Global Indigenous Runway 2017

Many indigenous peoples share a deep connection and love for their lands, cultures and traditions – and, it turns out, for fashion. Their talents are on display in this year’s Global Indigenous Runway show, a catwalk event featuring the collections of indigenous designers from Australasia and further afield as part of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival. Now in its fifth year, the event showcases the efforts of Global Indigenous Management – an organisation supporting and promoting indigenous peoples in the fashion and creative industries – and as such, the audience can expect to see creations from Australian Aboriginal, New Zealand Maori, Native American and Canadian First Nations peoples.

Global Indigenous Runway

While some of the designers choose to work with traditional materials such as animal hides, feathers and plant fibres, their execution tends towards the contemporary – previous runway events in this series have featured showstoppers like corsets, millinery and fitted skirts intricately woven from lacquered plant fibres that would seem to require a level of skill not dissimilar to that of haute couturiers. In contrast to these one-off pieces, other designers have used conventional and modern fabrics and manufacturing to produce urban streetwear and sportswear but incorporated elements such as traditional prints that express their tribal heritage and culture.

As with past shows, the designs will be modelled by fellow indigenous people – for those hailing from remote communities, it may even be the first time they visit a capital city. This is a rare opportunity to see the talents of local and global indigenous creatives, so book your tickets and find out more here.

Date: Saturday March 18, 5pm

Venue: Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton, Melbourne.

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WORDS LEEYONG SOO

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We are throwing away clothing at a faster rate than ever before. How can we tackle this problem?⁠
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✨️ WEAR⁠
Be an outfit repeater - wear your items of clothing as long as possible. Learn to style your garments in various ways. Loved clothing lasts.⁠
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✨️ SHARE⁠
If you really need to move it along, share the love with friends - hold a clothing exchange night! Or organise a timeshare with a friend where you swap a few favourite pieces of fashion. If you really can't find a new home for it, then donate to an op shop or charity.⁠
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The care of your clothing – washing, drying and ironing – can account for approx 30% of a garment's total carbon footprint. Hand wash, line dry, wash in cold water, and only wash when necessary.⁠
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✨️ REPAIR⁠
Mending – and making – slows down fast fashion buying habits. Repairing used to be common practice, until disposable fashion took over. Extending the life of clothing by just nine months can reduce carbon, water, and waste footprints by 20–30%. Fixing doesn't need to just be utilitarian – get creative with visible mending!⁠
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*Fact from The United Nations Environment Programme⁠
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