Street Style During Australian Fashion Week 2025: My Perspective as a Photographer

May 15, 2025

Australian Fashion Week is more than just runway shows — it’s a living gallery of personal style, innovation, and confidence that spills out into the streets. As a photographer with priority access to the official media pit, I had the privilege of capturing not only the structured perfection of the runway, but also the spontaneous elegance of the fashion crowd outside Carriageworks.

Each day, from early morning to the golden afternoon light, the precinct transformed into a playground for creative expression. Editors, influencers, stylists, models, and fashion lovers arrived in statement looks — some elegant, some provocative, all intentional.

I focused my lens on individuality — from sculptural couture dresses to reworked vintage, bold accessories, and subtle nods to cultural identity.

Poppy-Coco Embi Fava wearing a sculptural white rose dress and lace parasol outside Carriageworks during Australian Fashion Week 2025. Photo by Maria Poleshchuk.

One of the most memorable looks was worn by Poppy-Coco Embi Fava, who arrived in a breathtaking sculptural white dress resembling a blooming rose, complete with lace parasol — a vision of wearable art.

Stylist Valeria Bush wears a flowing pastel pink outfit with a pleated top and sheer tulle skirt, complemented by metallic flats, outside Carriageworks during Australian Fashion Week 2025. Photographed by Maria Poleshchuk.

Another standout moment came from stylist Valeria Bush, who brought softness and sophistication to the streets in a flowing blush-toned ensemble. Her structured pleated top and romantic tulle skirt, paired with silver flats, created an effortlessly graceful look — a modern-day ode to femininity.

Woman in a bold black textured outfit and platform heels walking outside Carriageworks during Australian Fashion Week 2025, wearing silver accessories and holding a phone and coat. Photographed by Maria Poleshchuk.

Embodying modern noir with a fierce edge, this showgoer turned heads outside Carriageworks during Australian Fashion Week 2025. Dressed in a sculptural black top with textured detailing, glossy leather-look pants, and sky-high platform heels, her look was completed with silver accessories and a bold lip — a striking mix of power and avant-garde attitude.

Abigail O’Neill, mature model and fashion week regular, walking outside Carriageworks in an elegant all-black off-duty look after runway shows during Australian Fashion Week 2025. Photographed by Maria Poleshchuk.

Ageless beauty and timeless elegance — Abigail O’Neill, a beloved fixture on the Australian Fashion Week runways, was captured leaving Carriageworks after a full day of shows. Her off-duty look exuded understated sophistication: effortless yet intentional, proving once again that style has no age limit. A muse both on and off the catwalk.

Fashion-forward guests walking outside Carriageworks during Australian Fashion Week 2025, wearing a stylish outfit that reflects contemporary street style trends. Photographed by Maria Poleshchuk.

Street style at Australian Fashion Week 2025 by Maria Poleshchuk. Maria Poleshchuk, commercial photographer in Sydney

Street style photography is fast-paced and instinctual. There’s no time for staged poses — you capture a fleeting moment of beauty, attitude, or movement. It’s about reading the rhythm of the street and trusting your eye.

As someone passionate about fashion and storytelling, I see these street style images as portraits of contemporary culture. They capture not just outfits, but confidence, mood, and how fashion speaks before a word is said.

I hope this series brings you as much inspiration as I felt behind the camera.

📍 Carriageworks, Sydney
✍️ By Maria Poleshchuk