PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2024: The Best Runways, Pop Ups and Exhibitions

It's officially fashion-lovers' favourite time of the year. PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival returns for its 28th year in 2024, showcasing a world-class line up of runways, talks, films, masterclasses, popups and more.

From expertly-curated vintage markets to thought-provoking fashion exhibitions and hands-on workshops, the sartorial event proves that fashion is much more than merely runways (although those are exceptional, too). 

Taking place from the 24th February to the 9th of March, Melbourne Fashion Festival will bring an enormous number of events to the city — hosted everywhere from Collingwood Yards to the Royal Exhibition Building and the NGV. 

To help you make the most of this unforgettable event, here's our roundup of the best exhibitions, pop ups and runways at PayPal  Melbourne Fashion Festival 2024.

National Graduate Showcase

Featuring the hottest emerging talent from across Australia, the National Graduate Showcase is one of the most exciting events at Melbourne Fashion Festival. Expect playful, whimsy styles, boundary-pushing pieces with thought-provoking messages, conceptual masterpieces and a fun and frivolous night. Familiarise yourself with the 10 designers on show, because they're bound to be industry leaders in several years' time.

Tickets from $69.00 per person

Tuesday 5th March, 8:30pm

Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton

Buy your tickets here

Emerging Mob in Fashion Runway X Fujitsu

If you're searching for emerging and established local Australian brands to support, look no further. The Emerging Mob in Fashion Runway explores visual storytelling through fashion. As models strut down the runway, you'll see a range of loud designs, bold colours and intricate prints that are so beautiful, they can be considered art. Featuring designers including Gali, Lychee Alkira, Kirrikin, Wagan Metals and many more, you'll be leaving the runway feeling inspired (and ready to hand over your wallet).

Tickets from $69.00 per person

Thursday 7th March, 7.00pm

Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton

Buy your tickets here

Revelry Runway

The Revelry Runway at PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival is all about embracing and enjoying festivities. This is a celebration for the celebrations, the ones that are loud, bright and full of life. And if you're feeling that way, shouldn't you also dress the part? Well, if you're needing some inspiration, Revelry is the runway just for that. Designers including Manning Cartel, Hansen & Gretel, Husk, Maara Collective, Pfeiffer, Sass & Bide, AtoÌr and Vanderkooij are taking highlights from their latest collections to the runway.

Tickets from $69.00 per person

Friday 8th March, 8:30pm

Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton

Buy your tickets here

F*** the Invisible Runway

There seems to be this notion that women are supposed to fade away with age, after their 'peak' in their youth. While we're not sure where this idea began, we don't like it - and neither does PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival. In defiance to this obscene ideology, F*** the Invisible Runway was born. With it, comes the empowering realisation that self-expression through fashion can be explored at any age - not just while we're young. This is the perfect runway to celebrate International Women's Day, and we can't wait to see women of walks of life come down that runway with pride.

Tickets from $69.00 per person

Friday 8th March, 7.00pm

Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton

Buy your tickets here

Art, Fashion & Wine Runway

There are three things in this world that provide many of us with pure sources of joy: art, fashion and wine. So why not combine all of them into one big event? That's exactly what you can expect from this runway! At the Art, Fashion & Wine Runway, you'll witness luxurious fashion during an exclusive viewing of VICETA WANG’s Autumn and Winter 2024 collection, all while sipping on heritage wine. Oh, and did we mention it's all situated in the picture-perfect De Bortoli vineyards in the Yarra Valley? If there's any independent runway that you attend during the festival this year, let it be this one. And while it may be a higher price point than some of the other runways, trust us when we say it's worth it. Included in your ticket is catering, drinks, plus a bottle of wine! If you didn't find it enticing before, you definitely will now.

