Australia explained: Neeg txum tej tsoos fashion cov kev loj hlob ntawm Australia

AUSTRALIA EXPLAINED - INDIGENOUS FASHION

Back in Blak Runway 2025 Source: AFP / WILLIAM WEST

Yog tias koj tau sib ib lub caij twg tuaj xyuas teb chaws Australia lawm, ces tej zaum koj kuj yuav pom tias tej neeg hnav tej tsoos uas zoo li lawv tsis nco txhawj dab tsi li. Thiab tej zaum koj kuj pom tej khaub ncaws hnav ua exercise los yog tej khaub ncaws thiab tej twj tej neeg siv da dej ntawm tej ntug hiav txwv thiab hnav khaub ncaws yooj yooj yim rau txhua txhia qhov chaw. Tab sis kuj tseem muaj Australia lwm cov tsoos fashion thiab. Neeg txum tim Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tej neeg tsim khaub ncaws (designers) yeej tau tsim tej tsoos thiab ntau yam los tau ntau txheeb xyoo — thiab yeej tseem tsim tej khoom no niaj hnub niam no. Tej zaum koj yeej pom tej tsoos no raug coj mus hnav rau ntawm tej fashion runways, ntiaj teb tej tsoos fashion thiab tej tsoos hnav ua lub neej txhua hnub. Txheeb tau ntxiv seb neeg txum tim tej tsoos fashion ho txawv li cas, thiab ho sib cuag li cas nrog tej ib puag ncig thiab muaj dab tsi uas tsim nyog koj paub txog yog tias koj xav hnav.


Ntsiab lus:
  • Neeg Aboriginal thiab Torres Strait Islander yeej tau tsim tej khaub ncaws thiab ntau yam
  • Neeg txum tim tej neeg tsim khaub ncaws yeej yog ib co nto npe sawv cev rau lawv thoob ntiaj teb.
  • Neeg txum tim tej tsoos fashions yeej muaj neeg txum tim tej neeg kos duab tej duab raug coj los siv, teev txog lawv thiab them nyiaj rau lawv.
  • Neeg txum tim tej neeg tsim tej tsoos yeej tau siv lawv tej txuj ci kab lis kev cai los pab kom lawv siv tau tej khoom coj los tsim tej tsoos uas yuav siv thiab tsim tau ntev rau yav tom ntej.

Mloog tau SBS Hmong ntawm no.

Ua ntej uas yuav muaj tej neeg txawv teb chaws tuaj nam nias txeeb liaj ia tswj hwm ces neeg txum tim thoob plaws Australia yeej tau tsim lawv tej tsoos kom hnav tau haum raws li lawv tej huab cua, tej ib puag ncig thiab lawv txoj kev ua lub neej. Tej uas tej neeg hnav yeej qhia tias lawv yog leej twg, lawv yog cov neeg tuaj qhov twg tuaj thiab lawv yog tsav neeg dab tsi.

Yeej muaj tej neeg txum tim tej neeg tsim tej tsoos (desingers) pom tias tej tsoos fashion los yeej tseem ua li no niaj hnub no, tam li yog ib yam dab tsi uas qhia txog tej dab neeg, kab lis kev cai thiab cov kev tu saib xyuas lub teb chaws no rau cov kev ua lub neej txhua hnub.

AUSTRALIA EXPLAINED—FIRST NATIONS FASHION
Koj yeej muaj peev xwm mus saib tau neeg txum tim Aboriginal thiab Torres Strait Islander tej tsoos fashion ntawm haiv neeg Australia tej koom txoos li lub tiam tiam Australian Fashion Week. Credit: Rob Hookey/Getty Images

Niaj hnub no koj muaj peev xwm nrhiav tau neeg txum tim tej tsoos fashion qhov twg?

