Interestingly, it is a return to the past and we are so here for it. The boho revival fashion trend 2026 Australia is already taking shape, layering wide belts with lace, blue eyeshadow, crochet, and just the right amount of attitude. We can also thank Euphoria for the blue eye shadow coming back… This, we find hard to envision making a comeback, but ok!
At the same time, fashion feels increasingly influenced by what is happening around us, with fashion shaped by culture and media in a way that feels more visible than ever… From the upcoming Devil Wears Prada 2 release on the 1st May 2026, to the continued anticipation around Euphoria season three, which leans further into 90s inspired styling and emotional, mood led dressing, the references are everywhere.
Recently, Meryl Streep appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert wearing a blue sweater, a moment that immediately caught the attention of Devil Wears Prada fans. It was seen as a subtle, knowing nod to the iconic “cerulean sweater” scene from the original film, where her character famously dismisses the piece as unfashionable, a moment that came to define ideas of taste and fashion hierarchy. We are living for this unspoken cheek!
Australian Fashion Week 2026 arrives with a new backdrop this year, set within the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Perched at the edge of the Sydney harbour, it feels intentional and truly Australian. A move towards art, towards culture, towards something more considered. The setting alone signals a change in tone. Less copy and paste, more substance.
The quiet rebellion of style
This season is not about what is trending. It is about what feels right. A shift away from dressing for the feed, and back into dressing for yourself. Not in a performative sense, but in something quieter, more instinctive. For a while, style has felt increasingly referential. Saved posts, curated boards, algorithms that seem to know what you want before you do. You see it, you like it, you buy it. And somewhere along the way, the feeling gets lost.
What is emerging now is a return to personal expression over the “one size fits all” narrative. A kind of quiet rebellion style that feels non apologetic. Statement looks that don’t ask for approval.
There is something deeply satisfying about the unexpected. An outfit that does not quite follow the rules. It draws you in. It makes you curious. It tells you something about the person wearing it, rather than the trend they are following.
This year, it is all in the contrast.
Soft lace against sharp tailoring. Structure softened by movement. Volume paired back with restraint. Silhouettes that feel a little undone, a little romantic, a little human.
Power dressing returns, but not in the way we once knew it. It feels less rigid, more expressive. A nod to the women shaping the space, strong, self assured, and entirely individual. This evolution is increasingly visible in handcrafted and textured fashion details at Australian Fashion Week.
Alongside this, something softer begins to emerge. Poet core in its most effortless form. Oversized knits that feel lived in. Delicate lace that moves against more dense tailoring or some added dazzle with sequins, because why not. The brief is expressive, but never overworked. Styled as if it came together naturally, even when it did not. Then, of course, there is resort wear. In Australia, it never really leaves us. Summer is a constant state of mind. Bold colour, playful pattern, fluid shapes. A reminder that fashion here has always had a certain feel of relaxation to it. A willingness to embrace lightness, crispness and colour statements, most of the time, the more miss matched the better.
Culture & The Designer Lineup
Culturally, the program feels deeper than ever. The Frontier, presented in partnership with Create NSW, brings together a new wave of emerging voices including Haluminous, madre nurtura and Paris Jade Burrows. Alongside this, two dedicated First Nations runway shows from Buluuy Mirrii and Van Ermel Scherer are set to be among the most powerful moments of the week.
The 2026 Designer Lineup
Main Schedule
Aje
Alix Higgins
Bianca Spender
Carla Zampatti
Christian Kimber
COMMAS
Common Hours
Courtney Zheng
ESSE
Farage
Gary Bigeni
Hansen & Gretel
Iordanes Spyridon Gogos
L’IDÉE
Mariam Seddiq
Nagnata
Ngali
Nicol & Ford
Toni Maticevski
The Frontier
Haluminous
madre natura
Ouse
Paris Jade Burrows
Suzaan Stander
New Gen, presented by DHL
Alberta Bucciarelli
EDITION Alice Van Meurs x Sarrita King
Gloria Chol
KingKing Creative
First Nations Runway Show
Buluuy Mirrii
van Ermel Scherer
Catwalk side, paper mâché style
Beyond the runway, another catwalk quietly takes shape. One that belongs to the audience as much as the designers. Street style becomes its own moment, capturing everyday people and what they are wearing at fashion week. Last year, street style almost took over, with TikTok interviews, people walking through their outfits in real time, sharing where they are from and how they put it together. This is where street style trends at Australian Fashion Week became just as influential as the runway itself.
With that in mind, we pulled together a few looks we would curate for this AFW26 with our favourite Australian brands, such as St Agni, LMS Shoes, Hansen & Gretel, Third Form, Bec & Bridge, Sir The Label, Kat The Label, Alias Mae, Katharina Lou and Poppy Lissiman. Your outfits for the season are now sorted…
A Final Thought
As the season shifts into autumn, so does the way we dress. Layers begin to return. Textures start to matter a little more. And with Australian Fashion Week in full swing, inspiration has arrived thanks to Coachella. I think we can see a come back with brands like Spell Byron Bay, Camilla With Love and all things head scarves. It feels fun and nostalgic.
Whether you are sitting front row at the show or watching from afar, it is a moment to reconnect with your own sense of style. To experiment. To mismatch. To lean into the unexpected of how you feel that day.
Maybe that is the real takeaway for this year, be bold, be loud, be unapologetically you.
We look forward to watching Sydney’s fashion crowd step into themselves, fully, freely, and without apology.
Stay tuned for our post Fashion Week 2026 catch up.
Written by Bailey Doyle.
