First Nations Fashion + Design (FNFD) has launched its inaugural Designer-in-Residency program this year, with two fashion creatives already chosen for the first round.
The program was launched following an extended partnership with printing company Epson, which has fully backed and supported the new initiative.
Indigenous designers Ivy Minniecon and Lisa Lui have been named as the first recipients, and will both take part in a broad curriculum of classes, education, mentoring and training in cultural and creative research, digital textile design exploration and printing technical development, textile collection development, and business and branding marketing.
This will then culminate in a mid-residency showcase, garment sampling and production, collaboration and innovation and a final collection completion of the 2026 FNFD fashion showcase at the 2026 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair.
“The Designer-in-Residency Program is such an important opportunity to provide deep, tailored support for emerging First Nations designers,” FNFD founder and chairperson, Grace Lillian Lee said.
“This year’s recipients bring unique talent and vision to the program, and we look forward to walking alongside them as they continue their creative journeys.”
Epson Australia MD Craig Heckenberg said its extended relationship with FNFD and the launch of the residency program allow the company, which also produces textile printing technology, to play a key role in FNFD initiatives that support and empower emerging First Nation fashion and textile designers in Cairns and the surrounding regions.
Ivy Minniecon is a descendant of the Kuku Yalanji, Kabi Kabi, Gooreng Gooreng and South Sea Islander Nations. The primary focus of her work is the Yalanji weave of the balji, a traditional bag made from the kakan of the duwar (Black Palm), native to the Daintree Rainforest. More recently, her weaving practice has also incorporated traditional grass skirts.
“I am grateful to God and my ancestors for leading my path into places I have only dreamed of,” Minniecon said. “This opportunity is a dream come true and divine timing, as I have always wanted to contribute to the First Nation Fashion Industry.”
Lisa Lui is a proud Dauareb woman and fashion designer from the Eastern Torres Strait Islands. She recently showcased at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair with a fashion performance covering her abstract art collection ‘Nener’ in 2024 and ‘Bulubulu’ in 2025.
Lui’s work is inspired by the deep connection to her heritage and the memory of her late father and mother, with a key focus on the importance of preserving the land for future generations.
“I am truly blessed for this opportunity to be part of the Residency program with FNFD and Epson,” she said. “Fashion is something that I always wanted to explore. It is a privilege and honour to be able to share my Torres Strait culture through fashion and art.”