When I started modelling in Australia in the early 2010s, the standard was narrow and unambiguous. Tall. Thin. Young. Predominantly white. If you didn’t fit that template, you were placed in a “special” category — plus-size, mature, diverse — as though existing outside a very specific mould made you a niche product rather than a reflection of actual Australian society.

Things have shifted. Not as fast as the marketing copy suggests, but genuinely and measurably. And the momentum is coming from multiple directions — consumer demand, social media visibility, brand strategy, and a new generation of industry professionals who refuse to accept the old limitations.

The Numbers Are Improving

Australian Fashion Week 2025 was the most diverse in its history. That’s not just a feel-good statement — the data backs it up. Model tracking by Australian fashion media showed that approximately 38% of runway appearances across the schedule featured models from non-European backgrounds, up from around 25% in 2022. Size diversity on the runway also improved, though it remains the area with the most room for growth.

What’s more meaningful than the numbers is where they’re showing up. It’s not just emerging designers booking diverse casts to make a statement. Established Australian houses are integrating diversity into their shows as a baseline expectation, not a PR moment.

Why It’s Happening Now

Several forces converged to create this shift, and it’s worth understanding them because they explain why the change feels more durable than previous waves of inclusivity talk.

Consumer expectation has changed. Social media gave consumers a direct line to brands, and they used it. When a major Australian retailer featured an all-white campaign in 2023, the response was immediate and measurable. Sales for that campaign underperformed by 15% compared to projections, and the brand publicly committed to casting guidelines that ensured representation across ethnicity, size, age, and ability.

The talent pool is deeper than ever. Australia’s modelling agencies have invested in scouting talent from communities that were previously overlooked. Agencies like Bella Management and The Agency Model Management in Sydney have built rosters that reflect multicultural Australia, and they’re not doing it as a charity exercise — they’re doing it because clients are specifically requesting diverse talent.

International brands set the pace. Global campaigns from Fenty, Savage x Fenty, Nike, and Aerie demonstrated that inclusive casting wasn’t just ethical — it was commercially effective. Australian brands watched those results and adjusted accordingly.

Where Progress Is Real

Racial and ethnic diversity has seen the most significant improvement. Australian fashion campaigns now regularly feature models from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, South Asian, East Asian, Pacific Islander, and African backgrounds. This wasn’t the case even five years ago, and the shift is visible across editorials, commercial campaigns, and runway shows.

Age diversity is another area of genuine progress. Models over 40 are booking more editorial and commercial work than at any point in my career. The idea that fashion should only speak to women under 30 has been thoroughly debunked by consumer data showing that older demographics have both the interest and the spending power.

Disability representation is emerging as a serious focus. Last year’s Australian Fashion Week included models using wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, and hearing aids. These weren’t token appearances — they were integrated into shows alongside other models, which is how representation should work.

Where Progress Is Slow

Size diversity remains the stubbornest challenge. Despite years of body positivity messaging, the Australian fashion runway is still overwhelmingly populated by sample-size models. The gap between brand messaging (“we celebrate all bodies”) and casting sheets (“size 6-8 required”) remains wide.

Part of this is structural. Designers create sample garments in a single size, and fitting multiple sizes requires additional investment in time and materials. It’s not an excuse, but it’s a reality that the industry needs to solve rather than ignore.

Regional representation is another gap. Most major Australian campaigns are cast and shot in Sydney or Melbourne. Models from regional Australia, particularly Indigenous models from remote communities, face additional barriers to access that the industry hasn’t adequately addressed.

The Commercial Case Is Settled

If there’s one argument that the industry can’t ignore, it’s the commercial one. Study after study has shown that campaigns featuring diverse models outperform homogeneous ones on engagement, recall, and conversion.

A 2025 Deloitte report on Australian consumer sentiment found that 67% of respondents said they were more likely to purchase from a brand whose advertising reflected the diversity of Australian society. Among consumers under 35, that number jumped to 79%.

These aren’t abstract preferences. They show up in sales data. Brands that have committed to genuine representation are seeing stronger performance across their marketing, and brands that haven’t are increasingly standing out for the wrong reasons.

What Real Commitment Looks Like

Here’s how you can tell whether a brand is genuinely committed to inclusive representation or just performing it for marketing purposes.

Look at consistency, not campaigns. A brand that features a diverse model in one hero campaign but reverts to traditional casting for the rest of the year is performing diversity, not practising it.

Look at who’s behind the camera. Representation isn’t just about who’s in front of the lens. It’s about who’s styling, directing, photographing, and producing the work. A genuinely inclusive industry creates pathways for diverse talent at every level.

Look at sizing. If a brand celebrates body diversity in its advertising but doesn’t offer extended sizing in its products, the messaging is hollow.

Looking Forward

I’m cautiously optimistic about where Australian fashion is heading. The progress is real, even if it’s incomplete. The commercial incentive and the cultural expectation are now aligned, which creates a momentum that’s harder to reverse than previous waves of inclusivity rhetoric.

The generation of models entering the industry now expect diversity as a starting point, not a goal. They’re not grateful for being included — they know they belong. And that confidence is changing the energy on set in ways that I genuinely didn’t think I’d see in my lifetime.

Australian fashion doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be honest about where it’s at, committed to where it’s going, and willing to be held accountable along the way. On that front, 2026 feels like a genuine turning point.