Has Australian Fashion Week Lost It's Soul?

Australian Fashion Week has once again taken over Sydney this week, with runway shows, street style moments and social media coverage flooding our feeds. Yet quietly, and perhaps somewhat nostalgically, I’ve found myself sitting this one out for a number of years now.

There was a time when Fashion Week felt like a genuine celebration of Australian fashion and creativity. Early in my career, as an upcoming Fashion Stylist, I worked backstage as both a dresser and an usher, eager to catch a first-hand glimpse of the new season collections from some of my favourite Australian designers. The atmosphere was electric. There was anticipation, excitement and a sense that Australian fashion was building something amazing.

Back then, the front rows were filled predominantly with magazine editors, buyers, journalists and industry professionals. Buyers attended to consider collections for retail stores, journalists reported on emerging trends and designers were unquestionably the focus of the event. Fashion Week felt connected to the industry itself, a platform designed to showcase and support Australian design talent.

It was never simply about being seen. It was about the collections, the craftsmanship, the creativity and the commercial future of Australian fashion.

Over time, however, the landscape has shifted dramatically.

Today, Fashion Week often feels less centred around the designers and more focused on visibility, popularity and online reach. Influencers, reality television personalities and social media creators have become central figures within the event. Outside venues, photographers line the streets capturing content creators arriving in carefully curated outfits, many not even wearing Australian designers.

One observation this year particularly stood out to me. A well-known food influencer, whose content I genuinely enjoy, attended several major shows and openly shared online that she had no connection to the fashion industry at all. It highlighted just how far Fashion Week has evolved from its original purpose.

This is by no means a criticism of influencers or digital creators themselves. Many are incredibly talented marketers and storytellers who have built highly successful businesses and audiences. The media landscape has changed, consumer behaviour has changed and fashion brands understandably need visibility in a digital-first world.

But somewhere along the way, it feels as though Fashion Week may have lost some of its identity. At times, the event can feel closer to a celebrity or influencer showcase than an industry event grounded in fashion design and creative innovation. The attention can shift away from the collections themselves and toward who is sitting front row, what content is being captured and who has the largest online following.

Perhaps this is simply the natural evolution of fashion media. Industries change, audiences shift and relevance today often depends on digital engagement. Yet I can’t help but miss the era where the designers themselves were still the main event. I miss the focus on emerging Australian talent. I miss the excitement around the craftsmanship, the silhouettes, the fabrication and the storytelling through design. I miss Fashion Week feeling like a true celebration of the Australian fashion industry, rather than simply a backdrop for content creation.

Australia continues to produce incredibly talented designers, creatives and brands doing exceptional work. Perhaps the conversation now is less about whether Fashion Week has changed, and more about how the industry balances commercial relevance, digital influence and authentic creative culture moving forward.

It will certainly be interesting to watch how Australian Fashion Week continues to evolve in the years ahead. With style,

Caitlin.