Guided by fate, First Nations creatives Natisha Tabua and Lucas Schober, feeling stuck in a creative rut, found new direction by taking on the Closing Showcase at this year's Melbourne Fashion Week.

Appearing in Sunday night's grand finale presenting an exquisite gown created in collaboration with Clothing The Gaps, the runway featured three looks from 30 iconic Australian brands while marking the three-decade milestone for Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW).

Tabua, the visionary behind custom couture brand Off The Plantation, is steadily making a name for herself by creating gowns for Ikuntji Artists while appearing in Vogue magazine.

The Papua New Guinean, Torres Strait Islander, Fijian and Indian designer told Style Up her sustainable label aims to empower women - especially Mob - encouraging them to step into their light.

"It's about the wearer and how the wearer wants to feel and what they want to embody," Tabua said.

Having put his University studies on hold to pursue a career in the fashion industry, Schober found himself dabbling in the modelling industry before launching his brand, Musu Arts - an ode to his upbringing on Larrakia Country in the Northern Territory - earlier this year.

The gown designed by the duo is part of Closing the Gaps' Our Islands, Our Home campaign, which aims to support the Torres Strait Islander-led grassroots climate justice movement while calling for Australia to significantly cut its carbon emissions and urgently address the adaptation needs of Zenadh Kes.

"It was so beautiful to be able to collaborate with Clothing the Gaps because their values and how they work with community ... It just aligned perfectly," Tabua said.

Upon moving from the Top End, Schober realised the power of the grassroots organisation to encourage Mob to reclaim their power through fashion.

"I'm only new to Melbourne and yeah straight away upon moving down, I've seen the the strength that, you know, Clothing the Gaps has instilled in people and the community down here," he said.

Merch with a message is a central focus to Clothing the Gaps, a brand born out of something greater than fashion itself - driven by a mission to spotlight the devastating socio-economic and health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

"To be able to use fashion to create conversations is so important and I think that's what the dress does so well," Tabua said.

Determined to make an impact, the duo aims to contribute to the dialogue on climate change, which threatens to displace millions and disrupt the ties to those whose ancestors have protected the land for millennia.

"We've created a pretty amazing piece that should get people thinking and get people talking about climate justice in the Torres Strait," Schober said.

"Even just spreading that awareness of the Torres Strait itself is one thing."

The deep teal gown worn by Zenadh Kes and Papuan model, Sené Maluwapi was designed by Tabua and featured a baby blue 12 metre saltwater crocodile painted by Schober.

At the end of the train, the garment was embellished with a message that reads "the oceans are rising & so are we".

"The oceans are rising and so are we, people can't help but to look at it and they're going to have to read it and look at that story," Tabua said.

Schober told Style Up the message embodies the resilience of island communities and their allies, encouraging them to rise up and demand meaningful action.

"It shows we've risen from challenges happening in our own lives to create this piece," Schober said.

Schober emphasised the importance of choosing a resilient animal, adding a personal touch by incorporating elements of his childhood into the crocodile design, which he named after his nan, Nora.

"We chose to represent the saltwater crocodile, which is a shared totem between us. The crocodile is the queen of the ocean, that apex predator," Schober said.

Through this, he hopes to spark conversations about the urgent need for climate action.

While the pair's Melbourne Fashion Week debut marks a significant accomplishment, Tabua and Schober said the journey has reignited their creative ambitions as they gear up to showcase their own collections at Country to Couture 2025.

Committed to inspiring mob keen to break into the fashion industry, Tabua will continue offering free sewing classes at the Kin Fashion Studio every Sunday.

Learn more about the 'Our Islands, Our Home' campaign here.

The 'Our Islands, Our Home' petition, is calling for federal funding to support the construction of sea walls to safeguard shores of the Torres Strait Islands.