A Paris-born fashion trade show originally slated to be formally part of Australian Fashion Week 2025 under IMG has decided to surge ahead with its inaugural launch next year.
Following Splash Paris’ public announcement on Monday, confirming its local debut in May next year, Splash Sydney founding partner Jenny Nakkan revealed it has since secured Mitch Harcourt as head of partners and sponsors.
Harcourt is the former director of marketing and programming at IMG Fashion Events for Asia Pacific, predominately overseeing Australian Fashion Week since 2019.
Alongside this, Nakkan confirmed that interest has been pouring in, with over 35 Australian and international brands keen to exhibit at Splash Sydney next year. The planned capacity is 70 brands.
“We’re also on the verge of finalising our first 10 major brand partnerships - an amazing milestone this early on,” Nakkan said.
Splash Sydney is being run in collaboration between Splash Paris and Nakkan’s Elevate Wholesale Agency, which she founded after a decade of working as a wholesale sales representative across several local and international brands, including Ksubi, Camilla, Rachel Gilbert and Nike.
Australia is the first country to partner with Splash outside of Paris, where the trade show has grown since its launch in 2016. The trade show covers resortwear collections to global buyers twice a year.
According to Splash Paris, over 70 Australian brands expressed interest in participating in its 2024 event.
"We have always believed in the power of trade shows to connect designers with buyers in a meaningful way,” Splash Paris co-founder Claire Spencer-Churchill said.
“Given the ongoing demand and interest we see from Australian designers, Sydney is the perfect location for this exciting new chapter for Splash."
Nakkan said the launch of Splash Sydney is what the Australian fashion industry deserves.
"Australia’s designers are brimming with talent and deserve a platform within their own market to amplify their creations on a global stage while driving meaningful commercial outcomes,” she said.
“This event is about cultivating a vibrant community that fosters long-term partnerships and delivers tangible growth for our industry. We are confident that Splash Sydney will be a transformative moment for both brands and buyers, setting a new benchmark for the Australian fashion industry."