In Conversation with Gary Bigeni: Colour, Texture and What to Expect from his AFW ‘26 Runway
Known for balancing bold expression with considered structure, Gary Bigeni has carved out a distinct space within Australia’s contemporary fashion landscape. His work feels instinctive yet refined, collections that not only respond to the cultural moment but often shape the conversation around it.
Ahead of his AFC Australian Fashion Week 2026 runway show, Façon sat down with Gary to discuss the mood behind the collection, the textures and tones defining the season, and what audiences can expect as the runway begins.
Join the conversation…
Q: What can we expect from your runway this season that we haven’t seen from you before?
This collection is reflective - so I’m not sure you’ll necessarily see anything “new”. It doesn’t always have to be about new things, and truth be told, nothing is new. Everything is derived from something that has happened before, and maybe it’s re-imagined in a different way, but that doesn’t make it new. I guess, if we use the term loosely, I have approached some of the collection with a different way of shaping the designs in a way that I haven’t done before.
Those who know my designs well from over the years will easily recognise a departure from some shapes that they may have been familiar with. This collection very much feels like I have grown up. By that I mean matured as a designer.
Q: How would you describe the mood of the collection in three words?
Fresh, sophisticated & colourful - but in a way that is new in terms of what people know and expect of me when it comes to colour and print.
Q: Is there one standout colour you’d call the “unexpected hero” this season?
Silver - particularly the fabric I’ve used with that colour. The colour, the fabric - it’s possibly the standout, but without shouting.
Q: Is there a hero silhouette or shape that defines this collection?
Twisting and manipulation of fabric
Q: What’s the one detail the audience might miss at first glance but shouldn’t?
The model that they won’t see, but is there.
Q: How has your approach to design evolved since your last runway?
At the end of 2025, I felt reflective of the year that had just passed - creative projects I had been working on, and I came to the realisation that I wanted to design & create things that I love. I wanted to go back to where I started - draping, using mannequins to create shapes & forms for all genders, shapes & sizes. Synchronizing the connection of my past & my present together, and how I can merge all these different creative ideas that I have developed in the past 23 years into this collection has energised me, and excited me.
I feel very differently about this collection - it feels a culmination of my maturing as a designer, bringing together all of my practices - draping, hand painting, collaboration with artists on prints, and soft-tailoring. Given this is the 30th milestone birthday for AFW, it really felt like perfect timing to execute this vision.
As AFW26 draws to a close, collections like Gary Bigeni’s remind us why the final moments of the week often leave the strongest impression. There’s a clarity and confidence that comes with closing, a sense of knowing exactly what you want to say and how you want it to be received.
We’re grateful to have captured a glimpse into Gary’s process and perspective, and to share the voices shaping the future of Australian fashion.
PHOTOGRAPHER Lexi Laphor