Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festival: Premium Runway Series

From February 23 to 28, the Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s Premium Runway Series takes over the Royal Exhibition Building with six nights of bold ideas, cultural conversation and over 90 designers responsible for shaping the future of Australian fashion. Marking the festival’s 30th anniversary, this year’s program also expands its reach with two new runway concepts each night, reflecting the city’s evolving relationship with self-expression, sustainability and identity.

Opening night sets the tone with Joywear Runway, an exuberant hit of colour and maximalism featuring designers including By Josh Deane, Leo Lin, Romance Was Born, Gary Bigeni and Nixi Killick. It’s followed by the Melbourne Noir Runway, a shadowy celebration of the city’s signature black-on-black aesthetic, supported by Broadsheet. Expect sculptural silhouettes and textured drama from labels such as Akira, Blair Archibald, Joteo, Et Al, and Strateas Carlucci x AFL.

Across the week, the program continues with major fashion moments: the National Designer Award x David Jones returns, spotlighting the country’s rising names, while the National Graduate Showcase delivers its annual burst of imaginative student work. The powerful Beyond Blak Runway, curated by Mob in Fashion, highlights Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander design talent, while glamour takes centrestage at Glam Up Runway, featuring Alin Le’ Kal, Gwendolynne, Lillian Khallouf and more. Resort style also arrives via Resort Glam Runway, Aje, Camilla, Husk and Mastani, while the new Autumn Luxe runway previews cool-season collections.

Later in the week, F*** the Invisible Runway presents a fierce, age-positive statement with designers including Effie Kats, Lisa Barron and Mariam Seddiq, while the revered Grand Showcase honours Cappellazzo and its three decades of couture craftsmanship.

The festival closes with New Again: Metamorphosis Runway x Savers, a fresh upcycling collaboration with Savers, and the high-drama Avant Garde Runway x Melbourne Every Bit Different, packed with boundary-pushing work from Jenny Bannister, Grace Lillian Lee, Wackie Ju and more.

Beyond the runways, there’s plenty happening before, after and even between shows. Running throughout Premium Runway week, the Fashion Forecourt – supported by the City of Melbourne – is a free, open-air hub open to everyone. Expect drinks, food stalls, live entertainment and rotating brand activations, all set against what’s arguably the most iconic street-style scene in the country. Open nightly from 5.30pm, it’s an easy way to extend your festival plans beyond the Royal Exhibition Building.

Explore the program and book your tickets.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festival.