Vogue Festival 2021, presented by Vogue Australia in partnership with Rundle Mall and AEDA, took place as a three-day shopping event from October 8 – 10 encompassing the Rundle Mall Precinct and Rundle Street.
Leveraging Vogue Australia’s universally recognised brand and reputation as industry leaders in fashion, lifestyle and food, the Festival sought to drive retail spend with an inclusive and customer-focused shopping weekend delivered through a program of exclusive offers, events and activations.
Moving away from traditional VIP and ticketed events, the 2021 Festival repositioned its offering to align with the new retail climate, with in-store events and on-Mall activations designed to be accessible and enjoyed by everyone, fostering a sentiment of inclusivity and encouraging shoppers to actively engage with a mix of fashion, food, car parks and service providers.
In 2021, the Festival generated $36.5 million in sales for the city, with a 12.3% increase in foot traffic in Rundle Mall compared to the median, with a significant increase in the time customers spent exploring the Mall. These encouraging results had not been recorded since pre-pandemic trends, demonstrating the consumer appetite to engage with unique and exciting events.
Presented with an unrivalled opportunity to take advantage of increased foot traffic and high customer engagement, brands such as Camilla, Shibui, Mazzuchelli’s, Nike, The French Beauty Academy and Jurlique chose to host an activation during the Festival, reaching thousands of new customers and positioning their brand in a premium environment.
Vogue Festival 2021 highlights
- A launch moment hosted by Rebecca Morse and Paul Vasileff of Paolo Sebastian, featuring a live musical performance by Stellie and a countdown and confetti cannons to officially kick off the shopping frenzy.
- The Australian-first on-Mall showcase of Paolo Sebastian’s curated collection from the designer’s archives, supported by in-person signings of exclusive fashion sketches.
- A gift with purchase promotion rewarding customers who spent over $150 across Rundle Mall and Rundle Street, resulting in more than 2,100 redemptions.
- A schedule of Festival-exclusive in-store experiences hosted by retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Myer, David Jones, Aje and Witchery, offering additional reasons to spend and explore with gifts with purchase, styling sessions and complementary treats on offer.
- A strong shopping incentive of over 170 offers across Rundle Mall and Rundle Street retailers encompassing both exclusive Festival-only discounts and existing sales, allowing our digital marketing strategy to capture and promote all current offers available to customers during the Festival period.
