If you’ve ever wished you could step inside one giant, beautifully curated moodboard, Life Instyle Sydney might be your spiritual home. For four huge days, Darling Harbour turns into a treasure trove of clever makers, design-y delights and things you’ll want to touch, sniff, admire or mentally redecorate your entire shop around. It’s where the creative kids gather: stylists, small-batch makers, shop owners, and anyone who gets giddy over a perfectly considered colour palette. If you have your own store (online or physical) here’s 10 reasons why you might want to check it out in Sydney/Warrane. Note: it’s only open to wholesalers! 

CURATION PERFECTED Life Instyle brings together some of the world’s best curated collections across fashion, homewares, jewellery, kids’ goodies and more, all under one very big roof. Think of it as the Pinterest board of your dreams, but IRL.

BEAUTIFUL THINGS WITH REAL HEART Well-designed, well-intentioned goodies are the whole point here. It’s a haven for people who care about stories, ethics and the humans behind the craft – which we obviously do… It’s our thing! Eco-friendly, ethically made, Australian-made, handmade… you’ll find all flavours of thoughtful retail here. 

NEW NEWS With over 70 debut brands displaying their wares, the event is bursting with fresh faces and clever creations – perfect if you want to stock the next big thing before it blows up (positively). If you’re the kind of person who loves saying, “I knew them before they got big,” this is your moment.

LEARN CLEVER THINGS It’s not all shopping. It’s a little bit like school (but fun) too. The Retail Therapy seminar series is four days of good ideas, creative strategies and genuinely helpful advice from industry leaders. 

DO GOOD HOOD Say hello to brands using their talents for good. From sustainability champions to social impact makers, this corner of the show proves that doing business beautifully and doing business ethically can go hand in hand.

MEET NEW INNOVATORS Each year, Life Instyle spotlights an up-and-coming retail innovator via its New Breed Scholarship and in 2026, it’s San Margo, a natural-based, high-performance skincare, haircare and wellness brand. Pop by to meet the makers dreaming up the future of retail.

GET TAILORED BUSINESS ADVICE If you’ve ever wished a retail expert would sit down with you and give you personalised advice, this is your chance. Book a one-on-one session on the Business Couch for practical strategies but get in quick, because spots get snapped up fast.
TWO FOR ONE Life Instyle is located in the same spot as Reed Gift Fairs, meaning your ticket gets you into both shows. Twice the brands, twice the browsing, twice the “oh crap, I need a bigger suitcase”. Especially perfect if your store has a big gifting focus!

LOCATION, LOCATION The ICC is right on the water, surrounded by places to cram in a snack after all the browsing. Also: it’s super-close to public transport, which means no stress-y navigation required. Surry Hills, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and the CBD are all walkable, dotted with excellent snacks and sweet treats. Our pick is Humble bakery for the decadent all-pink finger bun. 

INSTITUTE OF STYLE So you’ve got the products, but how do you style them? Making the stuff your shop sells look incredible is an art in itself. The Institute is where you can watch stylists break down upcoming spring trends and you can learn how to make everything look effortlessly cool. 

This article is presented in partnership with Life Instyle Sydney. It’s all happening February 14-17, 2026 at the ICC in Darling Harbour. Find out more on the Life Instyle Sydney website.