The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation (DAAFF) has revealed the winners of the 2021 National Indigenous Fashion Awards (NIFA).
Celebrating Australia’s most inspiring First Nations fashion creatives, the NIFAs were presented live by Rachel Hocking at the Darwin Convention Centre yesterday evening.
The awards were also broadcasted live via NITV’s social media channels, connecting the Australian and global fashion community to the world’s oldest living culture.
Recognising Indigenous fashion talent through six award categories, the 2021 NIFA winners are:
- Paul McCann (Melbourne, VIC), for the Cultural Adornment and Wearable Art Award – co-presented with DAAFF
- Denni Francisco, Ngali (Melbourne, VIC), for the Fashion Design Award – co-presented with Country Road (Ngali on the runway, pictured)
- Eunice Napanangka Jack, Ikuntji Artists (Haasts Bluff, NT), for the Textile Design Award – co-presented with RMIT University
- Anindilyakwa Arts with Dr Aly de Groot and Anna Reynolds (Groote Eylandt, NT), for the Community Collaboration Award – co-presented by Darwin Innovation Hub
- Mylene Holroyd of Pormpuraaw Art & Culture featuring Simone Arnol designs (Cairns/Pormpuraaw, QLD), for the Environmental and Social Contribution Award – co-presented with Northern Territory Government
- Bima Wear (Tiwi Islands, NT), for the Special Recognition Award – co-presented with Northern Territory Government
The six winners were chosen by an expert panel comprised of; Cox Inall Ridgeway director Yatu Widders Hunt; Country Road head of design, women's and childrenswear Maria Rinaldi-Cant; NT Dance Company artistic director Gary Lang; and, Australian Fashion Council Leila Naja Hibri.
31 nominations from across Australia were received for the 2021 NIFAs.
The 2021 NIFAs were supported by the Northern Territory Government via NT Major Events Company, Country Road, RMIT University and Darwin Innovation Hub.
The NIFAs were launched in 2020.
The NITV live stream of the awards presentation is available to watch here.