Melbourne Fashion Festival 2025: Street Style, Runways, Trends

IF SYDNEY IS the crux of Australian fashion (home to local resortwear and our international fashion week) then Melbourne is the secret sauce — flavouring our distinct and diverse creative scene. On any given day, its labyrinthine laneways are filled with a sea of black (the unofficial uniform); the “Paris end” of Collins cajoles a parade of luxury shoppers after a new designer bag; and the hipster-loving enclaves of Fitzroy and Brunswick welcome the tattoo-exposing, chunky jewellery-wearing, artsy types to discover their favourite house blend of coffee. Style, taste and edge is unquestionably in Melbourne’s DNA — but never moreso than during PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival (MFF).

While you’re bound to find endless street style inspiration there no matter the season, there’s no better time for people-watching than MFF, occurring this year from February 23 to March 8. Fusing cult-favourite trends, such as naked dresses and feathered silhouettes, with quirky personal style — sartorialists bring their most bold and playful looks to the 15-day festival. Not only Australia’s largest consumer fashion event, featuring over 100 unique events across Melbourne and greater Victoria, PayPal MFF is also one of the most inclusive on an industry level. It uplifts emerging creatives via the renowned National Designer Award and National Graduate Showcase, celebrates First Nations design with a curated presentation by Mob in Fashion: “Back in Blak”; and even rejects ageist and sexist notions on female fashion with a dedicated runway exclusively featuring women above 50: “F*** the Invisible.”

Anyone can go, anyone can dress up, anyone can sip, savour and soak in the vibrant atmosphere at the iconic Royal Exhibition Building during the Premium Runways from March 3—8. BAZAAR Australia will be on the ground throughout to ensure you don’t miss a thing — read on for all the highlights of MFF 2025.

PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival launch at Government House

Channelling a modern-day Bridgerton in Melbourne, over 500 of the city’s coolest and most distinguished creatives and It-girls threw on their boldest frocks or repped their favourite local designer for a little party at the governor’s house on Friday night. Bearing historical significance — if you didn’t know, Melbourne hosted the first-ever fashion week in 1994 — the official launch event saw VIPs and tastemakers such as Charlene Davies, Bridget Hustwaite, and Chloe Hayden tease their upcoming fashion festival outfits at the sprawling residence on the fringe of the botanical gardens.

Perfectly framed by a blazing sun, the brooches on tailored suits, embellishments on oversized blazers, and sequins on archival bags twinkled during Melbourne’s (most surprising) golden hour — but some of the biggest trends of all? Feathers and delicate fraying. Moments of feathered or fuzzy whimsy appeared on sheer patterned shirts, baby pink shawls, and opulent floor-length dresses; with the shoe of the summer flip flops effortlessly toning down the excess of it all. No doubt we can expect plenty of fantasy textures at the Premium Runways from March 3. Until then, we present some of the best style moments at Government House.

More to come.