Full program: Athleisure steps up at Brisbane Fashion Month

Brisbane Fashion Month will return across the city next month with its most extensive program to date, including a dedicated athleisure and wellness event to tap into the fitness market that exploded when Covid broke out.

Athleisure will take centre stage when Brisbane Fashion Month (BFM) returns with its most extensive program to date.

The city’s largest showcase of local fashion, BFM will stage 15 events in October, including four major runway shows, fashion and lifestyle workshops, sustainable fashion walking tours, and shopping events.

It will also include a new dedicated athleisure and wellness event, which festival director Laura Churchill said came in response to the expansion of the sector during the pandemic.

“The athleisure industry in Queensland was already booming pre-Covid but our changing lifestyles over the past two years have seen this sector grow significantly again,” Ms Churchill said. “It made sense for us to add a stand-alone event highlighting Brisbane brands playing in the active and wellness space.”

Models Christy Young in dk active and Frankie4 Footwear and Jenna Cox in Moreno Marcos at the Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct ahead of Brisbane Fashion Month. Picture: Lachie Millard

Presented by dk active on October 23, the athleisure event will include yoga and pilates sessions, an activewear showcase and athleisure styling session, space and presentations on health and wellness from leaders in the industry in Brisbane.

Runway events will take place at Brisbane Quarter, West Village and Mercedes-Benz Brisbane at Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct, where the Resort Finale show will again conclude the festival.

The events will showcase established names such as Wil Valor, Tengdahl, Apero and Une Piece alongside emerging talents such as Chamani, Luna and Sun, Maven and Maive & Bo.

A pop-up Homegrown store at West Village, featuring new labels each fortnight, will also allow customers to shop and meet the designers.

Nicole Kidman stuns in a swimsuit by Queensland’s Une Piece

“It’s vital to support local fashion and lifestyle brands in what has been a very challenging 18 months for these businesses,” Ms Churchill said.

The Digital Runway, launched last year as a Covid-adapted response, will continue featuring iconic locations across the Brisbane CBD, while viewers can browse the looks and virtually try them on via fitting room app Puctto, which is a Brisbane start-up.

“It’s so exciting to be able to bring this new technology to life and shine a spotlight on another incredible Brisbane business doing world-leading work in the fashion space,” Ms Churchill said.

Sustainable fashion walking tours and shopping events will be held at Museum of Brisbane and Hanworth House.

Ms Churchill said the month-long event was a chance to “shine a light on an industry that has shown incredible adaptation and resilience.”

Brisbane Fashion Month runs from October 1-31. Tickets are on sale via brisbanefashionmonth.com.au.