The Future in Full Colour: Country to Couture is back!

Sure, the month of August still channels ‘brrrr!’ quite effectively for the rest of Australia: but in the always-steamy Northern Territory, there’s a hint of new beginnings, the germination of hope and colour and joy that spring inevitably brings. And no other event encapsulates this sense of potential quite as well as Country to Couture. Now in its 11th year, Country to Couture has become one of the most important events on Australia’s fashion calendar: part runway, part cultural recognition, and a celebration of fashion’s power to carry story, memory, place and pride. We here at Peppermint are extremely proud to support this incredible event again this year as the Premium Media Partner.

Presented by Indigenous Fashion Projects alongside the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, this year’s Country to Couture will unfold across two nights for the first time ever, taking place on 2nd and 3rd August on Larrakia Country in Garamilla/Darwin, at Charles Darwin University’s new Danala precinct. The expansion means even more room for the incredible breadth of First Nations design currently flourishing across the continent: from remote community art centres and intergenerational collaborations to couture, wearable art and contemporary streetwear.

The move outdoors feels especially fitting. Country to Couture has always carried a sense of atmosphere that stretches beyond fashion alone. Each garment carries the stories of the landscape they emerged from, the artists and communities behind every print, weave, silhouette and technique. As Indigenous Fashion Projects describes it, the event is “a contemporary way of cultural storytelling” that celebrates the growing textile and fashion movement within First Nations communities across Australia.

This year’s lineup spans 21 collections, and the sheer variety is part of what makes the event so compelling. One moment, you might encounter sharply tailored contemporary fashion; the next, hand-printed textiles, sculptural wearable art or collaborations that blend traditional knowledge with modern design language. Show 1 on Sunday, 2nd August is themed ‘Carried by Our Matriarchs: From Legacy We Rise’, celebrating the artistry, collaboration and lore of Blak women. Show 2 on Monday, 3rd August focuses on ‘Imprints and Memory – Seasons of the Land, Waters and Sky’, a reminder that Country is a living relationship, a source of power, strength and interconnectedness.

Among the names we’re excited to see is Jina-Jina, the collective artists at Yinjaa-Barni Art Centre – a name that means “staying together.” United by family, Country and a deep love for sharing story, Yinjaa-Barni artists support and uplift one another, creating a space where art becomes a way to heal, share knowledge, connect and celebrate culture.

The collection this year from Bábbarra Women’s Centre, the Maningrida-based arts centre renowned for its extraordinary hand-printed textiles, draw from a range of lino print designs created over the past 40 years, translated into a striking library of woodblock prints through collaboration with Tharangini Studio from Bangalore, India. Also returning is Waringarri Aboriginal Arts from Western Australia’s East Kimberley region, whose textile and fashion collaborations continue to showcase the powerful relationship between painting, Country and wearable design.

Another highlight is Goompi’s Girl by Quandamooka designer Nicole Enoch-Chatfield, whose colour-rich work often celebrates connection to saltwater Country and family. Meanwhile, we can’t wait to see The Mermaid Collective, featuring Bobbi and Skye Lockyer alongside artist Mali Isabel, promises a runway full of coastal nostalgia and collaborative creativity. Organisers have teased audiences to “expect nothing like you’ve ever seen before”, which feels like exactly the right energy for Country to Couture.

Then there’s Yarrenyty Arltere Artists from Mparntwe/Alice Springs, whose work across textiles, soft sculpture and fashion is instantly recognisable for its tactile warmth and emotional depth. Their creations often carry a sense of softness and resilience simultaneously, blending community storytelling with inventive contemporary practice.

Part of what makes Country to Couture feel so special, year after year, is that it refuses to flatten First Nations fashion into one aesthetic or narrative. Instead, it celebrates multiplicity: desert and saltwater stories, activism and joy, couture and community art centres, sharp tailoring and handwoven fibres, emerging designers and established names all sharing space together.

So, if you’re ready to feast your senses and feel winter-chilled vibes start to warm, don’t miss out! Explore the full lineup and learn more on the Indigenous Fashion Projects website.