Darwin is about to become the centre of Australia’s fashion conversation — and the industry can feel it coming.
As the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation celebrates its 20th anniversary this August, Country to Couture and the National Indigenous Fashion Awards are returning to Larrakia Country bigger, louder and more stylish than ever before. The biggest headline? Country to Couture is officially expanding to two nights for the first time in its history.
Yes, two nights.
After years of quietly becoming one of Australia’s most important fashion platforms, the event has evolved far beyond a runway show. Today, Country to Couture sits at the intersection of fashion, storytelling, culture and community — and fashion insiders have been counting down for weeks.
Melbourne Creatives Are Having a Serious Moment
While designers from across the country are preparing to take over Darwin, Melbourne creatives are having a serious moment.
MumRed Lands Two NIFA Nominations
Leading the buzz is Samala Cronin of MumRed, who has landed not one but two NIFA nominations this year, including the Fashion Designer Award and Wearable Art Award. Cronin will also present MumRed’s collection Flow State on the Country to Couture runway, cementing the label as one of the most exciting names emerging in Australian fashion.
Off The Plantation Brings Blackbird to Darwin
Also representing Melbourne is Off The Plantation, bringing its collection Blackbird to the runway, while designer Corin Corcoran has scored a Textile Design Award nomination for striking works created from recycled and found materials, including bark, feathers and discarded plastics.
Ebony Noire Continues Its Rise
Meanwhile, Footscray designer Ebony Kruger of Ebony Noire continues her rise within Australia’s luxury fashion space with a Fashion Designer Award nomination, while the Koorie Heritage Trust x RMIT Blak Design Program has been recognised in the Community Collaboration Award category.
Country to Couture Expands to Two Nights
The expansion to two runway nights reflects just how quickly Country to Couture has grown since first launching within the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair in 2016. Now, it’s become a major platform showcasing First Nations designers, artists and models on a national — and increasingly global — stage.
Charles Darwin University’s Danala Campus Sets the Scene
This year’s shows will take place at Charles Darwin University’s Danala Campus, an outdoor venue centred around a heritage boab tree. The setting feels worlds away from the polished sameness of traditional fashion week venues — and that’s exactly the point.
Carried by Our Matriarchs – From Legacy We Rise
The first runway, Carried by Our Matriarchs – From Legacy We Rise, celebrates the strength and artistry of First Nations women, while the second, Imprints and Memory – Seasons of the Land, Waters and Sky, explores the connection between Country, culture and memory.
The National Indigenous Fashion Awards Spotlight Creativity
And beyond the runways, the National Indigenous Fashion Awards continue to cement themselves as one of the most meaningful nights in Australian fashion, spotlighting creatives reshaping the industry through cultural storytelling, innovation and design.
DAAF Foundation ambassador Jessica Mauboy perhaps summed it up best, saying she continues to be “blown away” each year by the creativity and storytelling showcased through Indigenous Fashion Projects.
Darwin’s Fashion Takeover Is Only Just Beginning
And judging by the excitement already building around this year’s event, Darwin’s fashion takeover is only just beginning.
Because if there’s one thing the Australian fashion industry is realising, it’s that the country’s most important runway this year won’t be in Sydney or Melbourne — it’ll be under the stars on Larrakia Country.
Written by Bella Blake
