Against the glittering backdrop of the Sydney Opera House, with the harbour catching the last of the evening light and the Park Hyatt boardwalk transformed into one of the most spectacular runways of the week, Australian Fashion Week 2026 opened in signature style – with Carla Zampatti reminding us exactly why her legacy still defines Australian glamour.
But while the tailoring was sharp, the silhouettes commanding and the Reflections collection a masterclass in power dressing, backstage another story was unfolding – one of luminous skin, architectural hair, and the effortless polish that has become synonymous with the modern Carla Zampatti woman.
This season, Shark Beauty returned as presenting partner of AFC Australian Fashion Week 2026, with an unmissable presence spanning designer partnerships, backstage beauty teams, immersive consumer experiences and innovation-led beauty moments designed to power this year’s most talked-about runway looks.
Partnering with Australian designers including Carla Zampatti, Alix Higgins, Mariam Seddiq, COMMAS and Hansen & Gretel, Shark Beauty brought this season’s defining hair and skin looks to life – from backstage to front row.
And if the runway was about strength, the beauty look was its perfect counterpart.
The Carla Zampatti Woman, Reimagined
“Our Australian Fashion Week show is a celebration of the Carla Zampatti woman – self assured, modern, and unapologetically confident,” the Carla Zampatti creative team tells marie claire.
“Set against the Sydney Harbour foreshore and the Opera House, the show reflects a bold sense of identity, vibrance, and creativity that feels distinctly Australian.
“Beauty plays an essential role in bringing this vision to life. Through our partnership with Shark Beauty as Hair Tool Partner and Skin Tech Partner, the hair and skin direction feels polished, luminous and effortless – an extension of the strength and elegance of the women wearing the Reflections collection.
“At its heart, the show is also a tribute to the incredible women who have shaped the Carla Zampatti legacy, celebrating their individuality, accomplishment and enduring influence.”
For SharkNinja ANZ managing director Aby Shukla, that fusion of creativity and technology is exactly what makes Fashion Week such a natural fit.
“Australian Fashion Week is a powerful platform for Australian creativity, where ideas are brought to life at pace and under pressure,” Shukla says.
“For Shark Beauty, it’s about powering established and emerging creatives with the tools to bring their vision to life.”
Backstage Hair: Elevated Simplicity With Architectural Edge
Backstage, Shark Beauty Hair Director Madison Voloshin was creating a look she describes as “elevated simplicity with a strong, architectural edge.”
“For the Carla Zampatti runway, the hair reflects an elevated simplicity with a strong, architectural edge,” says Voloshin.
“Timeless yet fierce, polished, and undeniably refined.
“The Shark Beauty Glam tool is essential in achieving that balance. I use it with the concentrator nozzle to create a smooth, controlled blow-dry, brushing through the hair to build natural volume, high shine, and soft, sweeping movement through the front.
“It allows me to create that silky, strong, and structured finish while maintaining fluidity, so the hair feels powerful yet effortless, capturing a modern sense of luxury, confidence, and sophistication.”
And across Fashion Week more broadly, that same philosophy defined Shark Beauty’s backstage direction.
“Backstage this year is all about elevated simplicity – hair that looks effortless, but is technically flawless,” Voloshin adds.
“Shark Beauty’s technology lets us move faster, work across all hair types, and still deliver that high-gloss, fashion-finish result under pressure.”
The result? Hair that moved with intention – sleek, glossy and quietly commanding, framing each look without ever competing with it.
At the heart of that backstage performance was the new Shark Glam Hot Tool Air Drying & Styling System—an all-in-one multi-styler designed to smooth, straighten, shape and lock in shine using controlled ceramic heat and powerful airflow, delivering salon-quality results with minimal frizz and no heat damage across all hair types.
Skin That Performs Under The Spotlight
Meanwhile, Shark Beauty Skin Director Isabella Schimid was focused on creating the kind of complexion every woman wants but few ever master: expensive-looking skin that glows from within.
“For the Carla Zampatti runway, the skin is polished and balmy with an elegant, luxurious finish, paired with a softly contoured, sophisticated eye that feels true to the CZ woman,” says Schimid.
“I start by prepping the skin with the Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask, using its cooling effect to refine and even the complexion, creating a smooth, luminous base.
“From there, it’s about balance – a defined, matte lip pressed in as if applied by hand, keeping the overall look refined, modern, and effortlessly composed.”
And under the unforgiving lights of Fashion Week, performance matters.
“At Australian Fashion Week, skin really has to perform under the spotlight,” Schimid says.
“Our focus is on creating healthy, radiant skin that enhances the designer’s vision while still feeling possible.”
It’s that balance – between softness and structure, glamour and restraint—that made this beauty moment feel so relevant for 2026.
There were no overworked curls or heavy contouring.
Just luminous skin, great hair and strong women.
Which, when you think about it, is exactly what Carla Zampatti has always stood for.
Inside Shark Beauty’s Glam & Glow Salon
Beyond backstage, Shark Beauty’s presence at Fashion Week extends to its immersive Glam & Glow Salon, located on the MCA’s Tallawoladah Lawn, where guests can book complimentary 30-minute dry styling sessions with expert stylists, discover the Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling & LED Mask and preview upcoming beauty innovations set to launch later this year.
Shark Beauty ambassadors Joey Scandizzo and Maria Thattil will also co-host the headline AFW Hair Masterclass on May 14, showcasing runway-inspired looks across diverse hair types as part of the brand’s inclusive For All Hair Kind mission.
“Australian Fashion Week is always incredibly inspiring, but what I find most interesting is how those looks translate beyond the runway,” says Thattil.
“It’s about making beautiful, considered hair feel accessible and showing that with the right tools, that sense of confidence isn’t reserved for one moment.”
The new Shark Glam Hot Tool Air Drying & Styling System ($699.99) and Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling & LED Mask ($699.99) are available now via Shark Beauty.
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Runway Hair, Real Life
Beyond backstage, Shark Beauty is bringing Fashion Week beauty to consumers with The Gold Standard: Shark Glam Masterclass at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia on May 14. Led by ambassador Joey Scandizzo alongside Face of Glam Maria Thattil, the live session will showcase runway-inspired transformations across five hair types – proving salon-quality hair doesn’t have to stay backstage. Book here
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