After six years in the industry, First Nations fashion and textiles brand LORE has made its long awaited Melbourne Fashion Week debut in 2024.
Although offered a spot at Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW) in the past, LORE founder Shannon Brett had to turn down the chance due to unavailability. This year she grasped the opportunity.
"LORE is an original textiles concept I developed in 2016 and manufactured respectfully on the lands of the Yuggera, Turrbal and Gimuy peoples. LORE's creations are featured as spectacularly colourful garments and accessories," said Brett.
"I design the fabric prints, sew the garments (as well as work with fellow sewists), and also style and photograph models in my garments to feature each new collection as it's created. MFW had contacted me in the past to show my work but I had been unavailable previously, so I'm very excited to be part of the celebrations this year especially as it's the 30 year anniversary of MFW."
Aside from being a talented fashion designer, Brett has also been recognised for her work across other creative realms.
"I am a proud Wakka Wakka/Butchulla/Gooreng Gooreng artist, photographer, designer, educator, researcher and curator, currently completing a PhD in Social Justice at the Queensland University of Technology in Meeanjin/Magandjin (Brisbane). My research on whiteness responds to systemic racism and misogyny in Australia from decolonial and black feminist perspectives," she said.
"I am a current member of the Contemporary Aboriginal Art Collective proppaNOW, and also Adjunct Curator at the Institute of Modern Art in Meeanjin/Magandjin (Brisbane). I hold a Bachelor of Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art from the Queensland College of Art and have worked in numerous arts institutions throughout Australia."
Brett said she wanted the runway audience to be able to see her new creative direction and curation process.
"This collection is something different. I want the audience to view a new direction that I am taking with my works, in the future there will be a lot more sculpture and applique within my garments. Lots of layering of colour and significance in the stories behind the colours and what they represent," she said.
"LORE is currently going through a major change and the work on show for MFW is just the beginning of this exciting time for the brand. I was invited to show by the team at MFW.
"LORE is an original textiles concept. Traditionally LORE referenced local stories through oral histories and archival analysis centred in the "Australian" black experience, as vibrant expressions in material form. LORE's creations are featured as spectacularly colourful garments, accessories and luxurious lengths of screen printed fabrics designed by Shannon Brett. Each garment conjures dialogue around identity, culture and Country and is created as part of a thematic body of work."
Heavily inspired and influenced by her First Nations culture, Brett said she is intrigued by exploring new ways she can tell stories through textiles and garments.
"I'm working on a lot of textile works for exhibition and I think that's where my practice is heading. Looking at garments as objects that provoke discussion especially about culture and world politics," she said.
"I'm really interested in how I can deliver stories through the creation of textiles as pieces worn upon the body.
"LORE is a project that I created to be able to deliver current stories upon fabrics through the creation of garments and accessories."
Looking ahead Brett says this is only the beginning for LORE with the designer sharing that consumers can expect a shift in the brand's athestics.
"A significant change in the look of the garments. Expect to see more formal wear, tailored garments and extravagant bags and accessories," she said.
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