In this NAIDOC Week Special, Ragtrader shows how the fashion industry is supporting First Nations culture and community through collaborations, events and storytelling.
First Nations fashion designer Grace Lillian lee will present her debut couture collection The Guardians in a solo runway at Paris Couture Fashion Week.
According to available records, Lee will be the first Indigenous Australian woman – and the first Torres Strait Islander – to independently showcase a collection during Paris Couture Fashion Week.
The runway will be held at 229LAB in the Marais district. It will be an exclusive, invitation-only showcase, sponsored by local printing company Epson
While designers such as Letticia Shaw (Ticia Designs) have participated in collective platforms like Flying Solo, Lee’s solo presentation aligns with the official haute couture calendar.
The Guardians builds on Grace’s recent solo exhibition The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace – recently acquired by the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) – and features sculptural couture works covering art, fashion, ceremony, and ancestral storytelling.
The garments include handwoven techniques, laser-cut acrylic beading, and honours Lee’s lineage across the Torres Strait, China, and Europe.
“This exclusive showcase is more than a runway — it’s a historic celebration of culture, identity, and resilience,” Lee said. “From collaborating with Jean Paul Gaultier to receiving my Honorary Doctorate, every moment has led to this.
“The Guardians is a tribute to my ancestors and a declaration of First Nations excellence on couture’s global stage. I am proud, humbled, and deeply grateful to my family, team, and community who make the impossible possible. A special thank you also to Epson for their kind and continued support.”
Paris Fashion Couture Week runs this week. The fashion event is supported by Jean Paul Gaultier’s team.
Lee’s showcase in Paris also marks the beginning of her artist residency at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, made possible through a Creative Australia scholarship.
She is joined by eight First Nations creatives and family members, who will contribute to the storytelling and performance of the show.