Tau ntev heev lawm uas neeg txum tim Aboriginal thiab Torres Strait Islander tej tsoos fashion yeej yog tej yam uas tej chaw nthuav xov xwm feem coob yeej tsis tshua nthuav tawm. Vim rau qhov tej tsoos ntawm tej teb chaws vam meej pheej raug coj mus hnav rau ntawm tej koom haum, tej teej kawm thiab coj los tsim ua tsoom fwv tej cai kom sawv daws hnav, ua ke no los neeg txum tim tsuas khaws thiab ceev txuag lawv tej kab lis kev cai tsim tej tsoos ntawm lawv tej zej zog txuas ntxiv thiab tsim coj los siv ua tej koom txoos kab lis kev cai.

Lub caij 10 xyoo dhau los no ces kuj tau pib muaj kev pauv hloov lawm thiab. Tam sim no ces neeg txum tim tej neeg tsim tsoos yeej txaus siab hlo los tsim tej tsoos sawv cev rau lawv toob ntuj lawm thiab.

Koj yeej muaj peev xwm mus saib tau neeg txum tim Aboriginal thiab Torres Strait Islander tej tsoos fashion ntawm haiv neeg no tej koom txoos li lub limtiam Australian Fashion Week, ntawm neeg txum tim First Nations runwayCountry to Couture  uas ua ib xyoos ib zaug thiab yeej tau nthuav tawm ntawm tej ntawv xov xwm tseem ceeb li Vogue thiab. Ntau cov program uas raug tsim coj los pab thaib txhawb nqa neeg txum tim tej tsoos fashion li First Nations Fashion + Design  thiab National Indigenous Fashion Awards  yeej tau pab kom tej neeg tau paub tau pom txog lawv tej tsoos, thiab ras los ua ib co chaw pab neeg txum tim kom muaj feem koom thiab los ua tau cov hauj lwm thiab tej lagluam no.

Australia Explained - Indigenous Fashion
Caption: Tus artist thiab designer Grace Lillian Lee ntiav tej neeg txum tim Torres Strait Island kom los pab siv lawv tej txuj fiab los tsim nws tej tsoos uas tau coj mus hnav rau sawv daws saib ntawm lub limtiam Paris Fashion Week 2025. Credit: Foc Kan/WireImage/Getty Images

Yatu Widders Hunt uas yog neeg txum tim caj ceg neeg Dunghutti  thiab Anaiwan  uas tsim tej tsoos no, thiab yog tus teeb tsa lub koom haum online communityAus Indigenous Fashion  yeej nco tau tias muaj kev sawv cev tsawg tsawg rau neeg txum tim tej tsoos xwb thaum nws tab tom loj hlob ntawm Sydney.

Kuv tau tab tom nrhiav tej xub ke los pab kom sib cuag tau nrog kuv tej cim thawj thiab kom muaj peev xwm coj los qhia tau txog peb cov neeg txum tim lub cim thawj, ces kuv thiaj tau txheeb tau tias tej tsoos fashion yog ib txoj xub ke yuav muaj peev xwm pab ua tau tej ntawd.
Yatu Widders Hunt

Nathan McGuire uas yog ib tug neeg txum tim caj ceg neeg Whadjuk Noongar thiab kuj yog ib tug model thiab yog tus tsim lub koom haum Mob in Fashion  hais tias nws thiaj tsuas yog tib tug neeg txum tim Aboriginal ua cov hauj lwm no xwb thaum xub uas nws tau pib ua modelling.

Tab sis tam sim no ces nws kuj pom tias muaj tej neeg txum tim muaj peev xwm heev los ua tej hauj lwm ntawm tej lagluam no lawm thiab.

Nws hais tias "Tej ntawd yog tej uas yuav muaj neeg kub siab txog peb tej neeg, saib peb rau nqe, hwm peb thiab ris txiaj txog peb cov kev zoo nkauj ntawm thiab tej kab lis kev cai ntawm peb lub teb chaws no. Thiab yog tej uas tsim nyog tshwm sim."

Nathan McGuire.jpg
Nathan McGuire uas yog ib tug neeg txum tim caj ceg neeg Whadjuk Noongar uas yog ib tug model thiab yog tus teeb tsa lub koom haum Mob in Fashion. Credit: Nathan McGuire

Dab tsi ua rau neeg txum tim tej tsoos fashion txawv?

