Joining forces with established Australian fashion brand Kirrikin on the evening of September 19, the Australian High Commission to the United Kingdom hosted a First Nations Fashion Show and Aboriginal Art Exhibition.
Held during London Fashion Week, the First Nations Fashion Show and Aboriginal Art Exhibition was created to shine a spotlight on Indigenous fashion designers and artists.
With Australia House and its iconic Exhibition Hall as the luxurious catwalk backdrop, Australia's top-performing First Nations fashion brands including Kirrikin, Liandra Swim, MAARA Collective, Ngali, Kamara and Miimi & Jiinda made a newsworthy entrance.
Although this was Kirrikin's second time visiting the UK for its international fashion and culture tour – which is also a part of the Kirrikin Foundation – for other participating designers it was their international debut.
Whilst Brad Collard delivered the event's acknowledgement to Country, Corroboree For Life – a community-based organisation offering a range of services including cultural and contemporary dance workshops – founder Ash Penfold performed an Indigenous dance and didgeridoo performance.
For international media, buyers and press who were previously not aware of the participating First Nations Fashion brands, designers and artists, the embassy-hosted event was an eye-opening, yet knowledgeable experience, in which both designers and delegates benefited.
"This First Nations Fashion Show demonstrates the excellence and unique offerings of Australia's First Nations fashion businesses, which have gone from strength to strength in recent years," said Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith.
Due to it being the first time that an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion show was held at Australia House, news of the event circulated amongst international and local publications.
With a series of respected industry members and several notable Australian faces sitting in the front row, the international event proved of great opportunity for participating designers to not only gain international exposure but further build their relationships with respected media, press and buyers.
Whilst both the runway event and art exhibition were great entertainment, the two showcases were also created with the aim of advancing the outcomes of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement by further expanding and exporting Australian products, talent, and design to the UK.
The new trade agreement also lays the foundation for Australian artists, including First Nations artists, to receive royalties when their original works of art are resold in the UK.
The event's art exhibition generated as much buzz as the catwalk itself. Organised by artist and Coe Gallery founder, Jasmine Coe, the impressive art exhibition featured a series of Indigenous creatives – living both in and outside of Australia – whose work was equally impressive to those on the runway.
Notable artists including Buffie Punch and Ethan James Kotiau gained the attention of the media, with both creatives engaging in several interviews and photo opportunities pre and post-event.
"I have been working with Kirrikin for about four years", Ms Punch told StyleUp.
"This is my first time being involved in an International Celebration Cultural Exchange of Art and Fashion Show".
With international media describing this catwalk and artistic presentation as an historic event, this seasonal showcase proved to be of great benefit when furthering the conversation and promoting the talent of Indigenous creatives in Australia and beyond.
Kirrikin Founder Amanda Healy said the show "provides us the platform to show the depth and beauty of our culture, as well as providing our creatives a new market to present".
"It is a fantastic opportunity for us all to shine," she said.
Ms Healy thanked The London Season (Creative Australia) and Qantas Events run by the Australian High Commission, London.
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