Afterpay Australian Fashion Week is back for another year. In 2023, in its 27th iteration, the heart of Australia’s fashion calendar will see editors, influencers, designers and industry heavyweights from all over the country and beyond flocking to Carriageworks in Sydney’s Redfern. Where better to people-watch than here?
Like in previous years, the week opened with a Welcome to Country and a smoking ceremony, a reminder of the unceded Gadigal land on which the event is held. Lesleigh Jermanus’s Alémais was the first show of the week, sending a suite of lively, psychedelic sundresses and ’70s-inflected shifts down the runway—a glitzification of modern Australian resort wear.
The week holds a lot of gems yet. On Wednesday, Denni Francisco of Ngali will become the first First Nations designer to hold her own show, a landmark moment for the national industry. Stalwarts of the scene, from the classic femininity of Bianca Spender, to the frothy delicacy of Aje, will present too, as will the innovative designs of emerging trendmakers like Alix Higgins and Wackie Ju. No doubt, the fashion on the streets will also rise to the occasion.
Below, see all of the best street style looks from Afterpay Australian Fashion Week 2023, so far.