Style is set to sweep across Melbourne this spring as Melbourne Fashion Week (M/FW) takes over the city from October 20 to 26 with runways, exhibitions, talks, and more than 100 events. This year’s theme, Come As You Are, celebrates individuality, community and creativity, inviting everyone to be part of Australia’s fashion capital.
Six premium runways will transform landmark venues into fashion destinations: the sustainable new 1 Hotel Melbourne, artisanal dining hub il Mercato Centrale, the Melbourne Recital Centre, 101 Collins Street, Younghusband in Kensington, and a return to Little Bourke Street with Emporium Melbourne. More than 600 designers and retailers will feature, with the program supporting over 1,000 jobs across the industry.
Audiences can expect a showcase of emerging and established designers including Aje Studio, Ngali, J’Aton Couture, Grace Lillian Lee, Oroton and student talent from leading fashion institutions.
More than 85 per cent of the program will spotlight homegrown designers, models, stylists and creatives. Sustainability and inclusivity remain at the core, alongside celebrations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
In a headline highlight, Fed Square will host a free, Australian-first exhibition of costumes from Wicked, designed by Oscar-winner Paul Tazewell. The showcase, opening October 13, offers a close look at the extraordinary costumes created for Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked Part 1 and the upcoming Wicked: For Good.
Beyond the runways, M/FW 2025 brings its biggest program of independent events to date, with more than 40 unique experiences ranging from regenerative pop-ups and vintage markets to open studios and fashion projections. Five Fashion Capsule exhibitions will enliven city streets, while the Conversations series will return with panels exploring the business of fashion and the future of inclusivity.
“Come one, come all – and most importantly, Come As You Are,” Acting Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell said. “Melbourne will cement its place as Australia’s fashion and retail capital, with bold new runway locations and a spotlight on local designers, artisans and creatives.”
Tickets on sale via Melbourne Fashion Week, with $1 from every ticket supporting carbon offset programs.
