In Their Words: Q&A with Shilo Mcnamee and David Jones

Shilo McNamee is the creative director of Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation (DAAFF), an organisation that showcases the contemporary fine art of more than 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Centres. DAAFF also brings us Indigenous Fashion Projects (IFP), whose runway at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) made waves this year. Façon sat down with Shilo to discuss her important work.

The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation is owned and run by its (Art Centre) members, and we exist to support our members by creating opportunities that aid in the preservation, protection and elevation of Indigenous culture. One of our signature events is The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair. It is the only national event of its kind, and has secured a reputation as the country’s most significant and internationally recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts event with 100 per cent of all sales generated by the event returned to Art Centres and their respective Indigenous communities. We also host the National Indigenous Fashion Awards (NIFA) and the Country to Couture fashion show in Darwin.

AAFW has been an incredible experience for all of us; the five designers in the show have been able to get some wonderful exposure for their work. This experience has also been amazing for me: I have come over to the fashion space as a visual artist, so I'm thrilled to have had such a wonderful opportunity to learn from other creative peers and apply my skills in a new space.

I am really excited by the five Indigenous designers in the show: Kirrikin, by Wonnarua designer Amanda Healy; Liandra Swim, by Yolngu designer Liandra Gaykamangu; Maara Collective, by Yuwaalaraay designer Julie Shaw; Native Swimwear, by Biripi and Ngarabal designer Natalie Cunningham; and Ngali, by Wiradjuri designer Denni Francisco. These five First Nations designers are all actively growing their fashion brands as part of the IFP Pathways Program supported by David Jones. I feel really proud to be a part of their journey and see Indigenous people succeeding in this space – I can't wait to see what they do next!

I follow a lot of different contemporary artists on social media. I'm very inspired by the way people are fusing different types of traditional skills and processes together with digital media to create work that is totally unique and out of the ordinary!

Façon also had the chance to speak with David Jones, supporters of the Indigenous Fashion Projects Runway.

We really value our ongoing relationship with Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation’s (DAAFF) Indigenous Fashion Projects (IFP), and working collaboratively with the team on the IFP Runway at AAFW is always an exciting time. The initiative by DAAFF sees talented First Nations designers, artists, creative directors and stylists coming together for an incredible celebration of design and culture.

Through our Pathway Programs in partnership with IFP, we offer a mentorship program from Australian designers in our David Jones family who work closely with the First Nations designers to share knowledge and insights. This is really valuable, especially in the lead up to major moments like the IFP Runway. The program is a two-way learning opportunity for us to share knowledge between the designers and industry leaders in order to best support a future of diverse design.

At David Jones we believe in supporting diverse design to ensure the future of fashion is more inclusive, so it’s great that major fashion events like AAFW are using this opportunity to celebrate First Nations creative talent on a national scale.

We look forward to continuing our commitment and evolving the IFP Pathway Programs in future to open up business opportunities for designers, and continue to learn and adapt to best support their growth in a sustainable way.

The five First Nations designers who presented on the IFP Runway are ones to watch as they each bring an unique point of view and strong creativity to the fashion industry. From Maara Collective’s incredible silk dresses and its exciting debut menswear styles that we saw on the runway, to Kirrikin’s beautiful artwork and Liandra’s new swimwear inspired by the ocean, each brand shows a unique story, intrinsic detail and beautiful quality, which we know will be in high demand when available to shop in resort season.

The rich storytelling and inspiration behind each of the artwork and designs by First Nation designers is what makes Indigenous fashion so special. The attention to detail and thought process behind each of the garments is something truly to be admired and we really encourage everyone to take the time to learn about the inspiration behind each collection.