The countdown is on for the fifth annual Australian Wearable Art Festival (AWAF), set to return to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on 8–9 August with its boldest, most international line-up yet.
This year, the festival places global creativity and star power at the forefront, highlighting designers who have dressed icons like Lady Gaga and welcoming a record-breaking number of international artists. AWAF 2025 will showcase 36 visionary designers from Australia, the USA, New Zealand, Romania, and Bali, making it a truly world-class celebration of art, fashion, and performance.
The festival will open with the acclaimed ‘Future Fragile’ collection by Cindy Vogels—renowned for her work with Lady Gaga and top Australian musical acts. Vogels’ latest creations, crafted entirely from salvaged and recycled materials, set the tone for a festival defined by sustainability and innovation. The opening show will be a full-immersion experience, featuring live visuals by projection artist Donna Maree Robinson and music by Brisbane-based Indigenous musician GLVES, blending art, sound, and sculptural storytelling.
“Future Fragile has always held a deep resonance for me – it was born out of fear for our natural world, and it feels even more urgent today,” said Ms Vogels.
“This new piece is more than an addition – it’s a conversation with the past, through the lens of now.”
AWAF 2025 cements its status as a global leader, with international submissions up 30% and a roster of designers pushing the boundaries of wearable art. The Festival’s signature 27-metre catwalk will host four spectacular shows, each piece choreographed with custom lighting, music, and movement—transforming the venue into a gallery-meets-theatre space.
Festival Co-Founder and Curator Wendy Roe said,
“We’ve never opened the Festival like this before, and Future Fragile will set the scene perfectly. Australia is one of the world’s most significant clothing consumers, importing over 380,000 tonnes each year, but we are equally one of the largest fashion polluters with over 200,000 tonnes of this fashion ending up in landfill.
AWAF is proud to inspire people to look at fashion differently and choose to repurpose or upcycle before discarding.”
In 2025, an estimated 80% of AWAF designs incorporate repurposed materials, showcasing how sustainability and creativity can redefine the fashion world. Expect an eclectic mix of recycled plastics, found and plant-based objects, LED lighting, hand-dyed fabrics, and intricate engineering.
With General Admission tickets already over 50% sold and VIP now exhausted, the team urges fashion and art lovers to secure their seats for what promises to be an unforgettable weekend.
“If you’ve ever thought about coming to AWAF, this is the year,” said Ms Roe. “You’ll witness the future of fashion, sustainability, and storytelling—all wrapped into one extraordinary event.”
Australian Wearable Art Festival
🗓 August 8–9, 2025
📍 Venue 114, Sunshine Coast
🎟 Tickets and info: www.australianwearableart.com.au
The Australian Wearable Art Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland. Sunshine Coast Council is the official destination partner. Key partners include Visit Sunshine Coast, Argon Law, Sunshine Coast Airport, Coastline BMW, Hello Sunshine and In Noosa Magazines, My Weekly Preview, Frankie Magazine, Textile Fibre Forum, 92.7 Mix FM, Fresh PR & Marketing, Horse & Water, and Converge Marketing.
