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- And the Opening Show of This Year’s Australian Fashion Week Is… Bianca Spender
And the Opening Show of This Year’s Australian Fashion Week Is… Bianca Spender
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Details for Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) are slowly trickling through, getting us more and more excited for the event, which takes over Sydney’s Carriageworks Monday, May 9 – Friday, May 5.
The latest news is that Bianca Spender will be kicking the week off with a show. The Australian fashion designer will be presenting her summer and resort collection offering at a show on Monday, May 9 at 9am in Gallery 1, a space dedicated to Spender’s mum, late fashion designer Carla Zampatti. Spender was chosen as the opening runway in recognition of her integral contribution to the Australian fashion community.
“Being named the opening runway show at AAFW is a true celebration of the Bianca Spender brand,” Spender said in a statement. “For me, this presentation is a culmination of my journey through fashion — highlighting self-expression, creativity, curiosity and the drive to write my own story.”
Alongside the upcoming collection, which promises to also capture the evolution of the brand and to highlight Spender’s commitment to enduring design and sustainable practices, the show will also show a see-now-buy-now capsule collection, which can be bought immediately online and in-stores. This collection sees Spender reviving some of her most revered archival creations from the last 12 years.
“This is a pinnacle moment for Bianca Spender as she makes her return to Australian Fashion Week for the first time since 2018,” said Natalie Xenita, Vice President-Managing Director at IMG Fashion Events and Properties, Asia-Pacific.
“Over the past decade, her eponymous label has established itself as one of Australia’s leading independent and sustainable brands, and we couldn’t think of a more significant way to celebrate her continued success than on the runway at AAFW.”
The show will be livestreamed at AAFW.com.au.
Earlier this month, it was announced that BEC + BRIDGE would be headlining the event, also presenting on Monday, March 9. The Australian fashion brand by Bec Cooper and Bridget Yorston would be presenting in two show, an invite-only at 7pm and an encore presentation at 8pm.
“We are excited to return to the schedule this year to celebrate our 21 year anniversary, and share this special milestone with our industry friends and loyal customers,” Cooper and Yorston said at the time of the announce.
“Australian Fashion Week is a great stage to propel domestic brands to a global audience, and we are honoured to be this year’s first headline designer runway show.”
