Apr 28, 2021
Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW), previously known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, announced on Tuesday the final schedule of
events and programming.
Set to take place May 31 to June 4, at the historic Carriageworks and other select venues throughout Sydney, IMG announced two dozen designers dubbed the “2021 Changemakers” who will participate in the official AAFW schedule in various capacities.
They 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 and Yatu Widders-Hunt.
The event will include shows, presentations, trade showrooms, virtual content and programming with highlights including the return of Romance Was Born, the opening night show on Monday; Afterpay’s “Future of Fashion” Runway on Friday, June 4 presenting the first collective showcase celebrating diversity, inclusion, sustainability and accessibility; and the Indigenous Fashion Projects runway on Thursday, June 3 featuring the collections of leading First Nations designers.
Likewise, AAFW’s runway shows will be complemented by trade showrooms, The Suites, which will host AAFW’s visiting buyers and media, and will feature a curated selection of Australian designers.
AAFW's live events will equally be complemented by the launch of the AAFW edition of AFC Virtual on ORDRE, a luxury online wholesale portal, designed to increase trade outcomes for Australian fashion designers.
Finally, IMG’s series of culturally enriching panel discussions will again return, featuring some of the most notable names in the fashion industry. Additional conversations and special events at AAFW will include Nicky and Simone Zimmermann in talk with Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edwina McCann.
Earlier this year, Australian Fashion Week announced a new title sponsor, Afterpay, and mission. As part of its mission to be more inclusive, AAFW is opening its doors to the public and inviting consumers for the first time ever to purchase tickets to select shows on the official schedule and access VIP packages.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with IMG to create a world-class event that supports Australian designers on both a local and international stage,” said Nick Molnar, co-founder and co-CEO of Afterpay.
“With Australian fashion designers being the founding partners and the core of Afterpay, this year will see us champion and foster both emerging and established designers through various consumer shows like never before. We can’t wait to celebrate our commitment to the future of fashion with such a strong and incredible lineup of shows and special events.”
The 2020 edition of Australian Fashion Week was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
IMG was expecting about 1,600 industry professionals from over 20 countries to hit Sydney to see the Resort 2021 ready-to-wear collections.