Australian Fashion Takes Paris: 12 Designers Step Onto the Global Stage

Australian fashion is making its mark in Paris, with the Australian Fashion Council unveiling 12 designers for the debut Australian Fashion Rooms during Paris Fashion Week.

Running from 30 September to 4 October 2026 at Galerie Poggi, the new initiative marks the AFC’s largest international trade program to date, creating a dedicated space for Australian design among international buyers, media and industry leaders.

The inaugural line-up brings together Amy Lawrance, Buai, Caroline Reznik, ESSE, Haluminous, Ilio Nema, Maara Collective, Madre Natura, Miimi & Jiinda, NGALI, Paolo Sebastian and Romance Was Born.

Spanning couture, directional ready-to-wear, artisanal craft, experimental design and First Nations-led practice, the 12 labels offer a compelling snapshot of Australian fashion today. Rather than presenting a singular idea of what Australian style looks like, the showcase celebrates the cultural, geographic and creative perspectives that make the local industry distinctive.

For Australian designers, distance from the world's traditional fashion capitals has arguably helped foster a certain creative independence. From Country and cultural knowledge to migration, regional experiences, traditional craft and material experimentation, the designers selected for Paris each bring their own sense of identity and origin to the international stage.

The Australian Fashion Rooms have been conceived as more than a traditional showroom. Galerie Poggi will be transformed into a considered, gallery-like environment where the collections and individual identities of each designer remain firmly at the forefront. Beyond fashion, the experience will also introduce guests to a taste of contemporary Australia, with chef and food stylist Sian Redgrave creating a menu inspired by familiar Australian flavours, alongside coffee from Sydney’s The Little Marionette.

The initiative has a distinctly commercial focus too. Participating designers have undertaken a readiness program covering brand positioning, wholesale, export preparation and presenting their collections to international audiences, with the ultimate goal of turning global attention into meaningful opportunities and long-term market relationships.

The program will officially open with a reception at the Australian Embassy in Paris, hosted by Australian Ambassador to France Lynette Wood, connecting the designers with international buyers, media, cultural figures and government stakeholders.

For the AFC, Paris represents part of a much bigger ambition. Australian Fashion Rooms sits within its Global Gateways program, designed to build stronger international pathways and greater visibility for Australian fashion over time. Following a previous activation in Hong Kong, Paris 2026 is the program’s largest undertaking yet, with further international markets planned for 2027.

With some of the country’s most exciting emerging and established names landing in one of fashion’s most influential cities, Australian Fashion Rooms is putting Australian creativity exactly where it belongs: in the global conversation.