After having walked the runway as a model for several years, this year talented First Nations model turned designer Lucas Schober debuted his first collection at Country to Couture in Darwin.

"The last few months have been very fulfilling to me as an artist as I wrap up my works to be displayed at this year's Country to Couture," he told National Indigenous Times.

"It's also been an emotional time as I finalise my plans to return to the University of Queensland to finish my civil and environmental engineering degree, which I'd put on hold to pursue this next chapter of my art career.

"This will see me leaving home again - reminding me to be very grateful for all of the support systems I have up here - the love of my family, friends and members of the Darwin community."

"Lucas Schober Art (his label) stays true to who I am as a Darwin man, as I've evolved so too have my ideas as to what stories need to be told as more and more people look towards the Northern Territory as a point of reference for Australia's First Nations people and the intersection we hold between the outback and traditional customs," Schober said.

"My label and art style tells the truth about what us mob do, see, and feel."

With 2026 marking the first year Schober has showcased on the Country to Couture runway, he said that after working in the fashion industry as a model for several years it was only natural he progressed into design.

"This is my first time showcasing my art during the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair," he said.

"Such a beautiful time of the year where so many creatives come together to share their stories.

"After working in the fashion industry as a model for the past 5 years I saw a natural step to develop my own skills as an artist to learn about the medium of dressmaking.

"Turning sketches into complete looks was a challenge which I cannot thank Aunties Therese O'Hehir and Julie Furby enough, understanding the detail required and practicing artistic focus.

"It feels wonderful to be a part of such an important coming together of artists and to share the stories of my families is an honour which I hope to repay with this opportunity to push the needle of First Nations art in a positive direction."

Schober said the new collection 'Busted up' is an evolution of his development in art and artistic practices and mediums.

"The collection which I titled 'Busted up' shows the evolution of my development in this medium - from working hard out of a spare bedroom at my parents house in Karama to embracing these challenges and accepting the support of my many communities around me, coming full circle to a blossoming collection shown on one of Australia's most illustrious stages in fashion," he said.

"It was inspired by the lack of male representation in the fashion space, and furthermore the lack of representation of real issues us mob face which often gets swept under the rug as men.

"Through talking through and working through these issues we are able to turn a corner to success.

"Artistic techniques included hand beading, hand sewing, painting, weaving and processing of natural materials. These additions elevated all pieces of clothing which I have hand cut and sewn together."

"I've been working very closely with Darwin local dressmaker Therese O'Hehir, to whom I was introduced by close family friend Aunty Julie Furby," Schober said.

"Without any funding on either end Therese and Julie saw the passion which I had for the artform and have mentored me over the last six months.

"With Therese's 50 years of fashion industry experience and knowledge of the Darwin region through this lense she has taught me skills I don't think I would learn anywhere else in Darwin - informing my work from fabric selection, pattern development, and finishing techniques to suit the Darwin lifestyle (simple, laid back and breathable).

"Working a few times a week from her studio in Coconut Grove she allowed me access to materials such as barramundi leathers she made in the late '80s, crocodile skins and her vast array of contacts who were able to support my forthcoming collection with pearl shells from local farms and constructive feedback as each look came together.

"Aunty Julie provided immense support gifting me a brand new overlocking machine and the purchase of fabrics - with both Aunty's sharing consistent words of encouragement to keep me focused during my creative endeavours."

Looking ahead, Schober is eager to continue his creative endeavours and develop his artistic practice further.

"Coming up this year I am proud to be a part of multiple short films which have taken my artistic practice further through acting, writing and producing," he said.

"Close collaborators and cousins Keinan Pethybridge and Marcus Raymond have films in the Melbourne International Film Festival with aims to take their works overseas in the coming months."

"As fellow Darwinite creatives my work and their work speak on very similar wavelengths and continuing these collaborations will see the growth of Indigenous stories throughout our respective industries."

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