Polka Dots, Barrel-Leg Denim and Crochet: Five Trends From Australian Fashion Week

While this year’s Australian Fashion Week program has been condensed, there’s been no shortage of style inspiration. On and off the runway, we stayed alert looking for the fashion trends that deserve a spot in your wardrobe.

At Sydney’s Carriageworks, we sat down with writer and brand consultant Zara Wong for her tips on incorporating these trends without compromising your personal style.

Sheer is (still) here

There’s an endless allure to sheer dressing. There’s an effortless sensuality attached to it. “I feel like [with] Australian fashion, we always have a slight sexiness,” Wong says. We spotted this at last year’s Australian Fashion Week, but the trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Paris Georgia sent a burgundy halter-neck sheer dress down the runway, while Lee Mathews brought out delicate pastel numbers. Bianca Spender and Beare Park’s eveningwear pieces brought the sex appeal.

For those uneasy about baring too much skin, Wong recommends utilising sheer material as a layer of texture. “Maybe like a sheer skirt over a lace skirt, so you’re using it as an element rather than nakedness.”

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Can’t wait until the new collections drop? You can get ahead of the trend with Sir’s silk chiffon maxi dress, Oroton’s ethereal bodice dress, and Camilla and Marc’s plum-hued sheer blouse.

Barrel is the new jean shape

Despite what prior predictions said, we’re still not re-embracing skinny jeans just yet. In 2025, we’re sticking firmly to our love of roomy denim. “The barrel-legged jean is almost a grown-up evolution of the wide-leg jean,” Wong says.

Barrel-leg pants in denim and leather strutted down the Aje runway. Especially favoured by those with petite frames, this denim cut adds a refreshing silhouette to an outfit.

“I love it being worn with a neat white, crisp T-shirt,” Wong says. “I like the idea of wearing it with a really dressed-up top. So, like, a sequined top with skinny straps and ruffles on it… and with a strappy heel.”

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Refresh your denim collection with a tapered pair by Nobody Denim, Bassike or Rolla’s.

Raid your grandma’s crochets

The boho revival is in full swing – and according to the runway, crochet is leading the charge. Lee Mathews revealed a box-cut pastel shirt with distressed crochet detailing, while Aje and Common Hours kept things classic with an off-white display of textural elegance.

And like any trend resurgence, there’s fun to be had in sourcing second-hand vintage styles. “I’ve been trying to find a piece from eBay,” Wong says. “Wearing it together with denim is a really good way to anchor or add edge to a piece.”

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As for current collections, we’re eyeing up Alemais’ embroidered maxi dress, Aje’s woven-edge tank and Elka Collective’s relaxed button-up shirt – all crafted from crochet, of course.

Spotted: polka dots

We called it – polka dots are back, and this time they’ve outgrown their retro roots for something that feels a little more current.

But when it comes to paring back the prim, styling is key. “I like polka dots where they’re oversized, or worn with something that’s a bit jarring, just to offset the balance,” Wong says. “[Wear them] with boots or denim to toughen it up.”

At AFW, Lee Mathews played with scale – exaggerating the feminine print and adding edge with an asymmetric shoulder, while Bianca Spender modernised a ’60s neckline with a cropped bubble-hem.

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When it comes to styling this trend now, Ganni’s sculptural corset, Suku’s layered skirt and Kowtow’s oversized shirt are some central pieces to build an outfit around.

Wait, 2014 is back?

With the Y2K aesthetic now firmly in the mainstream, designers are beginning to draw references from more recent archives – namely, the mid-2010s.

On the runway, small details such as Aje’s western-style collar tips and Hansen and Gretel’s corded stone necklaces gave a subtle nod to 2014 fashion. But Carla Zampatti’s waist-skimming jackets and Karla Spetic’s hyperoptic galaxy prints felt a little more obvious.

“With 2014, it’s not doing a head-to-toe look, but pulling the pieces of it,” Wong says. “[Styling] a cropped jacket that hits the waist with a barrel-leg jean, versus a full A-line skirt that was really big around then.”

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Remember when Taylor Swift released “Shake It Off”? That was 2014. Turn back time with Sir’s textural cord necklace, Henrik Vibskov’s graphic dress in “space night”, and Aje’s cinched denim jacket.

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