Talented First Nations artist and designer Delvene Cockatoo-Collins has grown her design scope year after year.
This month Style Up spoke with Cockatoo-Collins ahead of her brand's showcase at Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festivals Beyond Blak runway.
Cockatoo-Collins, who lives and works on Quandamooka Country, shared that she would like to see First Nations fashion progress in 2026 and beyond.
"After months of travel through late 2025, I began the year quietly at home, with family, and easing back into the studio to finalise this collection," she said.
"A highlight was travelling to Badu for the first time a few weeks ago. I had the opportunity to work alongside the artists at the art centre, spending time walking and within the sewing and screen-printing studios.
"It was incredibly energising to be part of that environment and to witness the strong momentum building with the growth of the textile spaces. It was a privilege to experience this."
Cockatoo-Collins said her newest collection shown at Melbourne Fashion Festival this week focused on Country and the surrounding environments.
"This marks my third Mob in Fashion runway at Melbourne Fashion Festival, and it feels exciting to return," she said.
'There is something powerful about presenting alongside other First Nations designers, a shared presence that speaks to strength and collective momentum within our fashion space.
"My 2026 MFF collection, The Bayside, is anchored in place. It reflects the western side of the island where I live with my family. It's the place of mangrove systems, where freshwater meets saltwater and where reeds are gathered for gulay dilly bags. The quietness of this environment can be felt in the textures, shells and fibres.
"There is a sense of continuity within the work. I've revisited one of last year's patterns, reworking it through a new colourway.
"Working from my own studio allows for that kind of ongoing dialogue with the textiles including that space to experiment, and to continuously breathe new life into familiar forms."
Cockatoo-Collins said she would like to see more pieces cherished throughout generations and valued beyond seasons.
"Twice this past few weeks, clients have described my garments as heirlooms, pieces to be passed down," she told Style Up.
"I'd love to see more fashion embraced this way: garments valued beyond the season, and carried forward through generations; Fashion that holds story as much as style."
Valuing the life of her garments as much as their visual aesthetic, Cockatoo-Collins further expressed this on the runway, showcasing a collection built on longevity.
"Parts of this collection was styled in my small store, with long-time supporters watching the process unfold," she said.
"There is something incredibly meaningful about that shared journey.
"To then bring the work onto the runway, carrying those early conversations and support with it, feels profoundly rewarding."
Set for an extremely busy 2026 taking on opportunities surrounding both art and fashion, Cockatoo-Collins expressed the excitement she feels about the next chapter ahead.
"It's a full year ahead: along with my regular schedule including Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, I have a year long Museum of Brisbane residency, programming with Tangalooma Resort on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), and continued international travel," she said.
"With this, I've chosen to close my store in Brisbane - after 11 years on Minjerribah and one year in the city. This next chapter feels expansive and, as someone recently said, beautifully untethered."
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