Culture Couture Fashion Performance

Overview

Culture Couture was a performance of Indigenous Australian fashion in March 2016. After submitting garment sketches to a design contest, selected UVA students collaborated with Marcy Linton, Professor of Costume Technology in the UVA Department of Drama, to fabricate their winning designs using hand-printed Indigenous Australian textiles from Babbarra Women’s Corporation, Injalak Arts and Erub Erwer Meta in northern Australia. The students’ completed garments were modeled alongside fashion portfolios by professional Indigenous Australian fashion designers Nicole Monks (Wajarri Yamatji), Julie Shaw with Lucy Simpson (Yuwaalaraay) and Elisa Carmichael (Ngugi). The music trio Biliirr, featuring sisters Nardi Simpson, Jilda Andrews and Lucy Simpson (also a designer whose work was featured) performed as part of the evening’s celebration of Indigenous creativity in fashion.