Australian Fashion Week Future Uncertain as IMG Exits After 20-Year Ownership

In a significant shift for Australia’s fashion industry, IMG, the prominent New York-based media company, announced its withdrawal from Australian Fashion Week on Wednesday, leaving the prestigious event’s future in question after nearly two decades of stewardship.

The annual May event, which has been instrumental in launching renowned Australian designers including Romance Was Born, Dion Lee, Zimmerman, and Akira Isogawa into the global spotlight, faces an uncertain path forward. Originally established in 1996 by PR consultant Simon Lock before being acquired by IMG in 2005, the event has been a cornerstone of Australia’s fashion calendar.

Natalie Xenita, IMG Fashion Events Asia Pacific’s vice-president and managing director, reflected on the company’s tenure in a statement to Vogue and Russh magazines, saying, “We are incredibly proud of IMG’s many accomplishments leading Australian fashion week for the last 20 years… The event has played a key role in ushering the industry forward.”

The announcement comes as a surprise to many, particularly given IMG’s August announcement of partnerships and dates for the 2025 event, including collaborations with jewelry brand Pandora and fashion publication Business of Fashion. The Australian Fashion Laureate, the annual awards ceremony associated with the fashion week, will mark IMG’s final involvement this month in Sydney.

Industry leaders see potential amid the uncertainty. The Australian Fashion Council’s leadership, including chair Marianne Perkovic and CEO Jaana Quaintance-James, views this transition as “an opportunity for the industry to reimagine and reshape how Australian fashion is represented.”

Jordan Gogos, designer of Iordanes Spyridon Gogos and a four-year fashion week veteran, expressed measured optimism despite acknowledging current industry challenges. “Fashion constantly breaks down and builds itself up… There’re other ways to have an impact and create beautiful things in Australia,” Gogos remarked, while noting the broader economic pressures facing the fashion industry globally.

Chelsea Bonner, CEO of Sydney’s Icon Management, sees IMG’s departure as a chance to bring the event under local control. “I think it’s vital that Australian fashion week is owned and run by Australian businesses, who have a deep understanding of the differences between Australian designer fashion and every other country in the world,” she emphasized, highlighting Australia’s unique fashion perspective.