Delivered by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), a subsidary of the City of Adelaide, the festival, held from 6 – 9 October, featured a program of bespoke events, showcasing South Australian emerging, ready-to-wear and couture designers, as well as an exciting 3-day shopping event across Rundle Mall and Rundle Street.
Key events across the four-day program included the official launch lunch at Fishbank with a live performance by rising Adelaide-based singer, Elsy Wameyo, an intimate dinner at Sôl Rooftop at SkyCity celebrating 90 years of R.M.Williams, and The Art of Fashion, held at the Art Gallery of South Australia which showcased over 40 South Australian designers to over 200 guests.
Sustainability was a key theme throughout the festival and was central to the Slow Lounge Saturday event at the Fashion Est. in North Adelaide, and the advanced screening of Fashion Reimagined, presented in collaboration with Adelaide Film Festival.
Melanie Flintoft showcased her new ethical and sustainable label Sunset Lover at East End hospitality favourite Mother Vine.
Melanie noted that, “ADL Fashion Week provided an incredible platform to increase Sunset Lover’s overall brand awareness. Not only did our sales double during that week, but our social media following grew by 65%. We were thrilled to be a part of the festival and it was exciting to watch our brand shine.”
Adding to the influx of new brands opening flagship stores in the city, Viktoria & Woods opened their Rundle Street boutique during AFW with an exclusive launch event. AFW also saw a high tea fashion event by Cielo in Adelaide Arcade, the physical return of online powerhouse BNKR in a pop-up location – the first since their Rundle Mall store closed – and a series of free events to ensure there was something for everyone.
Adelaide’s Biggest Shopping Event, which highlights the state’s leading fashion and shopping destinations, saw a 6% increase in foot traffic in Rundle Mall, whilst Rundle Street’s foot traffic doubled compared to the same period in 2021. The popular gift with purchase activation in Rundle Mall, which required shoppers to spend over $150 across Rundle Mall and Rundle Street, saw over 2,000 gifts given away over the weekend, with the average spend per customer tripling the typical annual average on Mall.
Caiti Bath, Marketing Manager, Myer Centre said, “ADL Fashion Week and Adelaide’s Biggest Shopping Event were extremely valuable to the Centre as we gained immensely from the additional foot traffic within the Mall. The value that AFW adds to Adelaide’s CBD retailers is fantastic. Driving more footfall into the city and encouraging people to shop and stay for longer is so beneficial. We look forward to AFW 2023!”
The Wolf Gang, a local fashion brand with a primarily online presence, was given the opportunity to pop up on the Mall and given their overwhelming success, is now extending their stay until the end of November.
Vanessa Pearce, The Wolf Gang Creative Director, said, “Our presence in Rundle Mall during AFW and beyond has contributed not only to our sales turnover, but has also provided invaluable brand exposure in Adelaide’s most prominent retail precinct.
“As a digitally-native brand, the opportunity to interact with shoppers and introduce them to The Wolf Gang’s brand story has allowed us to form memorable connections with our customers, and most importantly has seen a consistent increase in our South Australian website traffic across all metrics.
“We are thrilled to see an increase in the number of users, new users, number of sessions, session duration, and transactions, and these numbers continue to rise week on week, following the 5 October opening of our pop-up shop during AFW.”
The AFW Industry Forum, in partnership with the South Australian Fashion Industry Association (SAFIA) at the Mayfair Hotel provided the apparel, footwear, textiles and fashion accessories industry with a platform to discuss education and the importance of home-grown talent and supporting industry trainees who play a key role in upskilling workers.
AEDA Managing Director Ian Hill said the support from the fashion community, from both South Australia and beyond, was extraordinary.
He said AFW cemented itself as a premier fashion and shopping festival and looked forward to seeing it return and grow as one of the state’s most prominent events in years to come.
“Fashion is all about trying new things, reshaping and reworking old models and breaking down barriers. AFW is a perfect example of this, and this is what AEDA as a subsidiary also strives to do,” Mr Hill said.
“Retailers, big and small, had four days of strong trade and some attracted a clientele they would not usually see after they attended events where their products were showcased.”
In its first year, AFW has already proven itself memorable for South Australians as a new addition to Adelaide’s Spring/Summer fashion calendar, with plans already in the works for 2023.
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