Runway With a Hug: Gary Bigeni’s Colourful Comeback

By Cesar Ocampo
Photographer | AFW 2025

Some designers you photograph once, admire from afar, and move on. But others — like Gary Bigeni — pull you in and never let go. Not because of the spectacle, but because of the soul.

I’ve been lucky enough to shoot every one of Gary’s runway shows at Australian Fashion Week since he first took to the schedule. Each time, his shows feel like a celebration — not just of fashion, but of individuality, identity, and the beautiful, vibrant communities that surround him. This year, at AFW 2025 Day 4, I found myself back where I always am during his shows: behind the lens, smiling as I shoot.

There’s a kind of warmth in Gary’s world that translates so effortlessly into every frame. Polka dots, bright colour blocking, sequins, silkscreen prints — yes, they make the photos pop. But what gives them life is the way they move with the people wearing them. His collections aren’t built to sit still. They’re made to dance, to laugh, to hug — just like Gary himself.

 

This year’s runway ended just the way I hoped it would — in a full-blown burst of dancing and joy, hugs and applause. It’s a signature now, this emotional release at the end of his shows. The moment the final look passes, music swells, and his cast — which always reflects a beautiful spectrum of sizes, ages, and identities — come together in one collective embrace.

For me as a photographer, those are the most meaningful frames to capture. They’re not staged, not polished, and that’s exactly the point. They’re real. They’re Gary.

Over the years, I’ve seen how he casts not just models, but people — friends, muses, icons — like this year’s surprise runway debut from Melissa Leong, who absolutely radiated confidence and grace. His runways have never been about chasing trends; they’re about rewriting what a runway can be.

Gary’s refusal to shrink his vision or cast according to outdated industry norms isn’t just admirable — it’s necessary. In a world that’s far too quick to regress into narrow definitions of beauty, his shows remind us that style is for everyone. And photographing that truth — year after year — has become one of the greatest honours of my career.

I’ll never forget the first Bigeni show I covered. The energy backstage, the colour on the runway, the thunderous cheers at the end. I remember thinking: this is what fashion should feel like. And now, five shows later, it still does.

Every show leaves me inspired. Not just as an artist — but as a person. Gary brings the joy. And I’ll be there to capture it, every time.