- Joel Forman
- Jordan Dalah
- Jordan Gogos
- Justin Ridler
- Levi Neufeld
- Lisa Cox
- Lisa Fatnowna
- Mahalia Handley
- Manahou Mackay
- Nathan Mcguire
- Richard Jarman
- Rory Rice
- Sarah Starkey
- Tre Koch
- Yatu Widders-Hunt
Furthering its representation mission, AAFW has also secured a partnership with First Nations Fashion and Design (FNFD) to showcase and support Indigenous designers and labels.
Across the five days of AAFW, Australian designers will showcase their work on runways, in presentations, trade showrooms, virtual content and programming.
Highlights include; Romance Was Born's opening night show; Jordan Dalah's debut; Afterpay’s 'Future of Fashion' Runway which will feature Alice McCall, Anna Quan, Bassike, Bec + Bridge, Blair Archibald, Camilla, Ginger & Smart, Ginny’s Girl Gang, Manning Cartell, P.E. Nation and Romance Was Born; the Indigenous Fashion Projects runway which will showcase First Nations designers Indii, Kirrikin, Liandra Swim, MAARA Collective, Native Swimwear and Ngali; and, AAFW: The Experience, AAFW’s integrated consumer offering.
The runway shows will be complemented by trade showrooms which will house a range of designers who will have the opportunity to meet with media and buyers.
Designers in The Suites include:
- A.BCH
- Ambra Maddalena
- Aqua Blu
- Arnsdorf
- Autark
- Bailey Nelson
- Best Jumpers
- Bird & Knoll
- Chosen by Tuchuzy
- Christian Kimber
- Etcetera
- fallenBROKENstreet
- First Nations Fashion and Design
- Homebodii
- Indigenous Fashion Projects
- Isabelle Quinn
- Jets Australia
- Katya Komarova
- Kerrin
- Kloke
- Manning Cartell
- Palma Martin
- Porter Jewellery
- Rumer
- Seafolly
- Shona Joy
- Silk Laundry
- Slyletica
- We Are Kindred
- Worn
Meanwhile, further trade outcomes will be made possible through the AAFW x AFC and Ordre partnership.
The luxury online wholesale portal will feature resort collections from Bondi Born, Oroton, Ginger & Smart, Aaizél and Erik-Yvon among others.
IMG Fashion Events & Properties APAC VP-MD Natalie Xenita praised the strength of the AAFW program.
"AAFW is a momentous occasion to showcase the unmatched creative talent of the Australian fashion industry to the world.
"This season’s incredible schedule of designers, fashion events and programming will strengthen AAFW’s position as the leading fashion event in the region and the global destination for resort collections," she said.
AAFW will also feature a range of educational panel discussions in AAFW: The Talks.
Highlighted designers and fashion executives featured in The Talks include Spell co-founder Elizabeth Abegg, designer Maggie Hewitt, Nobody Denim co-founder John Condolis, GlamCorner’s Audrey Khaing-Jones and Changemakers Yatu-
Widders Hunt, Lisa Cox and Manahou Mackay.
Further details on the AAFW 2021 program can be found on the Australian Fashion Week website.