Media Release

Fleece to Fashion 2020 Gala Awards cancelled in the wake of COVID-19 spread

The board of directors of the Fleece to Fashion Awards has proactively decided to cancel its 2020 Gala event.

Following the Federal Government's announcement today that non-essential public gatherings of more than 100 people are banned, in order to limit the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), many Australian events have been either cancelled or postponed.

Fleece to Fashion chairman Lachlan Fulloon of Cressbrook Merinos Armidale said the decision to cancel the 2020 Awards was the “right thing to do” under current circumstances. 

“We are obviously disappointed to have to make this decision, but in the current environment, COVID-19 is severely impacting anyone in the events space, not to mention the fact that our region is still recovering from a once-in-a-lifetime drought as well as the unprecedented bushfires, which have collectively presented a whole raft of challenges for our community and small businesses,” Lachlan said.

“We recognise that rural communities rely on events such as ours to boost visitation to the region and promote the agricultural, tourism and fashion industries – and this will be the case more than ever as we recover from COVID-19 and the expected economic impact.”

However, Lachlan said Fleece to Fashion remained intent on following the advice of authorities at this point in time and thanked all sponsors and entrants, past and present, for their understanding. 

“We look forward to hosting a superb event in 2021,” he said.

Held in Armidale during July, the Fleece to Fashion Awards bring together more than 500 guests from all over the country who represent all facets of the wool fashion industry. For more information, please contact admin@fleecetofashion.com.au. 

Fleece to Fashion invites everyone to celebrate the compelling story of Australian merino wool production and its esteemed presence within the top fashion and textile manufacturing capitals across the world.