The future of Australian Fashion Week and the associated showcasing of homegrown designers is in limbo after IMG announced it would exit the event. IMG, the media company that has owned and operated the annual event since 2005, today confirmed the decision.

The New York-based company that has put on the event for the past 20 years says it will stop running events in the country.

Australia’s fashion industry is reeling after confirmation the country’s leading runway event is on its deathbed.

The Australian Fashion Laureate awards on Nov. 21 will be the company’s last fashion event, leaving Australian Fashion Week in limbo.

The long journey onto the international runways for Zimmermann, Romance Was Born, Christopher Esber and Dion Lee began with models strutting their sequinned, slashed and embroidered stuff at Australian Fashion Week.