The Australian Fashion Awards has returned following a breakout debut last year.
The event delivered a sold-out room of C-Suite leaders with more than 100 entries from the country’s leading retailers and designers.
These included David Jones, Country Road, Kookai, JD Sports, Carla Zampatti, The Iconic, Camilla, Bonds, Hoka, July, APG & Co, Decjuba, Strand, eBay Australia, Elk the Label, Sheike, Kathmandu, Rip Curl and The Volte.
Now open for entries, this year’s awards recognise the ideas, operators and businesses redefining Australia’s $28 billion fashion sector — where creativity meets commercial discipline and innovation is translating directly into growth.
Winners will be announced at the Australian Fashion Awards Lunch at The Promenade Docklands, Melbourne in August.
“In developing the awards programme, we wanted to recognise the unique capabilities of the Australian fashion industry. Fashion stands apart from retail as a sector where creativity meets commerce, fuelling economic growth while driving innovation through creative ideas and design,” said Ragtrader publisher Assia Benmedjdoub.
Open to consumer-facing brands, etailers and retailers across apparel, footwear and accessories, the program spans twelve categories built to reflect how modern fashion businesses operate.
These include Marketing Campaign of the Year, Sustainability Excellence Award, Team of the Year, Design Excellence Award, The Gamechanger Award, Best Use of Technology, Best Store Design, Emerging Brand Award, Industry Collaboration Award and the Positive Impact Award.
New categories and refinements for 2026 reflect the increasing importance of ecosystem thinking, with the Industry Collaboration Award now explicitly open to suppliers — recognising the partnerships driving both creative and commercial outcomes across the value chain.
The 2026 program is supported by sponsors Afterpay, Williams Logistics and Apparel 21. To partner with the event, contact sponsorship manager Marni Groves: marnigroves@yaffa.com.au