Yeej muaj neeg txum tim ntau hom fashion brans yeej qhia lawv tus kheej tias yog cov tsoos uas qhia txog ib co dab neeg dab tsi los yog qhia txog cov kev sib cuag nrog lawv lub teb chaws. Lo lus 'Country' no ces txhais tau tias yog ib thaj luaj pua, tej dej, tej nruab ntug, zejzog thiab kab lis kev cai.

Cov kev tsim tej tsoos yeej ib txwm cuam tshuam nrog ib co chaw twg tsi ntsees, cuam tshuam txog tej kab lis kev cai ntau yam.

Tsis tas li ntawd los neeg txum tim tej neeg kos duab tej duab uas muab theej thiab coj los luam siv los yeej teev lawv npe thiab yeej them nyiaj rau lawv. Thiab kuj muaj ntau hom tsoos ces yog cov uas maj mam tsim qeeb qeeb thiab tsuas tsim tsawg tsawg kom thiaj ceev txuag tau tej ib puag ncig, tsim tau ntev thiab tsim tau zoo.

Liandra Gaykamangu ces yog ib tug neeg txum tim caj ceg neeg Yolŋu uas yeej ua cov hauj lwm tsim tej tsoos no thiab kuj yog tus coj thiab tus teeb tsa tej tsoos hnav ntawm tej resort hu ua Liandra, uas tam sim no nws cov brand no raug siv coj los qhia tej kab lis kev cai, tej dab neeg, tej cim thawj uas yeej tos txais txhua leej txhua tus thiab cia sawv daws muaj feem koom.

Peb yeej ib txwm siv tau tej kob (xim), tej kab li kev cai thiab siv tej txuj no los pab kom peb tau txais kev lomzem ... tsis tas li ntawd los cov kev muaj peev xwm siv tau tej tsoos fashion los yog tej brands coj los qhia txog tej tsoos, tej kab lis kev cai tej cim thawj thiab tej dag neeg yam tso tshav lug kom lwm cov neeg muaj feem koom nthuav dav tshaj peb tej zejzog yuav pab kom tej keeb kub siab thiab koom ua kev zoo siab rau peb lub teb chaws Australia uas muaj ntau tsav neeg muaj tej cim thawj, tej kab lis kev cai sib txawv thiab.
Liandra Gaykamangu

Thaum chiv thawj ces nws tej tsoos yeej yog ib co uas qhia txog ib zaj dab neeg dab tsi. Tej qauv ntawm tej tiab los sis tej tsho los yeej yog ib co uas tsawg tsawg coj los ua kev lom zem — uas yog ib co coj los rau tej neeg kom pib sib tham txog tej kab lis kev cai, keeb kwm los yog tej zejzog xwb.

Neeg txum tim tej tsoos puas yog ib co yuav tsim siv tau ntev txuas ntxiv rau yav tom ntej?

Yeej muaj tej neeg txum tim tej neeg tsim tej tsoos (designers) pom tias lawv tej hauj lwm yog ib feem ntawm cov kev sib raug zoo qub dua nrog lawv tej luaj pua thiab tej peev txheej. Tej kev tsim tej tsoos ib txwm ua yeej tsuas siv tej khoom raws li qhov tsim nyog siv xwb, yeej muaj cov kev hwm tej tsiaj thiab tej nroj tsuag xyoob ntoo thiab yeej muaj kev totaub zoo txog tej caij nyoog huab cua. Tab sis cov brands tiam vam meej no ces tab tom hloov raws li tej fashion system tam sim no lawm thiab.

Yatu ntseeg tias neeg txum tim tej txuj ci yog ib co tseem ceeb pab rau tej lagluam uas yuav siv los daws tej xwm txheej huab cua pauv hloov thiab daws tej teeb meem phom sij uas muaj rau tej ib puag ncig.

Nws hais tias "Neeg txum tim tej kws tsim tej tsoos yog ib co ntaus thawj hlo los ua tej lagluam kom khwv tau nyiaj uas yeej tseem kub siab thiab hwm txog tej neeg, tej kab lis kev cai thiab tej teb chaws."

