Despite only launching into the fashion industry in 2022, Indigenous-founded swimwear brand Ihraa Swim has already walked the runways of both Australia and New York Fashion Week.

Now Ihraa is taking on Melbourne Fashion Week for the first time.

Founded by mother and fashion designer Nat Dann, Ihraa Swim was created after Dan's love of both fashion and nature. Whilst heavily influenced by the sea and her natural surroundings, it was her daughter that inspired Dann to launch the brand and take the leap into the fashion industry.

"I first dreamt of starting a swimwear label 10 years ago because of my love of fashion and the sea. I was always in search of the perfect bikini but could never really find anything that I loved. I always found the prints never suited my personality and were always lacking uniqueness. I love wearing one-of-a-kind garments that nobody else has because they tell a story and so Ihraa Swim was born," said designer Nat Dann.

"Ihraa swim, pronounced "Eye-Rah" is affectionately named after my 9 year old daughter Aarhi (backward) who was a huge driving force behind getting the label from just thought, to becoming a label.

"It was my daughter who inspired me to take the leap. "Aarhi loves all things nature and is such an eco-conscious little girl. I really instilled in her from a very young age how important it was to do our bit and to look after country. She was well aware of my love for fashion and my dream to design swimwear and it blew her mind that I could make swimwear made from recycled fabrics."

Having already showcased the brand internationally in addition to being a part of the 2023 Indigenous Fashion Projects Pathways Program, Dann's talents as a designer stem far and wide.

Making her daughter even more proud, yesterday Ihraa Swim debuted at Melbourne Fashion Week for the very first time. When speaking with Dann prior to the show it was clear, herself and the team were thrilled to be featuring alongside several other taleneted First Nations designers.

"This will be our first time showcasing at Melbourne Fashion Week, I am very excited to participate in the Ganbu Marra Runway runway," she said.

"Every runway gives the label more opportunity to build brand awareness. But I am always particularly excited to showcase with other incredible indigenous designers."

Taking to the runway at the Ganbu Marra presentation, Ihraa Swim showcased the brands most recent collection, labelled Mixed Waters.

"This collection is called the Mixed Waters Collection and was inspired by the Australian summer culture," Dann told Style Up.

"It is a current collection that is soon to be launched this summer. We showcased some of the looks this year at AAFW In May. The collection is a mixture of swim and resort wear."

A proud Indigenous woman, Dan is delighted to be able to feature in a runway presentation with other first Nations creatives and further support and encourage one another.

"Working with mob is always a good time! It's the sense of community, and I find we connect at a truly deep and productive level. It's always very exciting to work with both established and emerging indigenous labels coming into this space," she said.

With 2024 runways already in the works, Dann is determined to continue the growth and authenticity of Ihraa Swim

"We do have some very exciting things in the works pending for 2024, but we are keeping this under wraps for now," she said.

"Right now our focus is our next collection and preparations for Australian Fashion Week 2024."

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