Fashion Forward | Words by Robert Burrati
From intimate textile showcase to Australia’s largest Indigenous fashion platform, Country to Couture has spent a decade transforming how the nation sees First Nations design. As the event celebrates its 10th anniversary, we look at the cultural and commercial impact of a runway that has become a powerful force for Indigenous creativity and empowerment
Ten years ago, a vision took shape on Larrakia Country that would transform how Australia sees Indigenous fashion. What began as an intimate showcase of Indigenous textiles has evolved into the nation’s premier platform for First Nations fashion innovation—now the largest showcase of Indigenous fashion in Australia. The numbers tell a compelling story. Over the past decade, more than 120 Indigenous fashion collections have graced the runway, featuring over 1,000 individual looks modelled by more than 250 Indigenous models representing language groups across the continent. Yet these figures only hint at the profound transformation this platform has catalysed within First Nations communities and Australia’s broader fashion landscape.
Country to Couture emerged from the growing textile design movement in remote Indigenous communities, launching alongside Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair as a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander textiles and fashion design. Distinguished by its commitment to being more than just a fashion show, it became a contemporary way of cultural storytelling and knowledge sharing.
The event’s unique positioning—where “First Nations textiles, fashion and art collide in a colourful showcase of creativity” has attracted attention far beyond Australia’s shores. High energy runway presentations showcase innovative collections from Indigenous designers alongside groundbreaking collaborations between Indigenous communities and established Australian labels, creating dynamic dialogue between traditional artistry and contemporary fashion. Central to Country to Couture’s success has been its role as a platform builder creating spaces where Indigenous designers can take ownership and bring their visions to life.
Rather than appropriating Indigenous designs, Country to Couture has fostered genuine partnerships that honour traditional knowledge while embracing innovation, resulting in collections that are both culturally authentic and commercially viable.
The 2025 lineup exempli!es this approach. From Bula’bula Arts’ collaboration with Black Cat Couture on Garkambarryirri (Daybreak) to Mowanjum Arts and PaletTheory’s Return to Country, the runway continues showcasing how traditional Indigenous artistry seamlessly blends with contemporary fashion sensibilities. Collections like Yarrabah Arts & Cultural Precinct’s Fire in the Sky and Simone Thomson Art’s Nugal Biik (Belongs to Country) demonstrate the rich storytelling tradition underpinning
Indigenous fashion design. Beyond cultural signifcance, Country to Couture has demonstrated Indigenous fashion’s economic potential.
The platform has provided pathways for designers to scale practices, access new markets, and build sustainable businesses. Many designers who first appeared at Country to Couture have progressed to Australian Fashion Week, launched international collaborations, and established themselves as significant voices in contemporary fashion. The ongoing support from Country Road and the Northern Territory Government through Northern Territory Major Events Company has provided stability and resources, allowing the platform to grow while maintaining cultural integrity.
What makes Country to Couture’s journey remarkable is how it has maintained its core mission while scaling to national prominence. The event continues prioritising cultural authenticity, community relationships, and designer empowermen the same values that guided its inception. The platform has created spaceor intergenerational knowledge transfer, with collections like Eleraze Creatives’ Tjindu featuring collaborations between Sonya Coleman and daughters Sonearae and Tallulah Bilney. These partnerships ensure traditional knowledge continues “owing through contemporary expressions.
As Country to Couture enters its second decade, it carries the legacy of over 120 collections, 1,000 looks, and 250-plus models. More importantly, it carries the stories, dreams, and cultural knowledge of Indigenous communities across Australia ensuring these voices continue shaping fashion’s future
Images: Dylan Buckee and Marley Morgan
This Article originally appeared in Art Collector 2025 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Special Edition, click here to read more.
Robert Buratti is a writer, curator, and researcher based in Boorloo/Perth.
Cover Art by Aileen Napaljarri Long, Wanakiji (Bush Tomato), 2024, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 121 x 91 cm. Image courtesy of Barkly Regional Arts.
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