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Couture and culture combine for sold-out Indigenous fashion show in Darwin

Couture and culture combine for sold-out Indigenous fashion show in Darwin

First Nations designers and artists from across the country have come together in Darwin to showcase some of the nation’s leading Indigenous fashion.

The Country to Couture fashion show has been held on Larrakia Country, in Darwin, as part of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair.

Artistic director, Shilo McNamee, said 18 designers and artists took part in two sold-out shows.

“We’ve had so much interest from all these amazing designers, artists and creatives, so we’ve got two really big shows,” she said.

A woman walks away from the camera on a fashion runway. She wears wings made out of grass.
A model showcasing a design from Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance. (Supplied: Dylan Buckee)
a female model wearing a headpiece
A design from Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts in collaboration with Aly De Groot Art. (Supplied: Michael Jalaru Torres)

‘Culture is a very important thing’

Wendy Hubert, an artist from the Juluwarlu Art Group in Western Australia, designed and modeled clothes for the show.

An older Indigenous woman standing next to a young Indigenous man with a big screen and blue spotlights in the background
Wendy Hubert and Wimiya Woodley. (ABC NewsMitchell Abram)

She said it was a pleasing experience to showcase Indigenous culture.

“Culture is a very important thing that we share with others … And you have to feel good to share your culture,” Ms Hubert said.

“To share and acknowledge ourselves, to be proud of ourselves, to have pride in yourself and be accountable.”

Wendy’s grandson Wimiya Woodley also took part in the show, and was his first time taking to the runway as a model.

A man with curly hair and wearing a fur coat stands on a fashion runway.
A design by Linda Puna from Mimili Maku Arts, in collaboration with Unreal Fur.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)
A man with curly hair looks into the camera. He is wearing a fur jacket.
A design by Linda Puna from Mimili Maku Arts, in collaboration with Unreal Fur.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

“I’m feeling pumped to show my family’s culture, being around all these other First Nations people, it’s very empowering he said.

“We’ve come a long way as blackfellas… and to be in this venue in the capital of the NT… it’s very magical.”

A woman wears a colorful scarf and looks into the camera against a black background.
A design by Ngali by Denni Francisco, with textile adapted from Lindsay Malay.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

‘Carrying our stories’

Creative Director Shilo McNamee said she had been blown away by the response to this year’s Country to Couture events.

“Audiences are really excited to come and support the show, support designers and artists,” she said.

“There are quite a few local people involved in the show, we’ve got local talent on stage as our closing performances… so it’s great that Darwin people could come get behind it.”

A woman wears a colorful turban and a white t-shirt with a black background.
A model wearing a design by Western Australia’s Juluwarlu Art Group.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)
A man wearing a colorful jumpsuit stands on a runway.
A Gantharri by Bobbi Lockye design on the catwalk.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

Bobbi Lockyer, a designer who also took part in the show, said she was encouraged by the response to the event.

“It’s so important because it’s a way of carrying our stories through and showcasing our incredible resilience and talent,” she said.

“It’s really incredible to be able to include my culture and include my art, and the storytelling through the pieces in my designs.”

The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair continues with the National Indigenous Fashion Awards and a public program of events beginning on Friday.

country to couture, indigenous, fashion, darwin, festival, runway, nt, northern territory, nagula jarndu art center
A brightly colored entry from Nagula Jarndu Art Centre.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

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Entertainment

Nomad fashion show mixes the ancient and the modern in the Kyrgyzstan mountains

A model dressed in a designer outfit walks across blue tiles.

On the shore of one of the world’s deepest lakes, high up in Kyrgyzstan’s Tian Shan mountains, models strutted and sashayed in outfits mixing the ancient and modern at the World Nomads Fashion Festival.

A model in a blue outfit walks down a runway, there are women behind her.
A model displays an outfit from the collection by Indonesian designer Akeyla Naraya during the festival.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

The event, now in its third year, drew designers and fashion-industry figures from about 20 countries to shimmering Lake Issyk-Kul to admire outfits drawing on Kyrgyzstan’s millennia-old nomadic culture.

Masked performers dance across tiles. a garden bed and the ocean are in the distant background.
The festival was held at Cholpon-Ata, a resort town on the northern shores of Lake Issyk-Kul, 207 kilometers east of Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

The stiletto heels worn by some models wouldn’t be suitable for a proper nomad, but some of their elaborate headdresses that seemed to mimic the horns of cattle were taken on traditional nomad costumes.

Silhouettes of seven female dancers in front of blue tiles and the sky.
The main goal of the festival is to show the world the Kyrgyz fashion industry.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

Swirling, voluminous skirts featured in many of the outfits, either elaborately patterned or in blocks of vivid colour.

A woman in a red costume has her hands spread in front of her face as part of a performance.
The fashion event took place from July 21 to 23. (AP: Vladimir Voronin)

Along with the couture, the show offered visitors the chance to see an array of yurts — the wood-framed tents of skin or felt characteristic of nomads — and brightly-coloured carpets.

Models dressed in bright clothing are lined up next to a gold statue.
Models wait for their turn to display a collection.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

There were participants from distant countries such as Indonesia, Morocco and France.

A model dressed in a designer's clothes stands in a field with a shed behind her.
A model displays an outfit from the collection by Kyrgyzstan’s designer Irina Unsapan.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

During a three-day program about 40 designers showcased their work.

Two Members of the Russian Folk Dance Ensemble are dressed in colorful outfits and standing with their hands on hips.
The event’s founder hopes Kyrgyzstan can create a platform for organizing catwalk shows and exhibitions for the global fashion industry.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

“The World Nomad Fashion Festival is the first and only project in Central Asia and some European countries that glorifies the civilization of nomads,” the event’s founder, Nazira Begim, said.

A performer dressed in bright blues and purples has her arms reached out during a dance.
Elaborate patterns and vivid colors featured in many of the outfits.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

“It was created in 2019. This idea belongs to me. The project is one of my old dreams.

“When I organized it for the first time, without knowing anyone personally, I invited designers from 17 countries and held it also on the shores of Issyk-Kul lake.”

Members of the Russian Folk Dance Ensemble of Adygea walk in a line, dressed in colorful clothing.
Members of the Russian Folk Dance Ensemble of Adygea perform.(AP: Vladimir Voronin)

Ms Begim is keen to spotlight Kyrgyzstan’s fashion industry.

AP

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