Tab sis yog tham rau tej neeg yuav khoom siv lawm ces, cov kev xaiv yuav tej tsoos uas pab tej kab lis kev cai thiab kub siab tu saib xyuas tej peev txheej no kom muaj peev xwm tsim tau tej tsoos no siv ntev txuas ntxiv mus kuj yog tej yam tseem ceeb heev thiab.

Yatu Widders Hunt.jpg
Yatu Widders Hunt uas yog tus teeb tsa kub koom haum online hu ua Aus Indigenous Fashion. Credit: Yatu Widders Hunt

Tsim kom muaj tej xub ke rau neeg txum tim tau kawm thiab ua tej hauj lwm no

Cov kev tau muaj neeg txum tim Aboriginal thiab Torres Strait Islander tej brand ntau yam tuaj ntxiv thiab muaj tej studios ntau tuaj ntxiv yog ib co kev tab tom tsim tej xub ke kom tej neeg tau ua tej hauj lwm uas khwv tau nyiaj thoob plaws rau tag nrho cov fashion ecosystem.

Liandra kuj tau siv nws cov brand los tsim kom muaj kev sib cuag tau nrog tej zejzog toj siab uas nyob deb los yog tej zejzog cheeb tsam kom muaj cib fim ntau yam ua tau lagluam. Yog li ntawd cov kev tau koom ntau cov projects thiab tau koom tes nrog ntau cov lagluam thiab tau pab kom kom nws cov brand no tau pab tej neeg ua cov hauj lwm no tau kawm kom paub ua cov hauj lwm no thiab kom mus tsim lawv cov hauj lwm rau lawv ua lawm.

Nws hais tias "Peb yeej tau muaj tej models uas tau kos xyeem mem tes koom nrog Australia tej koom haum lagluam tseem ceeb, tau mus koom hnav tej tsoos ntawm zejzog pej kum haiv tej sam thiaj (Walk international runways), thiab mus ua ntau yam zoo dua ntawm qhov uas muaj peev xwm los pab kom lawv khwv tau nyiaj rau lawv uas tau txais kev ywj pheej rau lawv lawm."

Hos yog tham txog theem haiv lawm, ces Yatu kuj pom tias neeg txum tim tej lagluam los yeej tau los ua ib feem tseem ceeb ntawm Australia tej lagluam uas tsim nyog tau txais kev pab cuam lawm thiab.

Nws hais tias "Peb tej neeg txum tim tej lagluam yeej tab tom ua tau zoo thiab tab tom loj hlob, peb yeej muaj tej neeg tsim tej tsoos, muaj tej neeg kos duab (artists) uas ua hauj lwm thoob teb chaws, suav tej ua hauj lwm ntawm tej chaw toj siab uas nyob deb, yog tias nej yuav peb tej tsoos no ces yog nej tab tom pab peb tej neeg txum tim tej tsoos fashion lawm."

Kuv puas muaj peev xwm yuav hnav tau neeg txum tim Aboriginal tej brands khaub ncaws?

Tej zaum kuj yog tej yam nyuaj heev uas yuav koom tau neeg txum tim tej tsoos fashion yam muaj kev hwm lawv thiab. Tab sis txuas ntxiv no yog qee cov lus taw qhia yooj yooj yim.

Yeej muaj neeg txum tim ntau hom brands uas yeej qhia meej kiag thaum tsim tej tsoos no tias yog cov tsoos uas sawv daws siv tau ('Ally friendly'), txhais tau tias sawv daws muaj peev xwm hnav tau.

Hos qee yam tsoos ces tsuas siv coj los ua kab lis kev cai los yog siv coj los ua ib co kev cai dab tsi tsi ntsees xwb, thiab tsuas yog neeg txum tim Aboriginal thiab Torrres Strait thiaj yog cov siv nkaus xwb. Tsis tas li ntawd los yeej muaj tej kev taw qhia no meej meej kiag hauv online los yog sau ntawv dai qhia rau ntawm yam tsoos ntawd lawm, los yog yeej muaj ib daim ntawv nrog yam tsoos ntawd sau qhia txog tus neeg kos tej duab ntawd, qhia txog lub zejzog ntawd los yog qhia txog zaj dab neeg tias vim li cas thiaj tsim yam khoom ntawd.

