Brisbane Fashion Festival Just Dropped Its Full Program, And It’s Pretty Major
fashion in focus
By Victoria Lewis | 29th May 2026After the announcement that Queensland’s premier fashion event, Brisbane Fashion Festival, would return in 2026 for another year of rambunctious runways, all ears have been anxiously awaiting the full line-up. Well, the wait is officially over, because the full program has just been released, and it’s looking pretty major. With Spring/Summer collections from legacy brands (enter, an exclusive Carla Campatti show), next-generation designers, and established Queensland labels returning to the centre of the city for a week of catwalks, one-off events, and other fashion fanfare, we say August 24–28 cannot come soon enough.
Tickets are available from 1 June, so here’s everything you need to know about Brisbane Fashion Festival 2026.
What is Brisbane Fashion Festival?
Brisbane Fashion Festival is Queensland’s largest annual fashion event, staged in the heart of Brisbane and built with the consumer front of mind. Now in its 21st year, the Festival remains focused on what it does best: connecting designers directly with the people who will wear their work, and giving local design the visibility it deserves.
The main runway shows return to a custom-built marquee at King George Square, transforming Brisbane’s civic centre into the city’s fashion focal point for the week. Collections are presented as they arrive in stores, meaning what walks the runway can be purchased almost immediately. That direct link between designer and audience gives the week its relevance and keeps it closely aligned with how people actually shop.
Now more than two decades in, the event is clear in its focus. It understands its audience, its climate and the way Queenslanders dress. Resortwear, spring tailoring, and warm-weather layering feel grounded here, considered for this city rather than borrowed from elsewhere. This is what Brisbane is bringing to the table.
Who’s in the designer line-up?
When it comes to deciding who made the program this year, Festival Director Lindsay Bennett says the designer line-up is “firmly focused on legacy, relevance, and perception”. Overall, the festival’s 21st year offers a balanced mix of established national and local designers, with an emphasis on legacy brands – especially with the addition of a standalone Carla Zampatti Runway Show – while continuing to spotlight contemporary and emerging talent. As always, everyone can get a glimpse of the action, with all shows accessible via livestream and most looks available to shop in-store right from the moment they hit the catwalk.
W Brisbane Fashion Show
Starting off strong, the W Brisbane Fashion Show is a premium multi-brand showcase featuring legacy designers and leading retailers. Brands including Silk Laundry, Pamela Easton, Camargue, Perri Cutten, Garry Bigeni, Cable, Luxe de Valentina, and Kidman Clothing will take to the runway alongside Edward Street Brisbane (Mitchell Ogilvie, M.J. Bale, Lannah Dunn, and Montblanc), Wintergarden (Peter Jackson, Seed, Sheike, and Cue), and QueensPlaza (David Jones and Oroton), opening the festival in refined fashion.
Carla Zampatti Runway Show
You may have seen the rain-soaked spectacle that was the Carla Zampatti show at this year’s Australian Fashion Week. Well, soon this coveted legacy brand will be making its way to Brisbane Fashion Festival with a dedicated showcase celebrating the enduring legacy and modern evolution of one of Australia’s most iconic fashion houses. Since 1965, Carla Zampatti has been a leading force in Australian fashion, blending Italian heritage with modern Australian sophistication, and on 25 August, local fashion fanatics will have the chance to experience the brand’s crisp tailoring, languid drapery, and sophisticated silhouettes up close.
Hancock Prospecting Next Gen Group Show
Always a standout moment within the festival program, the Hancock Prospecting Next Gen Group Show places the industry’s brightest emerging talent firmly in the spotlight. The future of fashion is showing up in full force, with a curated selection of designers including Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, Natalie Hamblin Couture, Swimb/are, Ruya, Forty-Love, Asteria, Alexandr. Murray, Fell From Grace, HAKS, and Kinder.Label, while institutions including TAFE Queensland Brisbane and QUT Fashion will also stake their claim on the runway.
Designer Group Show
Bringing together an eclectic mix of established and contemporary labels, the Designer Group Show will showcase everything from avant-garde eveningwear by rising star Jotéo to collections from local heavyweights Kristian Williams The Brand and Astille. Also featured on the line-up are Sacha Drake, Sonia Stradiotto Couture, Mannzilo, Millyzu, I Am My Husband’s Mistress, RicRac Road, and Carol D’Silva. Here, creativity, craftsmanship, and a fashion-forward eye come together to provide outfit inspiration aplenty.
Off the runway program
Of course, the festivities continue far beyond the marquee, unfolding across the wider city through a series of curated events and dining collaborations. Satellite events, from salon-style presentations to fashion conversations and curated lunches, have been locked in to add to the energy throughout the week. Non-profit partnerships are also set to remain embedded in the program, including alignment with charity initiatives that uplift and empower the local community. Here are some of the stand-out events:
Fashion Brunch and Designer Salon Showing
Presented by Brisbane City mainstays QueensPlaza, Wintergarden, and Edward Street Brisbane, this exclusive showing will open the festival’s off-the-runway program at The Lex, in partnership with W Brisbane. Featuring 40 must-have Spring/Summer looks curated by Festival Styling Director Kimberly Gardner, alongside expert beauty insights from Issada Cosmeceuticals and Schwarzkopf Professional, this opening event is a fittingly intimate and sophisticated introduction to the week’s activations.
Queensland Ballet x Layla
Also on Monday evening is Behind the Seams: A Night of Indulgence and Ballet Magic, an iconic partnership between Queensland Ballet and elevated dining venue Layla. Guests will enjoy a curated menu by renowned chef Shane Delia, featuring canapés, a signature dish, dessert, and paired beverages, before being guided in small groups through Queensland Ballet’s Costume Workshop – a space rarely open to the public – offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship behind tutus, embellished bodices, tiaras, and pointe shoes, before returning to Layla for a final course. It’s the ultimate evening of elegance, combining the magic behind the curtain with a unique dining experience not to be missed.
Dress to Express Day
The final day of the festival will see Brisbane Fashion Festival proudly partner with Beyond DV for Dress to Express Day, a meaningful initiative inviting the community to walk in solidarity with domestic violence survivors through Queen Street Mall, followed by an evening cocktail event at InterContinental Brisbane.
Also scheduled for Friday’s festivities is a fashion-fuelled cabaret performance at the Powerhouse Underground Theatre. Written and performed by Glynis Traill-Nash, with musical direction by Josh Haines, In These Shoes promises a joyous and fitting final celebration to cap off the week.
Need to know
Now that the line-up is set, the location is secured, and we’re already busy planning our outfits, all that’s left to do is snap up a ticket before they sell out. Tickets are expected to go on sale at 9AM sharp on Monday, 1 June (and we anticipate a sell-out affair). Because one thing’s for sure: Brisbane Fashion Festival 2026 is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever. Book your tickets here.
Imagery: Supplied (Brisbane Fashion Festival), @carlazampatti, @silklaundry.brisbane
