Australian Fashion Week is set to make history this May, as Ngali, the fashion label of Wiradjuri woman Denni Francisco, becomes the first Indigenous designer to have a solo show at the event. While many Indigenous designers have participated in group shows over the past 20 years, Ngali’s solo show marks a significant step forward for the First Nations fashion industry.
First Nations Fashion as a Political Practice
The term “First Nations fashion” carries important political connotations. During the colonial era in Australia, administrators saw Indigenous peoples’ clothing as unsophisticated, and static, leading them to impose new forms of clothing. However, in recent years, Indigenous fashion researchers, designers, artists, and producers have redefined fashion as a culturally significant practice. For many First Nations designers, fashion is a way to break colonial bonds, share cultural stories, and promote well-being.
A New Definition for First Nations Fashion
While there is no widely accepted term for First Nations fashion, many Indigenous fashion figures use a variety of words and phrases, such as Indigenous fashion, First Nations fashion. According to Tristen Harwood, a First Nations writer, fashion refers to the marketing and buying of Indigenous-designed fashions, while style encompasses the dynamic process of dressing that touches on identity, politics, self-creation, and culture. By embracing a collective and holistic term, First Nations fashion can encompass both traditional and contemporary practices of Indigenous peoples, including the role of artists, and encompass everything from fashion runways to creating garments for galleries, as well as everyday First Nations style.
Moving Forward Inclusivity
A new chapter of sharing of experiences is emerging in the First Nations fashion industry. By embracing a holistic term for First Nations fashion, Indigenous designers and artists can better represent their contributions to the industry and highlight the importance of cultural practices in fashion.
The new millennium has seen a great flowering of new First Nations designers and artists, many of whom are considered to be fashion designer, artist, curator. They emphasize the ownership of their cultural heritage and Nations, with traditional and cultural clothing and adornment seen as the first creations of Australian fashion. In this way, First Nations fashion is both a cultural practice and an industry with significant economic and artistic contributions.
Overall, First Nations fashion in Australia is undergoing an exciting transformation. With more Indigenous designers and artists entering the industry, and a growing recognition of the cultural significance of fashion, the future of First Nations fashion in Australia looks promising.
