Returning to the Melbourne Fashion Week runway for the second time, Monday night's ganbu marra runway saw Clair Helen showcase her brand and its new collection to an audience of fashion fanatics, critics, industry buyers and proud community supporters.

Following the runway, Helen was quick to confirm her excitement to enjoy the moment whilst planning the brand's next venture.

"I feel the brand has made great progress, especially with the launch of our first product online," she said.

"Until now, I've mostly done one-off commissions, so reaching this milestone of selling a ready-to-purchase product was a huge achievement."

One aspect of her brand which Helen is focusing on is sustainability, an area of importance which was reflected in the garments shown at Monday night's runway.

"This year, my focus has shifted. I'm dedicated to repurposing all of our leftover fabrics and materials to avoid waste and give them new life," Helen told Style Up.

"Some of the upcoming pieces are part of a collaboration with my long-time friend TJ from Aarli, featuring prints that are a signature to our previous collections.

"The black and white theme fits perfectly with my new collection, "Reflection of the Night," which is a deeply personal story.

"It's inspired by childhood memories of my sister and brother-in-law taking me to the beach at night, where we would look for creatures like Crocodile eyes and admire the moon's reflection on the landscape.

"That's why you'll see fluorescent colors in the collection—it represents the way the night sky reveals different colors, creating a harmonious and beautiful scene."

Helen said she was thrilled to be able to showcase her garments alongside several other First Nations designers on the ganbu marra runway, saying she strived to streamline the runway process and be as organised as possible.

"I'm truly honoured to be showcasing my work alongside some incredibly talented people," she said.

"I've said it before, but I am so proud of our community and how much talent is coming out of it.

"There's so much space for us to thrive, and it's inspiring to see Indigenous fashion growing and making such a powerful impact.

"This time around, I was much more organised, which made the sewing process therapeutic.

"While we faced some delays with shipping, everything else went smoothly."

Speaking on trends, popular garments and what she is noticing grow and emerge from the industry as a designer, Helen said she has noticed a shift in the number of designers resorting back to the community's iconic colourway of black, red and yellow.

"Although I don't often work with black, red, and yellow in my own collections, I'm really loving seeing these colours dominate Indigenous fashion at the moment," she said.

"They hold such a deep, heartwarming connection for me, reminding me of growing up with them as symbols of culture and identity."

With plenty planned for the remainder of 2024, Helen said she will soon be releasing a new collection as well as a unique collaboration.

"I've been working in my studio, creating a new collection that will be available online soon," she said.

"My last collection was incredibly successful, not only in terms of popular designs but also in the valuable lessons I learned, especially when it came to building a strong relationship with my manufacturer and learning more about my customers.

"I've also been really busy these past few months working on a partnership with a company I've always dreamed of collaborating with.

"I'm excited to share more about this project in the coming months."

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