Melbourne Fashion Festival is partnering with PayPal as its naming rights sponsor for the 2022 show in a three-year partnership that aims to “ignite creativity and commerce”.

Now in its 26th year, the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival is the “longest-running and most culturally significant consumer fashion event in Australia,” according to MFF chair Launa Inman, and will be held at Collingwood Yards.

As part of the deal, PayPal will cover participation fees across the program, and multiple independent designers will be offered support to create their work, engage in the community and host their own event during the festival.

This year’s festival will also feature an inaugural First Nations Fashion Industry Pathways program aimed at providing greater access and opportunities for up-and-coming First Nations designers to gain work experience in the industry, and to facilitate greater First Nations representation.

“PayPal is all about inclusion, innovation and helping Australian businesses thrive,” said PayPal general manager of payments Andrew Toon.

“We know that fashion lovers also love the convenience and flexibility of BNPL, so the marriage of Australia’s largest and most influential celebration of fashion, arts, creative ideas and shopping, with the country’s only no late fee, no interest BNPL offering, PayPal in 4, is a match made in fashion heaven.”

BNPL providers have long held an interest in supporting the fashion industry, with Afterpay having sponsored Australian Fashion Week for a number of years, due to fashion’s impact on the BNPL service.

PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival will run from 3 to 12 March, 2022.