fashion

Applications open for 2027 Country to Couture runway

Phoebe Blogg Published October 15, 2026 at 3.25pm (AWST)

A model wearing a backless design by Ngaire Pakai, on the Country to Couture runway. (Image: Dylan Buckee)

Country to Couture, an empowering community celebration of storytelling through contemporary designs, grounded in over 60,000 years of culture, is returning to the top end in 2027.

The largest showcase of First Nations fashion in Australia, Country to Couture 2027 will mark a 12 year milestone, having been presented alongside the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) since 2016.

Embodying a cultural revolution that continues to redefine Australian fashion, it has become a highlight on the fashion calendar and has launched the careers of First Nations designers, artists, models and creatives.

Officially opening up applications for the next cohort of designers, Indigenous Fashion Projects is encouraging both emerging and established to apply for the 2027 event.

*Jaymee-Lee Chaquebor, 'Jarrabinmy', Country to Couture, Show 1, 2026. (Image: Michael Jalaru Torres)*

Held as part of the annual DAAF program, Indigenous Fashion Projects hosts both the Country to Couture runways and National Indigenous Fashion Awards (NIFA).

The events embody a cultural revolution, a vital bridge connecting remote, regional and urban Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with the global fashion stage.

Celebrating more than a decade of continuous growth and innovation, Country to Couture has platformed over 120 fashion collections, with more than 1,000 unique looks worn by 250 First Nations models down the runway.

The runway has sparked major industry collaborations, nurtured emerging Indigenous fashion businesses, launched countless careers and created new pathways in the industry, dramatically accelerating the growth of Australia's Indigenous fashion sector.

*Wiradjuri and Maori designer Ngaire Pakai, designs on the Country to Couture runway. (Image: Dylan Buckee)*

When speaking with Indigenous Fashion Projects manager Michelle Maynard at last year's runway event, Maynard said the event has significantly grown since its initial launch.

"It's hard to believe Country to Couture began as a modest showcase nestled amongst the Art Centre booths at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair in 2016, and is now the largest showcase of Indigenous fashion in Australia," she told Style Up (a National Indigenous Times publication).

"This is a moment for us all to reflect, acknowledge and show our respect for all the work that has been done by so many, so far. A moment to share celebration and excitement for the future."

Where First Nations textiles, fashion and art collide in a powerful showcase of creativity from across Australia, Country to Couture has become a prominent event within the First Nations community.