CEO Caroline Ralphsmith resigns after four years
Two months after the Melbourne Fashion Festival carpet catwalk was assembled and put into storage at the Royal Exhibition Building, CEO Caroline Ralphsmith today takes her final bow and announces her resignation.
The surprise vacancy prompted leading Melbourne designer Lisa Barron, a fashion industry fixture since 1983, to call for Ralphsmith’s replacement to also come from the local community.
“Ralph brought a special energy to the festival,” says Barron. “As we look forward, it is crucial to have leadership with true Melbourne DNA.”
“We’re next to Milan, Paris and New York, but to stay there the voice at the helm needs to be local. I believe deeply in supporting the spirit of Melbourne.”
Master designer Kara Baker also applauded Ralphsmith’s support of Melbourne brands at the three festivals it programmed.
“I was told by previous senior managers that my work was not and would never appear on the premium catwalk,” says Baker. “Ralphsmith made it happen after he met me and I was a label he had never heard of before.”
With only two Melbourne designers taking part in Sydney-based Australian Fashion Week next month, the trend towards insularity is understandable.
Ralphsmith’s nearly four-year flirtation with fashion, following senior roles at Victoria Racing Club and a 15-month stint as managing director of Federation Square, will be remembered for his prioritization of older women. a catwalk show called fuck the invisibleFast fashion maker’s controversial involvement KMart in the program, along with her high shoes and frequent changes of clothes to sit in the front row.
“I am proud that the festival is now a truly major event that has consumers at its heart, supports local designers and industry, promotes diversity and brings the joy of fashion to so many people,” says Ralphsmith.
Financial results for this year’s festival are not currently available. Last year, the annual ticketed event open to the public had a loss of $711,390 on revenue of $4.57 million, down from $5.75 million in fiscal 2024.
“Although the numbers are not yet final so soon after the festival, we are in a much better position than last year,” says Ralphsmith.
“Total attendance at the 2026 Festival was over 750,000, representing annual growth of 47 per cent. This includes attendance at all 158 events in our full programme, including premium fashion shows, core events such as the Australian Fashion Business Dinner, independent programming and the new Geelong Fashion Fortnight.”
“With the festival in such a strong position, I think this is the right moment to start a new chapter under the leadership of MFF and move into the next phase of my career,” says Ralphmith. “I’m going to take a breath and have a nice, long holiday… hopefully enjoy a glass of champagne on a boat somewhere. After that, I’ll start looking at new opportunities.”
The search for a new leader began with MFF board member Alexandra Smart, co-founder of Sydney-based Ginger & Smart, holding the sequined reins as acting CEO on an interim basis.
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