Delivered by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) and held from 6 – 9 October 2022, ADL Fashion Week (AFW) is set to be one of the year’s biggest shopping events for Rundle Mall and the city’s newest annual festival celebrating fashion in South Australia.
Featuring a curated program of events designed to celebrate fashion and shopping in the city in line with the upcoming Spring/Summer season, Rundle Mall is expected to be a hive of activity during the event with entertainment, free experiences and events for shoppers of all ages and tastes.
AEDA Managing Director Ian Hill says AFW puts fashion front of mind for South Australian shoppers and supports an industry that contributes $218 million to the state’s economy.
“2022 has been a huge year with some of the biggest Australian and global brands investing heavily in Adelaide with the likes of JD Sports, Glue Store, and rebel opening its first CBD Customer Experience (rCX) flagship in Rundle Mall,” says Hill. “The highly anticipated Japanese fashion giant, UNIQLO, is due to open its doors at the end of the year.
“Rundle Street has welcomed Australian designer favourites, Carla Zampatti, VIKTORIA & WOODS and Assembly Label, all of which contribute to the ever-growing retail sector in the heart of Adelaide with more to come on the horizon.
“From home-grown designers to some of the world’s most iconic brands, shoppers can discover the latest looks at AFW events then take their favourite products home, taking advantage of some of the best offers and discounts from stores in Rundle Mall, Rundle Street and across the city as part of the year’s biggest shopping event,” said Hill.
The event will provide a platform for city businesses and fashion industries to showcase their offerings on a national scale
Marking the event launch on Thursday, a ticketed lunch will be held at Fishbank featuring key South Australian designers, bespoke fashion moments and an unmissable live showcase.
To celebrate 90 years of iconic South Australian brand R.M.Williams, Sl Rooftop at SkyCity will host an intimate dinner, with an exclusive Q&A with R.M.Williams Head of Product Development and TAFE SA alum Scott Faulder.
“It’s great to see fashion being celebrated in the city once again. I’m thrilled to be involved in the inaugural ADL Fashion Week,” said Faulder.
“R.M.Williams is a homegrown, internationally recognised brand, and I look forward to sharing industry insights over an intimate dinner at Sl Rooftop.”
Saturday will see ‘Slow Lounge Saturday,’ a series of immersive workshops held in North Adelaide presented by Fashion Est. and the South Australian Fashion Industry Association (SAFIA).
Following this will be the inaugural SA Designer Showcase The Art of Fashion, taking place at the Art Gallery of South Australia celebrating local emerging, ready-to-wear and couture designers.
More than $540 million worth of developments have just been completed or are underway across Rundle Mall and Adelaide’s CBD
Other program events include Rundle Street Up Late on Friday and a collaboration with this year’s Adelaide Film Festival as they present the South Australian premiere of Fashion Reimagined at Palace Nova Cinemas on Sunday. Following the screening will be a Q&A panel featuring Melanie Flintoft of Sunset Lover and Sophia McMahon of autark.
AFW will celebrate fashion as a creative expression, a thriving retail sector, and a key economic contributor.
The program has been developed in collaboration with industry experts spanning across the fashion sector, city operators and event partners, including the teams at Media Makeup and Clip Joint.
With the festival anticipated to grow year-on-year, it will provide a platform for city businesses and fashion industries to showcase their offerings on a national scale.
Tickets are now on sale for the two launch events on Thursday 6 October to kick off the four-day festival, with more events to be announced shortly.
