Nominees Released for the 2nd National Indigenous Fashion Awards

The National Indigenous Fashion Awards have released the nominees for their second annual fashion awards.

Following the success of their debut last year, the National Indigenous Fashion Awards (NIFA) have released the nominee list for 2021. The official NIFA awards will be held in Larrakia Country, part of the upper Northern Territory, on August 3rd. The awards increase the representation of Indigenous designers within Australia’s fashion landscape.

Dave Giles-Kaye, head of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation (DAAFF) has expressed his excitement at their hosting of the awards. He also spoke highly of the opportunities this would present for the Indigenous community.

“The Country to Couture Runway is so unique and critical for the Australian fashion industry and our Indigenous designers. The event generates excitement among industry members, consumers and people in remote Indigenous communities.”

Credit: NIFA

Indigenous Innovation

Initially, the DAAFF faced controversy when choosing to present First Nations textile design with fine art. The NIFA commented on critics’ claims that the two artistic practices should be separated. However, audiences embraced the move and rejected notions of their “necessary” separation.

After seeing a need to support Indigenous peoples’ ventures into the fashion industry, the DAAFF developed the internationally-acclaimed fashion show Country to Couture in 2016. This then led to the launch of the NIFA awards in 2020. Alongside celebrating fashion, the awards also seek to celebrate the innovative and impacting practices of Indigenous Australians seeking to become a part of the fashion industry.

There are 6 awards for the ceremony. These include Cultural Adornment and Wearable Art, Textile Deisgn, Fashion Design, Environmental and Social Contribution, Community Collaboration, and Special Recognition.