The PayPal Australian Fashion Festival – formerly the Melbourne Fashion Festival – has just unveiled new regional event launches across the state of Victoria, adding to its original major event at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne every February/March.
The PAFF will host a Bendigo Fashion Series and a Shepparton Fashion Series, both supported by the state of Victoria, and the councils behind each regional city – City of Greater Bendigo and Greater Shepparton City Council.
The Bendigo Fashion Series will feature 31 events taking place from September 12 to 20, with tickets on sale now.
The Shepparton Fashion Series will feature over 20 events taking place from October 3 to 11, with tickets for that going live on August 27.
This follows the recent shift in PAFF’s branding, including changing its name, all to reflect a broader national agenda. The key part of this strategy is becoming a year-round fashion platform and expanding the Festival’s footprint beyond Greater Melbourne.
The Festival previously piloted its first dedicated regional programme, the Geelong Fashion Fortnight, as part of the 2026 annual event in February 2026 to great success, with attendance of over 150,000.
PayPal Australian Fashion Festival executive director Prue Mahar said the new regional series is about creating meaningful opportunities for local designers, makers and creatives to be showcased on a major platform, while inviting new audiences to engage with fashion in a distinctly regional context.
“We’re proud to collaborate with Visit Victoria, City of Greater Bendigo and Greater Shepparton City Council and an incredible network of local partners to bring this programme to life,” Mahar said.
The events in Bendigo and Shepparton will include talks, workshops and exhibitions, revolving around local designers and practitioners.
Victoria’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Natalie Suleyman, said these series are backed by the Victorian Government’s Regional Events Fund.
“These two new series will draw visitors into the regions, fill local hotels and restaurants, and put Bendigo and Shepparton on the map for fashion lovers from around the world,” Suleyman said.
The City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Thomas Prince said the region is one of Australia’s leading arts and cultural destinations. He said the Series there will also include live demonstrations, First Nations cultural experiences, hands-on creative workshops and a heritage walking tour.
“With exceptional food and wine, breathtaking landscapes and rich gold rush heritage, Bendigo offers a stylish spring escape,” Prince said.
“We look forward to welcoming fashion lovers to experience the creativity, culture and unique charm and leave our city culturally enriched.” Cr Prince said.
Anchored in the vibrant regional centre of Bendigo, Dja Dja Wurrung Country, the Bendigo Fashion Series features 31 unique events, with many free or low-cost, including talks, workshops, exhibitions, screenings, tours and performances.
The programme of events for the Shepparton Fashion Series will be released in two weeks’ time, and features designers and creatives including Richard Nylon, Josh Deane, Jordan Drysdale and Stieg Persson.