A small popup in North Melbourne showcases the work of Indigenous artists and designers. It’s a collaboration led by Yorta Yorta - Boonwurrung woman Corina Muir, an emerging name in Australia's Indigenous fashion scene, with her business Amber Days. But Corina's vision is much larger.
“This isn't just about me. This is about our community. This is about our women. This is about how we can use our platform to make a change,” she says.
The change Corina is referring to is taking Indigenous fashion to the wider world, and her popup is just the start.
“I would really like to see more First Nations designers in the mainstream fashion space.
"And while it's fantastic that we're having incredible First Nations runways, I would like to see First Nations designers on all the runways.”
It’s an ambitious goal for the 33-year-old whose business venture started in 2018 soon after she gave birth to a daughter, Sapphire.
The challenge of finding sustainable childrens’ wear was part of the motivation.
“I was searching for clothing that didn't have harmful chemicals, but also was fair trade. It is becoming more prominent in the fashion industry now, but five years ago it was very difficult to find labels that ticked both boxes.
“We use non-toxic dyes with all of our fabrics and we use fair trade manufacturing, plus all of our fabrics are certified Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS),” she says.
GOTS is used to define globally recognised requirements for organic textiles. From the harvesting of the raw materials, environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing to labelling, textiles certified to GOTS provide a credible assurance to the consumer.
Running her own venture has also given Corina the flexibility to raise her daughter outside the nine-to-five grind.
“I felt really torn around my options as a single mum. And I felt like I had to go back to work full time and be away from her because we didn't have a second income in the family.
“So that was definitely a huge push for me to start Amber Days as my full-time business, to give me more time to be around my daughter. And it has been amazing.”
Amber Days produces ethical and sustainable clothing in collaboration with other Indigenous women.
“So each collection is me and another Aboriginal woman working together to bring our stories into wearable artwork,” Corina says.
Amber Days’ winter range for adults was recently showcased at the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival – as part of its Indigenous runway.
“That was a really, really special collection that I'm very proud of,” she says. “Everything was printed on silk, so it was beautiful to touch as well.”
While Corina still produces children’s wear, her business has expanded into adult clothing too – especially tailored for mothers.
“Most of our clothing is breastfeeding friendly, and we also design styles to suit many different shapes."
These are just a few of the reasons Corina’s business is thriving - with orders coming from far and wide.
“We definitely have a global customer base, with quite a few orders coming from the UK, USA, Canada and Singapore.
“Our customers really love our fabrics because they are ethical and sustainably produced, as well as high quality.
“So when you are dressing your baby, you know that you're not putting chemicals on their skin, and that's really special too.”
However, running a startup in recent years has not been easy. Like many Melbourne founders, Corina struggled with the impact of extended pandemic restrictions.
“During COVID-19 the price of organic fabrics went up really high which was hard for a small business to absorb.
“We also faced huge [supply chain] delays. But perhaps the hardest part for our business was my mental health.
“When you're working on your own and you've got a business on your own, mental health is key to keeping it going. And if that’s suffering, then it can be really difficult.
“So, towards the end [of lockdown] I found it really hard.”
Corina’s business is expanding again, thanks to strong financial foundations she put in place early on, with support from Indigenous Business Australia (IBA).
“IBA connected me to my incredible accountant that I have right now. And she has been amazing with this journey.” Corina says.
“She is also a woman of colour, which is incredibly important to me.
“She has taught me about bookkeeping and accounting and she explains what she's doing so I know what's going on as well.”
David Deo, IBA’s Senior Business Development Officer, has worked closely with Corina and says getting up to speed on business basics is essential for any first-time founder.
"Corina had an idea and the passion for her business and she looked to IBA for support to build business acumen and financial literacy skills," David says.
“IBA supported Corina to build her business from the ground up by connecting her with the right professional services – to provide bookkeeping support and find consultants for pattern making."
“A business impact assessment helped better understand her business, to identify gaps and address any financial management issues, like taxation and due diligence review.”
Having survived COVID-19 and its various lockdowns, Corina thanks David and IBA for “always being there and helping to support her venture”.
For his part, David Deo is proud to watch Corina continually grow the business.
“She is an inspiration to women who want to make a difference.
“IBA is committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurs and business founders to build the knowledge, skills and capabilities they need for successful businesses.
“In Corina's case, we see someone who's always trying to grow, so at the end of the day, her success is our success as well.”
Check out Corina's designs at www.amberdays.com.au or for more information about Indigenous Business Australia go to www.iba.gov.au
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Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) was created to assist and enhance the economic development opportunities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. We can help you own your own home, start or grow a business or invest in your own future. Find out more at https://iba.gov.au.
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