Creativity takes to the runway at the Bayley Arts Fashion Show

The 2026 Bayley Arts Fashion Show brought fashion, art and community together for an incredible evening celebrating our textile artists, partners, community and supporters.

On Friday 24 April, the undercover carpark at Bayley Arts became a runway full of energy. Guests cheered as Bayley Arts models showcased handmade garments, original textile designs, screen printed pieces and jewellery created through the Bayley Arts program.

This was far more than a fashion show. It felt like a festival of fashion, with the runway at the centre and so much more happening around it. Guests explored Around Thread, a textiles exhibition featuring special guest fibre artist Maryanne Moodie alongside Bayley Arts textile artists and visited market stalls from Bayley Arts, TOM Melbourne and A Fitting Connection. This was an event that celebrated creativity, partnership and community. An online auction also helped raise funds to support the ongoing growth of the Bayley Arts program.

Behind the scenes, the show was shaped by strong creative partnerships. TOM Melbourne supported our textiles program by co-designing tools that make sewing more accessible for our artists with disability. Hello Friend Fabrics helped transform original artwork into wearable textiles, A Fitting Connection brought sustainability and circular design into the program, and Australian designer Lucy Laurita created bespoke garments for auction featuring artwork by Bayley Artists Thomas Weisner and Katie Van Der Hoven. Proceeds from the online auction directly support the ongoing growth of the Bayley Arts textiles program, helping create more opportunities for artists to develop their skills and share their work.

It was wonderful to welcome members of our community, including Cr Debbie Taylor Haynes, Mayor of Bayside Council, representatives from the Bayley House Board, Lauretta and Allie from the Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation, Mark and Fiona Alperstein, and our creative partners including Louise and Annalie from Hello Friend Fabrics, A Fitting Connection, Sim from Jump Left Gallery and Miriam De Rosa from Dandenong Council.

At its heart, the Bayley Arts Fashion Show was about celebrating what we do at Bayley House. It showed what can happen when artists are supported to develop their skills, express their ideas and share their creativity with an audience ready to cheer them on.

Thank you to everyone who attended, purchased tickets, bid in the auction, visited the exhibition and celebrated the achievements of our Bayley Arts artists. Your support helps creative opportunities continue to grow for people with intellectual disability in our community.

As one of the parents commented on the night:

…this event is THE event of the whole disability community. It’s like nothing else we’ve ever been involved in!