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“All we do is in celebration of our culture, thousands of years in the making,” explained Denni Francisco, the founder and designer of First Nations fashion collective, Ngali.
During this year’s Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, the proud Wiradjuri woman is making history by becoming the first-ever First Nations designer to host a standalone show. The runway presentation, much like Ngali’s collections, encompasses the rich traditions and sacred history of Australia’s first inhabitants: the oldest continuing living culture in history.
As Francisco herself said, it’s a poignant moment for First Nations representation and inclusion, but a moment that’s taken thousands of years to reach. Still, it’s a milestone that will establish the next chapter of Australian fashion. One that will be inextricably linked with celebrating and honouring Indigenous creativity.
The official fashion week calendar may only just now be catching on to the significance of exalting the legions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives on the world stage, but for the award-winning fashion label, their sustainably-minded designs have been uplifting 65,000 years of custom and history since Ngali’s inception in 2018.
Ngali’s ethos of design bridges the much-needed gap in the market catering to wearable art, bringing First Nation’s artwork alive through sartorial form, and canvasing clothing as a way of visually conveying First Nation’s culture.
While all eyes are on Ngali’s Wednesday evening show during AAFW 2023 to see how Francisco will celebrate Country and culture and use her platform to continually pave pathways for the vanguard of First Nation’s fashion, she doesn’t feel any pressure to “succeed” in a conventional industry sense.
Below, Francisco imparts her wisdom for how the Australian fashion community can best show up for First Nations designers, and how she’s relishing in First Nations fashion finally being recognised for the meaningful creations that it is.
GRAZIA: You’re the only First Nations designer who is showing on schedule in an exclusive solo show, how far do you think the fashion industry has to come in terms of authentic representation and inclusion?
Whilst we are the only First Nations designer showing this year in a solo runway, there will be many more in all the years ahead. There is so much First Nations’ creativity rising to the surface that finally we are taking our place in the Australian fashion landscape. It is an exciting time.
GRAZIA: You’re making fashion history and paving the way for future First Nations designers to come. Does that change the way you approach your work? And do you feel a pressure to succeed for the community?’
DENNI FRANCISCO: Ngali’s ethos is ‘together we create’ so we are all about the collective. If our activity widens the pathway for more of our designers that is great.
I don’t feel a pressure to succeed, it is more about ensuring that I respectfully represent my ancestors, my culture and the artists we work with.
All we do is in celebration of our culture, thousands of years in the making. We want more people to know who we are as the First Peoples of Australia and fashion is one platform that lends itself to this outcome.
GRAZIA: What does having your brand showcase at AAFW mean to you as a designer?
FRANCISCO: It helps us in our endeavour to show up as a First Nations’ business and bring more awareness to the creativity that exists in this space
GRAZIA: How is this year’s iteration of fashion week different from previous years?
FRANCISCO: What I can say is there are more First Nations designers this year than last year and the years before that. That is well worth celebrating!
GRAZIA: What do you think is the biggest AAFW faux pas you wish your younger self knew?
FRANCISCO: I have only participated in AAFW for two years apart from this year. No faux pas to date!
GRAZIA: What rituals have you implemented into your routine in the lead-up to AAFW?
FRANCISCO: Time on Country to connect with the quietness and replenish my energy.
GRAZIA: What’s on your pre-AFW playlist?
FRANCISCO: Tesky Brothers.
GRAZIA: What’s more important: the location of the show or the time slot of the show?
FRANCISCO: We like to show up ‘everywhen’- meaning everywhere, whenever.
GRAZIA: How does your Australian customer embody your brand’s DNA in a way international customers don’t?
FRANCISCO: We mainly supply Australian customers currently but soon hopefully, we will be able to answer that question, when we take more First Nations’ artwork beyond wall display and have it walk the streets anywhere in the world through the translation of the artwork on garments that showcase it.
GRAZIA: What do you think your brand brings to the Australian fashion landscape?
FRANCISCO: More awareness of our Culture and the stunning artwork created by our First Nations artists.
GRAZIA: Without giving too much away, what are the three words you’d use to describe the vibe of your show?
FRANCISCO: Easy – Sky, Water, Country.
Read more in-depth interviews with designers showcasing at AAFW 23, including ALÉMAIS, BEC + BRIDGE and Caroline Reznik in GRAZIA’s pre-fashion week series: ‘In Focus’.
