Patty Mills partners with Bellroy to showcase Indigenous culture

Callan Morse Published May 16, 2023 at 2.10pm (AWST)

business

Basketballer Patty Mills has collaborated with carry goods producer Bellroy on travel products showcasing his Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture (Image: Urban List)

Indigenous basketball icon Patty Mills has partnered with Australia bag producer Bellroy to showcase culture through sustainably produced travel products.

The proud Gugada, Nagi Agal, Dharawal, and Meriam man travels thousands of kilometres each year as a professional basketball for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA, whilst also pulling on the green and gold for the Australian Boomers.

After being drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 55th pick of the 2009 NBA Draft and spending 13 years in the league, Mills said the collaboration between he and Bellroy stemmed from the constant travelling he completes as part of an 82-game NBA season.

"I don't think that you could get much further away from your upbringing and your traditional culture than being in the NBA," Mills said.

"(The) constant plane rides, bus rides, different hotels, so travel is a big part of the NBA and travelling gear across different countries and states and across the seas."

The Bellroy x Patty Mills Collection collection celebrates the Indigenous cultures of Australia through products Mills travels with over land, sky and seas as an Indigenous ambassador and professional basketballer.

Mills said the collection includes items he uses in his everyday life. (Image: Bellroy)

The collection features art by Shane Cook and Moana Ahwang, representing Mills' Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage on a classic backpack, passport cover, duffel bag, slim sleeve tech kit case ands sling that Mills takes with him as he travels around the world.

Mills said working with Bellroy on the collection was a natural fit.

"I learned that the level of place that Bellroy is at has come a long way and separates them from essentially any other bag companies," Mills said.

"I think that was the real connecting piece at the end of the day, of me wanting to learn about the bags and then in return them wanting to learn about who I am and my culture."

Proud Wagadagam woman Moana Ahwang said her design featured in the collection pays tribute to her's and Mills' Torres Strait Island heritage.

"Our turtle and wamer bird love to travel wherever the current and winds may take them. The blue coloured waters represents us Torres Strait Islanders, people of the sea," she said.

Whilst Shane Cook, a proud Wulli Wulli and Guwa (Koa) man said hie design reflect connections Indigenous communities have with one another.

The collection includes designs by First Nations artists Moana Ahwang and Shane Cook. (Image: Bellroy)

"The 'meeting places' represent the connection First Nations people have to different families and communities. The boomerangs are family traditions, and represent the significance of movement through the sky," he said.

Mills said the inclusion of Ms Ahwang and Mr Cook's combined designs were important inclusions to educate others about both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture.

"(I'm) trying to find creative and unique ways to consistently educate not only Australians, but people around the world on Indigenous Australian culture because it seems to be always one that consciously or unconsciously gets left out," Mills said.

"I think it was important for me … to figure out how can we get both Aboriginal and Torres Strait culture combined in one.

"Both Shane and Moana were tremendous in being able to be artists and be creators themselves and collaborate on one piece, being able to join both of their artworks together.

"I think it is one of the coolest stories that we're all going to be able to tell for years to come."