$280.00 per person

Tuesday 5th March 12.00pm

Locale Restaurant at De Bortoli Yarra Valley

58 Pinnacle Lane, Dixons Creek

Buy your tickets here

Fashion Talks: Conversations Across Culture 

Ever wondered if you're appropriating or honouring someone's culture by wearing a garment that is specific to a culture other than your own? It can feel like walking a wobbly tightrope, especially with all the varying opinions on what's right and what's wrong. Fashion Talks: Conversations Across Culture delves into this during Melbourne Fashion Festival, discussing the ethics and moral questions of what happens when draw on different cultures from the perspective of a different one. Host Maggie Zhou will interview respected voices in the industry including First Nations designer, Paul McCann, Creative Projects Manager at Social Studio, Bonnie Mooney, Women's Community Advisory Group representative, Shegofa Nasari, and Inclusion Thought Leader, Winitha Bonney.

Tuesday 5th March 2.30pm

11 Nicholson St, Carlton

Buy your tickets here

TRASHIE X FJ Clothing Exchange

Got a scarily large pile of unwanted clothes building up in the dark depths of your wardrobe? Sooner or later, you're going to need to deal with it - and there's no time like the present. TRASHIE is a sustainable fashion event wherein people bring items of clothing and can swap them out for someone else's using a token system. This special edition of the clothing swap is presented by Fashion Journal, and is sure to be a fun day event. There will be a panel discussion surrounding circular fashion before the great swap begins. And with only quality garments accepted into the swap, you'll be leaving with a new piece youre guaranteed to love.

$18.00

Saturday March 2nd, 12.00pm

415 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Buy your ticket here

Ring Making Classes

Whether you're picky with your jewellery taste or are simply looking to get crafty and try something new, why not undertake a ring making class during Melbourne Fashion Festival? Not only will it help you to get into the spirit of things, but you'll also get to take home two of unique rings, completely custom to you. No a single person in the world will own a ring exactly like it! blonde. is hosting numerous ring making workshops throughout the festival - and they're not discriminating against gold or silver girlies! You can pick which metal you'd like to work with when purchasing your ticket. The two-hour class is led by blonde.'s mentor craftsmen, and they'll teach you all the techniques involved in ring making, including sawing, annealing, soldering, filling and polishing. Grab your girlfriends and make it a cute friend date, plus save $50!

Tickets from $199 per person

1112/125-133 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Book your tickets here

Vault - Runway Ready

If you've watched every 2000's coming-of-age film or rom-com in envy of the protagonist's elaborate makeover and styling session, that jealousy can come to an end. The Vault - Runway Ready offers just that, but with a vintage twist. During PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival, you can drop by VAULT during its opening hours and enjoy having stylist, fashion buyer & VAULT Manager, Jack Fordham take you through the VAULT collection. Fawn over the couture and designer items from throughout the decades, and secure yourself an outfit for your next event (a runway, perhaps?).

Monday to Friday, 10 .00am to 6.00 pm
Saturday, 10.00 am to 5:30 pm
Sunday, 10 .00am to 3 pm 

Fashion Edit Makers Market

The Queen Victoria Market is a quintessential weekend activity for any Melbournian. However, it's receiving a fashionable takeover during the Melbourne Fashion Festival with the Fashion Edit Makers Market being hosted beneath the Queen Victoria market sheds. Expect to see plenty of fashionably innovative designs from small, local brands, and a lively vibe with a resident DJ on the decks all day long.

Saturday February 24th

From 9.00am

C & D Sheds, Queen Victoria Market

Thread Lightly – T-shirt Sustainability Unravelled

Have you ever been in the middle of getting dressed and stopped to wonder where your T-shirt comes from or what its impact on the planet is? The Thread Lightly exhibition investigates where the common white T-shirt comes from, and just how much it impacts the climate. Created by Deloitte's Sustainability and Climate team, this installation's purpose is to educate the public on the impact of fashion waste, and what our illustrious wardrobes are costing the planet in the hopes that we will all become more conscious consumers.

Open from 8.00am

Monday 26th February to Friday 8th March

477 Collins Street, Melbourne

Loved our round up of the best events to attend during PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival? Now that your calendar is full of activities, why not book a restaurant in the CBD to eat at before or afterwards? Or, catch a post-work, pre-runway show happy hour.