Yatu tshab txhais tias "Kuv xav tias neeg txum tim tej neeg tsim tej tsoos feem coob yeej tau tsim tej tsoos uas sawv daws yeej siv tau, tsis yog tsim rau neeg txum tim siv nkaus xwb. Thiab kuv xav tias yog tej yam ua rau kuv zoo siab heev vim yog neeg txum tim ib cov kev qhia dab neeg uas yog ib co tseem ceeb ntawm Australia lub cim thawj, thiab kuv xav tias peb tej lab lis kev cai yeej yog ib co ua siab dawb siab loj thiab tos txais lwm tus yam sov siab, peb yeej nyiam thiab peb xav kom tej neeg muaj kev txaus siab rau tej ntawd."

David Jones Indigenous Fashion Projects
David Jones cov Indigenous Fashion Projects uas tau coj los tso rau sawv daws saib lub limtiam Australian Fashion Week. Source: Getty / Jason McCawley for AFW

Nathan pom tias fashion yog ib co vam meej, yog ib co pab kom muaj kev lom zem rau tej neeg tsiv teb tsaws chaws tshiab sib cuag tau nrog neeg txum tim tej zejzog. Cov kev yuav tej tsoos ntawm neeg txum tim ib hom brands twg, los yog cov kev mus koom tej koom txoos hnav tsoos fashion (runway show), los sis caum tej neeg tsim tej tsoos hauv social media thiaj li yog tej yam uas sawv daws muaj peev xwb ua tau.

"Dua ntawm qhoav uas coj los qhia tias tej tsoos no yog ib feem ntawm Australia tej kab lis kev cai lawm, kuj tseem yog ib txoj xub ke zoo coj los pab kom tej neeg muaj kev sib cuag nrog peb tej zejzog thiab."

Neeg txum tim tej fashion los yog peb cov kev hnav tej tsoos no thiaj yog ib txoj xub ke los tsim kom muaj kev sib hwm, muaj kev sib cuag tau nrog neeg txum tim thiab.

Subcribe los yog caum mloog tej xov xwm kaw ua suab Australia Explained kom paub txog ntau yam xov xwm tseem ceeb thiab tej lus taw qhia koj koj pib tau lub neej tshiab ntawm teb chaws Australia.

Yog tias koj muaj ib co lus nug dab tsi los yog muaj ib co tswv yim dab tsi? Ces xa email rau peb rau ntawm australiaexplained@sbs.com.au

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SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways across Australia.

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You're listening to Australia Explained, an SBS audio podcast helping you navigate life in Australia.

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Hello, I'm Lowanna Grant, executive producer of NITV Radio, and I'll be your host for this special episode of the Australia Explained.

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If you've spent time in Australia, you've probably noticed how relaxed the style is. You might notice activewear, surf brands and casual clothes everywhere. But there's another side to Australian fashion that many people don't hear about when they first arrive.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designers have been creating clothes and accessories for thousands of years, and that work is very much alive today. You'll see it on runways, in global fashion campaigns, and also in everyday clothing. In this episode, you'll learn what makes First Nations fashion different, how it connects to the environment and how you can support First Nations designers.

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Before colonisation, First Nations people across Australia developed clothing that suited their climate, environment and way of life. What people wore could show who they were, where they came from, and how they belonged. Many First Nations designers still see fashion in this way today as something that carries story,

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Culture and care for country into everyday life. For a long time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion was rarely visible in mainstream media. Western style clothing was pushed through missions, schools, and government policies, while First Nations people kept cultural clothing alive in communities and ceremony.

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In the past decade, that has begun to change. One person who watched this change is Dunghutti and Anaiwan creative Yatu Widders Hunt. She is the founder of the online community Aus Indigenous Fashion.

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As I was a teen, I was also looking for ways to connect to my own identity and also to contemporary expressions of First Nations identity, and I found fashion was a really great

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way to do that. When I was like a teen, like it was just not even mentioned in fashion magazines at all. It wasn't really accessible to consumers.

