Australian Fashion Week is almost upon us, and at RUSSH, we are gearing up for a full-throttle week ahead. The 2026 iteration of the event has found a new home at the Museum of Contemporary Art here in Sydney, but one thing that hasn't changed is an impressive lineup. As always, a considered crop of Australia's best designers will be showing their collections, with the schedule spanning newcomers and seasoned names alike. Whether you're planning to secure a ticket to the runways, or are simply set to be glued to your phone for the week, we're rounding up the designers to watch ahead of Australian Fashion Week 2026.

COMMAS

Is there anything Australian designers do better than chic resort wear? COMMAS is perhaps the best example of our collective penchant for a wardrobe that just makes you want to be by the beach. Led by Creative Director Richard Jarman, COMMAS is not weighted down by trends, and is instead led by craftsmanship and quality.

Toni Maticevski

It's been 10 years since Toni Maticevksi last showed at Australian Fashion Week, and our excitement is palpable ahead of the designer's return in 2026. We're expecting sculptural designs and a theatrical, imaginative show.

Carla Zampatti

Carla Zampatti is both steeped in heritage and always with a finger on the pulse of what's new. With a masterful hand at event-wear, we're looking to catch some of the signature crepe silhouettes, and bold colourways, at AFW.

Hansen & Gretel

Hansen & Gretel has become something of a mainstay on the Australian Fashion Week schedule in recent years. In 2026, we're looking forward to seeing the brand do what it does best: dreamlike designs that transport you somewhere warm and whimsical.

Aje

Aje has built a reputation for dreamy shows that form a standout on the AFW schedule year after year. We'll be welcoming their modern, trend-defying silhouettes with open arms, and look forward to seeing how the brand fuses function and beauty, elegance and simplicity, with ease.

Nagnata

Sustainability, inclusivity, and movement are at the forefront of everything Nagnata does, and it's this ethos we expect to see on the runway at Australian Fashion Week. With a penchant for subverting expectations — both in form and function — 2026 has us looking forward to a chic and thoughtful show.

Iordanes Spyridon Gogos

Jordan Gogos' brand is the height of sleekness and new-age daring. A multi-disciplinary artist by trade, and with a commitment to sustainable, local, and vegan design, and an aversion to following the crowd, we cannot wait for their latest collection to make its debut at AFW.

Mariam Seddiq

This year, Mariam Seddiq returns to the Australian Fashion Week schedule. Unapologetically feminine, fiercely maximalist, and always at the forefront of what's new, we're waiting with baited breath for what will undoubtedly be an unforgettable show.

Ngali

Denni Francisco became the first Indigenous designer to have a standalone show at Australian Fashion Week back in 2023. Since then, Ngali has become one of the most exciting inclusions on the schedule each year. The brand's signature merging of perspective, history, and natural beauty is something we can't wait to see more of in 2026.

Farage

Founded in 1998, Farage is known for its modern take on classic tailoring, blending chic minimalism with easy sophistication. Inspired by global culture, design, and architecture, the brand merges seasonal trends with timeless craftsmanship. Still family-owned, Farage continues to be led by its Australian founders, Joe and Katy Farage, and will show once again at AFW this year.

Feature image via GoRunway.