 Australian Fashion Week has attracted criticism of being out of sync with the global fashion market; some popular designers pulled out of the 2012 event in order to prepare for international events.The event has also been criticised for featuring inexperienced emerging designers rather than big names, that its collections are conspicuously 'influenced' by European designers, and that it resorts to cheap theatrics that have included everything from Afghan hounds to midgets in lederhosen.However, fashion journalist Marion Hume argues that the non-participation of established designers is welcome.