墨尔本时尚节宣布更名为澳大利亚时尚节，作为其战略方向调整的核心举措[1]。此次改名旨在深化面向消费者的定位，强化与设计师的关系，并在全国范围内推广澳大利亚时尚产业[1]。通常仅为期两周的项目将扩展为全年活动[1]。
组织同步进行了领导层架构调整[1]。原首席执行官卡罗琳·拉尔夫史密斯在财务困难期间辞去职位，该职位随后被拆分为执行董事和创意总监两个岗位，分别由普鲁·玛哈尔和达米恩·伍尔诺夫-里德担任[1]。澳大利亚时尚委员会主席玛丽安娜·佩尔科维奇表示："如果我们真的想竞争并给我们的设计师最好的机会展示他们的伟大才华，我们必须开始从国家和国际层面谈论澳大利亚时尚。"[1]
尽管参加人数同比增长47%，但组织仍面临财务压力[1]。该节日2025年亏损711390美元，收入从2024年的575万美元下降至457万美元[1]。
Melbourne Fashion Festival has announced a strategic rebrand to Australian Fashion Festival, marking a significant shift in the organization's direction and scope [1]. The initiative aims to broaden consumer engagement, strengthen relationships with designers, and elevate the promotion of Australian fashion on both national and international platforms [1].
The rebrand coincides with organizational restructuring following financial challenges. The festival generated $5.75 million in revenue in 2024, which declined to $4.57 million in 2025, resulting in a loss of $711,390 [1]. In response, the CEO position has been split into two roles: Prue Mahar now serves as Executive Director and Damien Woolnough-Reid as Creative Director, following the departure of former CEO Caroline Ralphsmith during the financial downturn [1].
Beyond the leadership changes, the festival is expanding its operational model significantly. The traditionally two-week event will now operate as a year-round program [1]. Despite recent financial pressures, attendance grew 47 percent year-over-year [1]. Australian Fashion Council Chair Marianne Perkovic underscored the importance of this evolution, stating: "If we really want to compete and give our designers the best chance to showcase their great talent, we must start talking about Australian fashion at a national and international level" [1].