WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised the following article contains the name of an Indigenous person who has died.
Queensland's First Nations fashion industry celebrated a landmark moment on Friday, with the inaugural CIAF Fashion: Textile & Design Awards recognising outstanding cultural storytelling, innovation and creative leadership at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).
Presented at The Mill, Stratford, the awards featured a combined prize pool of $20,000 and celebrated designers who responded to this year's festival theme, Reclamation & Regeneration, through contemporary First Nations fashion, wearable art, and adornment.
The inaugural CIAF Fashion: Textile & Design Awards mark a significant new chapter in CIAF's support of First Nations fashion, recognising excellence while nurturing the continued growth of Queensland's Indigenous design industry.
In one of the evening's most poignant moments, the Simone Arnol Textile Innovation Award, supported by QIC, was presented for the first time, just months after the respected Gunggandji artist, designer and former Yarrabah Art Centre Manager passed away following a courageous battle with cancer.
Appropriately, the inaugural award bearing Simone's name was presented to Yarrabah Arts & Cultural Precinct for its striking Blak Canvas collection, while Simone's own collection, Lace, opened the Reclamation runway performance, creating a fitting tribute to one of Queensland's most influential First Nations fashion pioneers.
CIAF artistic director Teho Ropeyarn said the inaugural awards reflected the remarkable evolution of Queensland's First Nations fashion sector while honouring the creative leaders who helped shape it.
"This year's collections demonstrate just how far First Nations fashion has come," he said.
"Artists and designers are confidently pushing creative boundaries while remaining deeply connected to culture, Country and community.
"Naming our premier fashion award after Simone Arnol is a fitting tribute to someone whose vision, generosity and creative leadership helped shape CIAF's fashion program.
"To see Simone's own collection open tonight's performance and then witness Yarrabah Arts & Cultural Precinct receive the inaugural award in her honour was an incredibly powerful moment.
"This year's program also welcomed designers from Taiwan and New York, creating an exciting cultural exchange that demonstrates CIAF's growing international reputation as a place where Indigenous fashion traditions and contemporary practice come together to inspire new ideas and conversations."
QIC First Nations Affairs lead Justin Welfare said QIC was proud to support an award that honours Simone Arnol's legacy while investing in the next generation of First Nations designers.
"Simone Arnol inspired generations of First Nations artists and designers through her creativity, generosity and leadership," he said.
"We congratulate Yarrabah Arts & Cultural Precinct on receiving this inaugural honour, with Blak Canvas reflecting the strength of cultural storytelling and contemporary design that this award was created to celebrate."
The CIAF Fashion: Textile & Design Awards judging panel, comprising Luke Currie-Richardson, Shonae Hobson and Elverina Johnson, said this year's inaugural honour roll cemented Queensland's place within Australia's First Nations fashion movement.
"The inaugural awards celebrated collections that honoured cultural knowledge while embracing innovation, craftsmanship and contemporary design," they said.
"Together, the winning collections demonstrated that First Nations fashion continues to evolve with confidence while remaining grounded in identity, storytelling and connection to Country."
Judges described Blak Canvas as a cohesive and confident collection distinguished by its strong visual identity, considered styling and craftsmanship, noting the use of woven basket earrings and contemporary textile design created a compelling runway presentation.
The inaugural CIAF Fashion: Textile & Design Award winners included The Simone Arnol Textile Innovation Award ($10,000), supported by QIC — Yarrabah Arts & Cultural Precinct for Blak Canvas, Cultural Couture Award ($5,000), supported by Terri Janke — Delvene Cockatoo-Collins (Quandamooka) for Making Mats and for the Sustainable Adornment Award ($5,000), supported by Kowa Collaboration — Irene Olive Adams for Nan-Dhi's Unconditional Love.
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