2021 Australian Fashion Week finale points to diverse future

It certainly ticked all of the diversity boxes. Afterpay Australian Fashion Week has wrapped in a historic year, delivering inclusivity on the runway like never before.

It certainly ticked all of the diversity boxes.

Afterpay Australian Fashion Week has wrapped in a historic year, delivering inclusivity on the runway like never before.

“Being able to launch in a week that is the first live fashion event globally, it has had more international attention and focus from influential people than ever before,” Vogue Australia’s Edwina McCann said.

“That can only be good for the industry, the economy, consumers and the almost half a million people employed in the sector.”

Jessica Gomes, Rheed McCracken and Charlee Fraser stepped into the limelight for the Afterpay Future of Fashion Runway to close out Fashion Week. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Jessica Gomes was front row at many of the key shows throughout the week.

She dusted off her best catwalk pose for the finale event on Friday night, with 18 top Australian designers taking part in one show at Carriageworks in Eveleigh.

Among the labels in the spectacular finale event were Chris Ran Lin, Anna Quan, Bianca Spender, Rachel Gilbert and Camilla.

“I love listening to the music and striding down the runway,” Gomes, one of our top modelling exports, told The Saturday Telegraph.

“There was such a great energy back stage, so it was a really fun show to be part of.

“I really love where Australian fashion is heading — embracing the now and celebrating the future of fashion.”

It has been a year of firsts for Australian Fashion Week, which attracted the attention of the world’s fashion media like never before as it marked the first series of live in-person runway events to take place since the global pandemic.

For the first time ever, First Nations Australian designers took centre stage with the likes of Nungula Creative, Grace Lillian Lee, Sown in Time and AARLI among the labels hitting the runway.

“That show set a whole new agenda in terms of what this industry can do in terms of reconciliation but also indigenous storytelling,” McCann said.

“First Nations people are the greatest storytellers and the fact that they were able to bring that to the runway with all of the other elements was truly unique and inspiring.

“They presented something that all Australians can be incredibly proud of.”

Charlee Fraser described the experience of the fashion event as “inspiring”. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Indigenous model Charlie Fraser headlined that parade and also walked in Friday night’s Afterpay Future of Fashion finale.

“It has felt uplifting, rewarding, inspiring, hopeful, excited and proud with a touch of exhaustion but I wouldn’t trade it for absolutely anything,” Fraser said.

“I’ve had the most amazing and educational time. I’d love to see brands/companies incorporate cultural practices within their business model, sourced and performed by local indigenous communities that help educate staff about traditions, history and knowledge of the land.”

Paralympic athletes Rheed McCracken, Sarah Walsh and Michael Roger also modelled on the runway.

“I never thought I’d get the chance to walk the runway at Australian Fashion Week,” McCracken said.

“It was a mixture of nerves and excitement as I was out of my comfort zone and I loved that.

“I’m so use to getting on an athletics track and knowing exactly what to do and what I can do as I’ve trained my whole life for it.

“But walking a runway is new for me, all I know is after that, I would love the chance to be a part of more.”