How to wear the biggest trends from Australian Fashion Week 2025

In partnership with THE ICONIC

After months of schedule reshuffling and a climate of industry-wide recalibration, Australian Fashion Week 2025 arrived with a new kind of confidence. But don’t mistake subtlety for stagnation. This season was a return to tactility – of fabric, of feeling, of fashion that meets you where you are. From Carriageworks’ tramlines to the front row, what emerged was a wearable future – thoughtful, soft-edged, and immediate. “It wasn’t just about a PR moment,” notes Lisa Bean, senior buyer at THE ICONIC, referencing Beare Park’s game-changing see now, buy now format. “Designers really leaned into what the customer needs right now.”

The week unfolded like a slow exhale. Early shows like The Frontier and Farage leaned into restraint – monochrome palettes, sharply cut suiting, and a uniform-like precision. But as the days passed and the sun warmed the concrete outside, the energy shifted. Street style came alive with risk and rhythm: bold prints, sheer slips, shoulder-baring tailoring. “It started off conservative,” says Bean, “but by the end of the week, there was this return to boldness… People were testing boundaries again.” If last year’s Fashion Week felt like a recalibration, this one was a reawakening. The collections didn’t shout. They invited you in. Clothes weren’t just designed to be admired – they were made to be worn. Below, the three key trends we’ll be living in for seasons to come according to THE ICONIC’s senior buyer.

Tailoring, reimagined

Classic tailoring was present in spades – from the clean-lined offering at Beare Park to the softer interpretations at Bianca Spender and Carla Zampatti. But this wasn’t about power suits and corporate starch. This was tailoring with a loosened collar and a lived-in feel. “We’re seeing shirts buttoned all the way up, or styled with an undone tuck,” says Bean. “It’s not about reinventing the blazer – it’s about how you wear it… the tailoring we saw on and off the runway was less about ‘full looks’ and more about nods to the codes of tailoring as feature points of an outfit.”

The point? Tailoring is moving off-duty. Whether it’s a sleeve pushed up or a colour-pop sock, the styling is what gives it bite.

COS Stand-Collar Satin Tuxedo Blazer

COS Tailored Satin Wide-Leg Trousers

CAMILLA & MARC Aster Coat

& Other Stories Wool Wrap Blazer

& Other Stories Tailored Barrel-Leg Trousers 

Sheer ease

From the runway to the sidewalk, sheer was impossible to miss. A carry-over from Resort 24 and an evolution of the growing confidence consumers are showing in skin-revealing layers, sheer was rendered this season in organza, netting and whisper-light lace.

Sheer isn’t just about lingerie dressing anymore. “We’re seeing sheer worn to the office,” Bean notes. Her styling advice? “Layering is key. Pair it with a wide-leg pant, a chunky knit or a masculine jacket to ground the femininity.” Karla Špetić presented the perfect representation of this – pairing sheer, lace pieces underneath boxier t-shirts or perfectly crafted suiting. It’s less about sex, more about subtle reveal – a flash of skin, a hint of contrast.

Hansen & Gretel Campari Lace Dress

Minima Esenciales Mika Contrast Layer Maxi Skirt

AERE Brielle Lace Top

COS Sheer Embroidered Mohair Skirt

Boho, rebuilt

There was no denying the wave of boho influence this year – but it arrived with a modern sensibility. Hanson & Gretel led the charge with a commercially confident range, full of fluid lines and lacework that whispered rather than shouted. “It’s not that traditional Isabel Marant or Chloé boho,” says Bean. “Designers are flipping it – adding bold block stripes, sheer overlays, little beading details.”

Even labels like Aje and Wynn Hamlyn worked fabric manipulation and silhouette into the bohemian language, adding polish to a genre that’s often dismissed as throwaway festival wear. To keep it fresh, Bean recommends juxtaposition: “I love pairing something soft and floaty with a bomber or a chunky boot – something to offset the femininity.”

In all, the mood was considered, layered, and refreshingly grounded. “It was a strong reset,” says Bean. And if the shows are anything to go by, the next season of Australian style won’t just be about trends – it will be about tactility, intention, and the confidence to wear it now.

Maje Rochette Dress

Jag Ophelia Suede Mini Skirt

Damson Madder Becca Bubble Mini Dress

Studio Lioda Necklace