In a fashion system historically built on the exclusion of First Nations representation, Reclamation, staged on the eve of Australian Fashion Week (11–15 May), sought more than just permission to be seen. This was a runway to assert sovereignty over Indigenous creative agency.
A serpentine queue lined up outside Artspace in Woolloomooloo on Sunday evening, 10 May, to honour the visionary creativity of six Indigenous designers: Tjarlirli & Kaltukatjara Arts, Nungala Creative, MumRed, Merrepen Arts, KingKing Creative and Grace Lillian Lee. Collectively, their work foregrounded culture, resistance, innovation and future-focused fashion.
But the show was more than just a viewing experience. It was an all-encompassing celebration of First Nations art, design, music, dance and storytelling, opening with a warm and witty Welcome to Country which set up the evening’s ambition of reclaiming control of the narrative.
The designs, showcased on Indigenous models, incorporated striking prints and a mix of earthy and kaleidoscopic colours. Silhouettes ranged from figure-hugging dresses and edgy power suits to ethereal lace skirts and forms that opened out like the fins of a stingray.
Alongside the models, dancers moved fluidly and agilely to the earthy hum of the didgeridoo in costumes from Grace Lillian Lee’s collaboration on Flora, presented by The Australian Ballet in partnership with Bangarra Dance Theatre.
The show’s zenith was reached with the display of Lee’s work, The Guardians – the collection which made her the first First Nations designer to independently show a collection at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. The models emerged one by one in vibrant shades of the rainbow, gracefully snaking their way down the runway to trance-inducing music. The intricate weaving, iconic to Lee, was nothing short of breathtaking.
Reclamation was held by First Nations Fashion Design (FNFD), a 100% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-run not-for-profit organisation founded by Lee. The organisation supports the growth and development of First Nations designers and creatives by cultivating ongoing access to opportunities, representation, skill development and industry engagement. The night was a statement of FNFD’s vision to build an independent First Nations fashion sector grounded in cultural integrity rather than industry validation.
“Just to be here independently, not under an umbrella of another organisation, has given us the autonomy and privilege to be able to speak our own truths and create our own work, and that just is so empowering to our community,” Lee told the SSH.
“And I think everyone can feel that energy of resilience and empowerment in each other. We just want to continue strengthening our people across the country through fashion.”
The night certainly saw fashion embraced by everyone. Among the audience were bold prints, fur shawls and clutches, feather hairpieces, statement jute earrings and shell necklaces. It was a feast of colour and texture, a melding of modern fashion with ancient heritage.
Malyangapa/Barkindji artist and ARIA Award-winning rapper BARKAA capped off the night with a lively performance, followed by a powerful oration igniting a tidal wave of pride, unity and passion through the room. It was clear the runway did not end there – a burgeoning path lies ahead where First Nations creatives aren’t just included in the fashion industry but define it.
“Reclamation was never about visibility within existing systems,” said Lee.
“It was about dismantling those systems and rebuilding them on our terms. Our culture is not a trend, a reference point or a resource. It is sovereign.”
