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The Adelaide Fashion Week has been confirmed to return for 11 to 13 October 2024 by Rundle Mall, Experience Adl and the Adelaide Economic Development Agency.
The announcement came as an unexpected surprise to fashion natives, who hold their breath each mid-winter to find out if any fashion event will move forward - with a slew of past festivals usually taking place in the month of October.
Alas, the Adelaide Fashion Week has kicked off its promotions with an exciting bang, releasing imagery and visuals under the banner of 'ICONS ONLY', featuring the likes of journalist, news and radio presenter, Rebecca Morse, designer of Paolo Sebastian, Paul Vasileff, CEO of the Adelaide Fringe, Heather Croall and graphic designer and artist, Nick Phillips, Designer of Couture+Love+Madness, Cristina Tridente, Kaurna Elder and SAPOL's Aboriginal Learning and Development Officer, Uncle Mickey, former Lady Mayoress of the City of Adelaide, Angela Condous, media personalities, Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AM, Andrew and Samantha Costello, Clip Joint Salons Creative Director, Elia Collier, Port Adelaide's Travis Boak, stylist and creative producer, Mirella Romano, Brand Executive Chris Kontos, AGSA Curator of Decorative Arts, Rebecca Evans, Model, Akuol Garang, Fashion Editor for The Advertiser, Anna Vlach, renowned chef, Poh Ling Yeow, and model and House Rules personality, Jessica Dover.
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To be completely honest, and I know I have been critical of fashion festival campaigns in the past, I absolutely love the direction that they've moved in for this campaign and for the first time in a long time, it excites me to see how they're going to execute the event.
In previous years, I've felt like fashion focused large scale events like these have focused too much on trying to catch up to the big guys, emulating what a fashion event would be like in Sydney or New York, but trying to promote it to an Adelaide audience, creating a feeling of distance between the people running the shows and those actually buying tickets and wanting to support the events.
Including profiles like Travis Boak, and Heather and Nick Phillips is undoubtedly a smart move, widening the reach of the event into areas of these already established profiles, and celebrating the kinds of fashion you see broadly across stylish savants. My soft spot will forever and always be Heather Croall and her partner Nick Phillips, for the two of them hold such respect within their fields, and utilise fashion as a way to highlight themselves within an industry already very well known for bright and bold characters - the arts.
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The approach of the week itself seems to have taken on this feedback, with their website clearly stating "three-day curated, culturally diverse and inclusive program of events, unique experiences, and innovative activations and collaborations across the city, complemented by shopping offers, prizes, and stylish in-store events." which leads the reader to believe the week is moving away from an in-store shopping and promotional focus and more toward celebrating local fashion and activations.
Now... how to get even more time off work to try and fit some events into my already busy schedule while I already have leave secured for my 30th in the same month! Wish me luck.
Adelaide Fashion Week will be a citywide initiative and will run from 11 to 13 October with the program planning to be announced on Wednesday 28 August. Visit their website adlfashionweek.com to learn more.
Adelaide Fashion Week