AUSTRALIAN FASHION WEEK

WORDS BY NFC STUDENT RUBY MACKENZIE

For weeks, even months leading up to it, everyone was talking about the big event of the season.. Australian Fashion Week 2024.

This was an opportunity I couldn’t say no to!

This event presented hundreds of aspiring fashion students like myself, the opportunity to interact with high end brands, designers, coordinators, models and of course, like-minded people newly entering the fashion world. Meeting people who I may potentially work with one day and gaining incredible connections was a one-of-a-kind experience at Fashion Week.

With over 500 volunteers participating, I was able to better connect with people from my own course, online students I might have otherwise never met, and students from various other fashion, marketing and photography courses. Engaging with so many people on a similar path with such different starting points and goals was so interesting and I'm glad to have had the chance to meet everyone I did.

As a student of National Fashion College, I was given the opportunity to meet the volunteer manager for fashion week, Katie Rhodes before our induction. She was able to give us various tips and tricks to make the most out of our week, and shared some inspiring stories of volunteers who secured jobs at big name brands from their time at Fashion Week in previous years. As well as this, all NFC students were given the opportunity to apply to be one of Katie’s assistants, working alongside her the whole week.

One of the best parts about assisting at Fashion Week was thinking of the team as a family, showcasing the designer’s dreams on the runway. Also at Fashion Week, I got to see my first ever runway show in person and it definitely won't be the last. While I've heard the names Alix Higgins and Karla Spetic, having supported the designers themselves in their creative exhibits, I feel a special connection to them and will always remember my time at Fashion Week when I hear their names.

During Fashion Week, I was able to work with Clout Communications to assist with talent management, as well as secure a new internship for the next few months. While I was of course working during this time, I was still able to experience the lavish opportunities Fashion Week offers and hang out with some high profile influencers too. Experiencing the same royalty-like treatment that other Fashion Week attendees did, immersed me into the world of fashion and truly made me feel like a hot-shot celebrity.

On top of the glory of free food and champagne I experienced during my working hours as an intern, every volunteer also received a free Stanley Cup and AFW t-shirt. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for free gifts. 

Australian Fashion Week truly exceeded my expectations, and they were sky high. From meeting so many new people and creatives who I hope to work alongside one day, seeing and helping out with my first ever runway show, and starting a new internship in the midst of one of the biggest fashion events of the year, the past 7 days were insane. I absolutely cannot wait to do it all again at New York Fashion Week in September.