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Native Materials and Ancient Stories Win Fashion Designer of the Year
6 Aug
Summary
- Delvene Cockatoo-Collins awarded Fashion Designer of the Year at the 2026 National Indigenous Fashion Awards.
- Her designs utilize locally harvested Quandamooka materials, reflecting ancestral stories and sustainability.
- Other awardees highlighted traditional adornment, textile design, and wearable art, preserving cultural heritage.
Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, a Quandamooka artist, received the Fashion Designer of the Year award at the seventh annual National Indigenous Fashion Awards ceremony held in 2026. Her garments are crafted using locally harvested materials and are inspired by ancestral stories passed down through generations, emphasizing a philosophy of taking only what is needed.
Cockatoo-Collins works from her studio on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), transforming shells into adornments and hand-dyeing fabrics. She highlights traditional weaving techniques and involves her sons in processing local plant fibers, ensuring sustainable batch sizes. Her work serves as a living archive, connecting contemporary fashion with deep cultural heritage.
The National Indigenous Fashion Awards also recognized other talented makers. Lillardia Briggs-Houston won for textile design, utilizing hand-turned silk dyed with bush materials. Lucy Simpson received the wearable art award for a necklace inspired by grief over the drying of the Murray-Darling River, while Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni and KAFTA also received accolades.
These awards underscore the significant legacy of First Nations fashion and textiles, showcasing their power as a catalyst for change and a means of storytelling that connects with Country. The event celebrated the enduring connection between creativity, culture, and the environment.