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Today, First Nations designers, models, and artists are far more visible but on their own terms. Whadjuk Noongar model Nathan McGuire is the founder of Mob in Fashion.

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That's what it's all about. That's, you know, that's about our people being seen and our beauty being appreciated in the country.

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And you know, it's actually meant to happen.

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So what makes First Nations fashion different? Many First Nations labels describe themselves as story driven or connected to Country. Here, Country refers to land, water, sky, community and culture. Designs often linked to specific places, languages, or cultural themes. Prints come from artworks by First Nations artists who are credited and paid.

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Many brands also work slowly, releasing smaller collections that support sustainability and quality. One designer doing this work is Yolngu creative director Liandra Gaykamangu .

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She owns the resort wear label Liandra.

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We have always championed colour, culture, and joy, really using fashion as an open invitation for other people beyond our community to be able to engage and celebrate the diversity of Australia's identity and cultural nuances through the brand. We have always done our own custom prints, so from

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the very beginning I've always drawn our prints and every collection has a theme attached to it, and those prints then embody the theme.

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If you read the tag or check the website, you can often find a story about Country or community. Traditional First Nations clothing practises used only what was needed and showed respect for animals and plants. Today, First Nations brands bring these ideas into modern fashion.

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They choose better materials, reduce waste, avoid mass production, and build fair relationships with artists and makers. For consumers, buying from First Nations labels can support culture and the environment at the same time. First Nations fashion also creates jobs and skills. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned labels support work for designers,

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models, stylists, photographers, pattern makers, and production teams. Liandra uses her brand to connect remote and regional communities with industry opportunities.

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I'm very passionate about remote and regional Australia, and so the brand is a pillar and a bit of a vessel to be able to tap into and out of remote and regional Australia for creative Indigenous people.

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We've had models signed to top Australian agencies, walk international runways, go on to book incredible campaigns beyond and create their own economic independence, then beyond what we sort of open the door to.

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For communities that have been excluded from industries, this kind of training and paid work can support strong careers.

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At a national level, Yatu notes that First Nations businesses are already a major part of the economy.

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It's important to support First Nations businesses as well. We have a really thriving and growing First Nations business sector. We have designers and artists working all across the country, including in remote areas, so you're also supporting First Nations business by buying First Nations fashion.

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If you're new to Australia, you might ask, how can I engage with First Nations fashion in a respectful way?

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Here are a few simple tips. Many First Nations brands clearly state when designs are ally friendly, meaning anyone can wear them. Some items, usually for ceremony or special cultural roles, are only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These are often clearly marked.

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Many brands share information about the artist, the community, and the story behind the design. Look on the tag or online. Yatu emphasises this.

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I'd say the majority of First Nations designers create work that is accessible to everyone, so not just Indigenous people, and I think is exciting because First Nations storytelling is actually central to Australian identity. And I think our culture's extremely generous

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and warm and we love and want people to feel proud of that and we see that as central to everyone's identity.

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Nathan sees fashion as a fun way for new migrants to connect with First Nations communities.

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It's another way to experience culture and share in all the different nations that make up this country's stories as an extension of what it is to be a part of Australian culture. This is a good way to

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engage with our community. I think there's so much exploration for that for people who are, you know, new to our country and want to get to know our people more, and they can do it in a really like modern cool way. And then there's also the really traditional, historical story. You get the best of those worlds in our fashion space.

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To get started, why not follow First Nations designers and models on social media or attend a First Nations runway show or exhibition.

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Or you could buy from First Nations owned labels, especially items marked ally friendly. It's a way to experience culture while also learning the deepest stories of this country through something we all share, the clothes we wear.

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Thank you for listening to this episode of Australia Explained, written by Nikyah Hutchings, edited by Melissa Compagnoni. Australia Explained managing editor is Roza Germian, and I'm Lowanna Grant. Until next time.

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This was an SBS audio podcast. For more Australia Explained stories, visit SBS.com.au/Australiaexplained.

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Subscribe or follow the Australia Explained podcast for more valuable information and tips about settling into your new life in Australia. Do you have any questions or topic ideas? Send us an email to australiaexplained at SBS.com.au.

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