Australia's biggest showcase of Indigenous fashion hits the runway

Country to Couture, Australia's premier celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion design, took place in Darwin, marking a significant milestone for the burgeoning event. This year's edition showcased 21 meticulously crafted collections created by Indigenous artists and designers from across the nation. Hosted alongside the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, the event attracted thousands of spectators to the newly built Charles Darwin University campus in the city's CBD, drawing a sold-out crowd for both shows.

Michelle Maynard, Indigenous Fashion Projects Manager, emphasized that the event serves as a platform for Indigenous creatives, providing opportunities for designers, models, stylists, and hair and make-up artists to build networks and access new opportunities, thereby empowering individuals and potentially changing their lives.

Claire Summers, Executive Director of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation, which established Country to Couture, highlighted the event's growing strength, with spectators traveling from across the country and even overseas to attend. Natisha Tabua, designer of label Off the Plantation, stated that Country to Couture holds a special significance, offering a platform for Indigenous designers to be validated and elevate their voices in a country that celebrates over 250 language groups.

Bobbi Lockyer, representing The Mermaid Collection, praised the event as a celebration of Indigenous culture, emphasizing the importance of the collective talent involved in the fashion world. The opening show, themed "Carried by Our Matriarchs," celebrated the knowledge, stories, and voices of Indigenous women, with designer Tabua emphasizing fashion as a form of empowerment for Indigenous women, connecting to generations of skill and reclaiming their art to break generational trauma.