The earlier morning rain thankfully stopped, and the sun came out in all its glory on Monday for 2026 Australian Fashion Week, in conjunction with the Australian Fashion Councils opening ceremony. A beautiful Welcome to Country through first nations song and dance, followed with opening addressees by Marianne Perkovic, Chair of the Australian Fashion Council, and Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney, kicking off the week of catwalks, talks and celebrations.
For years Fashion Week has sat within its own world at Carriage works but moving it to Circular Quay brought a different energy. Suddenly tourists, office workers, locals and people simply walking through became part of it too. The space around the Museum of Contemporary Art was full of photographers, content creators, interviews and people watching. Fashion felt more visible and open and had a genuine vibe of excitement.
And there cannot be many fashion events in the world where the backdrop includes the Opera House on one side and the Harbour Bridge on the other. It felt uniquely Australian.
I was really pleased to catch up with Jackie Galleghan from Madre Natura on the eve of her Frontier catwalk show. One of the lovely things about being an AFC member is seeing familiar faces amongst the crowd, and reconnecting with people who are all creating and building in different ways. I loved chatting design inspiration and stories with her.
Within the addresses, one line struck me. When you consider art and fashion, take in the story. That is where the gold lies. And isn’t that true?
Because fashion is never just about the garment. It is the reason you bought it, where you wore it, who recommended it, how it made you feel. The story is the thing that gives clothing meaning.
Tuesday then saw me back for the start of the AFC Talks presented by Afterpay, with my guest Jo.
The first 2036 the future of fashion gave me many scribbled notes, but the one statistic that genuinely stopped me was hearing that 52% of a wardrobe, for a female consumer over 50 is made up of one brand, as quoted by Afterpays Emily Marshall.
At Philosophy Australia we could absolutely attest to that.
Our customers have always been our biggest cheerleaders. We see women return year after year, introducing daughters, sisters and friends along the way. In an industry often obsessed with chasing “new”, there was something incredibly reassuring in hearing loyalty still holds enormous value, and we know we have gained valuable wardrobe real estate with our consumers over the years.
The conversations around AI and customer behaviour also gave me plenty to think about. We heard a lot around moving away from social algorithms and toward AI-assisted search and discovery. Platforms like TikTok and Substack are becoming search tools, shopping journeys are changing, and the question brands increasingly need to ask is simple:
How are you showing up there? So, this will now be a part of my agenda to adapt and consider.
The point raised by Zoltan Csaki from Magic Fit was around using data to create a true 360-degree view of your customer. Because the customer you think you have and the customer who is buying from you may not always be the same person. That point hit for me.
Data and assumptions age quickly and understanding that gap between who we imagine our customer is and who she is can influence everything from product decisions through to communication and customer experience; and perhaps more importantly, it means creating products women genuinely want and wear.
As a proud Magic Fit customer from their start up and product testing point, I am glad to say our vision of who our customer was against who she is, after more than 18 months of data are fully aligned. We knew our online consumer would have matching profiles to our boutique customers and have been able to offer through pre-orders and store recommendations an experience that is proving successful.
Something about this data point, reminded me of a comment from a charity called Thread Together, that we also work with, about an abundance of unsold product at either end of the sizing spectrum, but less through the middle where most women sit. Knowing your size breakups historically isn’t enough now, this is where product and sizing demand planning is an area AI can assist with.
The afternoon session chaired by Lisa Lake, who I’ve been traveling in circles with for years, titled Designing the future with academic innovation offered fascinating points around education and research. One topic that immediately went into my “watch this space” basket was hearing discussions around algae potentially replacing fossil fuel inputs within fabric construction. Polyester qualities, but not as we know them!
Thursday, however, was hands down my favourite event of the week.
Meet the Maker, instigated by AFC General Manager Sam Delgos, brought together the people behind the scenes of fashion. Manufacturers, suppliers, pattern makers and businesses keeping Australian fashion moving, like ourselves.
I was invited to present, which felt incredibly flattering, but as our focus moving forward is firmly on growing Philosophy Australia as a brand rather than a manufacturing arm, I politely declined. Instead, I did what I love most, meet people and chat about my favourite subjects.
I met Glen Rollason from RB Patterns and instantly felt that kindred spirit energy. I caught up with Stephen Morris-Moody from MTK Textiles and finally met Melanie Flintoff from Silver Fleece in person after having an online friendship. She is doing great things for Australian Knitwear.
I had a lovely chat with AFC board member Simon Stewart about the things happening in Philosophy’s world too, as he was genuinely glad to hear all about the things he’d seen online.
Because behind every conversation was someone trying to build something. Quietly doing the work. Supporting Australian industry and keeping skills alive. These moments filled my cup, and the Opera House backdrop only enhanced it.
The week wrapped with a session titled the case for circular design, fashions most important conversation hosted by Seamless CEO Ainsley Simpson discussing circular fashion and one line stayed with me:
“Don’t let perfection hold up progression.” And whilst I completely understood the message, I found myself reflecting on something afterwards.
I have often walked away from sustainability conversations like this, feeling like we should be doing more. But this time it felt different.
Because I realised many of the conversations around longevity, thoughtful production and slowing fashion down are things my team and I have simply always done.
Not because they were trends, we wanted accreditation or had KPI’s to achieve, but because they are our values.
We have spent too long forgetting to acknowledge what we already do, and most importantly sharing that. We don’t need accolades, but we should educate, inform and inspire others with our practices, so that they can have a transparent supply chain as visible and meaningful as ours.
To summarize, I may not have been sitting front row, but I’ve watched, listened and absorbed.
What we saw on the runway will not directly translate into the public’s wardrobes. The silhouettes may not all feel wearable and not every trend is designed to, but inspiration and viral moments can come from anywhere - looking at you Beach Dave!
Colour. Texture. Movement. A feeling, and as we all interpret fashion differently will be interesting to see where this all leads to in sales and looks.
Personally, Fashion Week came down to conversations with designers, stylists, content creators, suppliers, industry peers, AFC members and friends. One thing felt very clear, everyone was simply happy to be there.
Proud of the week. Proud of Australian fashion. Proud of an industry that contributes far more to our national economy than most people realise.
As we now move into Australian Made Week, all that pride feels especially important.
Because whilst 100% of our Philosophy Australia garments are made here in Sydney, it has never really been about location. It is about heart, heritage and customer care.
We are creating pieces for busy women living full lives and wardrobes that work hard long after trends move on, and that’s what I am proud of.
Maybe my 2026 word of the year, Emerge, was telling me to shout that feeling a little louder all along. Watch this space….
Ali x
