{"id":499803,"date":"2026-02-23T23:55:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/499803\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T23:55:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:55:12","slug":"more-than-style-how-first-nations-fashion-is-growing-in-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/499803\/","title":{"rendered":"More than style: How First Nations fashion is growing in Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Key PointsAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have designed clothing and accessories for thousands of years, adapting to climate and celebrating culture,\u202fcommunity\u202fand stories.\u202f First Nations designers are proudly represented globally.\u202f First Nations fashions often include artworks by First Nations artists who are credited and paid.\u202f Drawing on traditional knowledge, First Nations designers are leading on sustainability. <\/p>\n

Before colonisation, First Nations people across Australia developed clothing that suited their climate, environment and way of life. What people wore could show who they were, where they came from and how they belonged.<\/p>\n

Many First Nations designers still see fashion in this way today, as something that carries story,\u202fculture\u202fand care for Country into everyday life.\u202f<\/p>\n

\"AUSTRALIA<\/p>\n

You can see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion at national events like Australian Fashion Week. Credit: Rob Hookey\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Where can you find First Nations fashion today?<\/p>\n

For a long time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion was rarely visible in mainstream media. Western-style clothing was pushed through missions,\u202fschools\u202fand government policies, While First Nations people kept cultural clothing alive in communities and ceremony.<\/p>\n

In the past decade, that has begun to change. First Nations designers are now proudly represented around the world.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

You can see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion at national events like Australian Fashion Week, at the annual First Nations runway\u202f<\/a>Country to Couture<\/a>\u202fand featured on the covers of major magazines such as Vogue. Initiatives like\u202f<\/a>First Nations Fashion + Design<\/a>\u202fand the\u202f<\/a>National Indigenous Fashion Awards<\/a>\u202fhave helped create more visible, independent platforms for First Nations creatives.<\/p>\n

\"Australia<\/p>\n

Caption: Artist and designer Grace Lillian Lee employs traditional Torres Strait Island weaving techniques to create her sculptural pieces, as showcased at Paris Fashion Week 2025. Credit: Foc Kan\/WireImage\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Dunghutti\u202fand\u202fAnaiwan\u202fcreative, and founder of online community\u202f<\/a>Aus Indigenous Fashion<\/a>,\u202f<\/a>Yatu\u00a0Widders\u00a0Hunt<\/a>,\u202fremembers\u202fhow limited representation was when she was growing up in Sydney.<\/p>\n

I was also looking for ways to connect to my own identity and also to contemporary expressions of First Nations identity, and I found fashion was a really great way to do that.<\/p>\n

Yatu Widders Hunt<\/p>\n

Whadjuk\u202fNoongar\u202fmodel and\u202f<\/a>Mob in Fashion<\/a>\u202ffounder <\/a>Nathan McGuire\u202fsays he was often the only Aboriginal person on set when he began modelling.<\/p>\n

Today he sees more First Nations talent in the industry.\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s\u202fabout our people being seen and our beauty being appreciated in the country.\u202fAnd you know,\u202fit’s\u202factually meant\u202fto happen,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"Nathan<\/p>\n

Whadjuk\u202fNoongar\u202fmodel and Mob in Fashion\u202ffounder Nathan McGuire. Credit: Nathan McGuire<\/p>\n

What makes First Nations fashion different?\u202f<\/p>\n

Many First Nations labels describe themselves as\u202fstory-driven or connected to Country. Here,\u202f\u2018Country\u2019\u202frefers to land, water, sky,\u202fcommunity\u202fand culture.\u202f<\/p>\n

Designs\u202foften\u202flink to specific places,\u202flanguages\u202for cultural themes.\u202f<\/p>\n

Prints come from artworks by First Nations artists who are\u202fcredited and paid. Many brands also work slowly, releasing smaller collections that support sustainability and quality.<\/p>\n

Liandra Gaykamangu, a\u202fYol\u014bu\u202fcreative director and founder of resort wear label Liandra<\/a>, says her brand was built to share culture in an open, inviting way.\u202f<\/p>\n

We have always championed\u202fcolour, culture and joy… really using fashion as an open invitation for other people beyond our community to be able to engage and celebrate the diversity of Australia’s identity and cultural nuances through the brand.<\/p>\n

Liandra Gaykamangu<\/p>\n

From the start, each of her collections has carried a story.\u202fThe pattern on a dress or shirt is rarely just for fun\u2014it can be a conversation starter about culture,\u202fhistory\u202for community.\u202f<\/p>\n

Is First Nations fashion sustainable?<\/p>\n

Many First Nations designers see their work as part of a much older relationship with land and resources. Traditional clothing practices were based on using only what was needed, respecting animals and plants and understanding seasons. Modern brands are adapting that thinking to today’s fashion system.\u202f<\/p>\n

Yatu\u202fbelieves First Nations knowledge is crucial for industries trying to respond to climate change and environmental damage.\u202f\u201cFirst Nations designers are leading the way in creating for-profit businesses in ways that are mindful of Countries,\u201d\u202fshe notes.<\/p>\n

For consumers, that can mean choosing clothes that support both culture and more careful, long-term ways of making.\u202f<\/p>\n

\"Yatu<\/p>\n

Yatu Widders Hunt, founder of online community\u202fAus Indigenous Fashion. Credit: Yatu Widders Hunt<\/p>\n

Creating pathways for First Nations creatives.<\/p>\n

A growing number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned labels and studios are creating pathways into paid work across the whole fashion ecosystem.\u202f<\/p>\n

Liandra uses her brand to connect remote and regional communities with industry-level opportunities. Through projects and partnerships, her label has helped emerging creatives gain experience and then move into their own careers:\u202f\u201cWe’ve had models signed to top Australian agencies, walk international runways, go on to book incredible campaigns beyond and create their own economic independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

At a national level,\u202fYatu\u202fnotes that First Nations businesses are already a major part of the economy that should be supported.\u202f<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a really thriving and growing First Nations business sector, we have designers and artists working all across the country, including in remote areas, so you’re also supporting First Nations business by buying First Nations fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Can I wear Aboriginal brands?\u202f<\/p>\n

It might be hard to know how to engage with First Nations fashion in a respectful way. Here are some simple tips.<\/p>\n

Many First Nations brands clearly\u202fstate\u202fwhen designs are\u202f \u2018ally friendly\u2019,\u202fmeaning\u202fanyone can wear them.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

Some items, usually for ceremony or special cultural roles, are only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These are often clearly marked online or on tags.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

Many brands share information\u202fonline or on the tag\u202fabout the artist, the\u202fcommunity\u202fand the story behind the design.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’d say the majority of First Nations designers create work that is accessible to everyone, so not just Indigenous people,\u201d Yatu\u202fexplains.\u202f \u201cAnd I think it’s exciting because First Nations storytelling is actually central to Australian identity and I think our culture is extremely generous and warm, and we love and want people to feel proud of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"David<\/p>\n

David Jones Indigenous Fashion Projects show during Australian Fashion Week Source: Getty \/ Jason McCawley for AFW<\/p>\n

Nathan sees fashion as a modern, enjoyable way for new migrants to connect with First Nations communities. Buying from a First Nations label, going to a runway show or following designers on social media can all be entry points.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an extension of what is to be a part of Australian culture, this is a really good way to engage with our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

First Nations fashion can offer a way to build\u202frespect and connection through something as simple as the clothes\u202fwe\u202fwear.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

Subscribe to or follow the\u00a0Australia Explained\u00a0podcast for more valuable information and tips about settling into your new life in Australia.<\/p>\n

Do you have any questions or topic ideas? Email\u00a0australiaexplained@sbs.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n