News edition for 7 August 2026. Added to Nungya on 22 October 2026 as part of our retrospective news archive. Reporting reflects information available by the edition date.

Fashion excellence can be found in a garment, a textile, a productive partnership or a business that creates opportunities for others. The 2026 National Indigenous Fashion Awards made room for all of those achievements.

Indigenous Fashion Projects announced seven recipients on 5 August. Delvene Cockatoo-Collins received the Fashion Designer Award, Lillardia Briggs-Houston the Textile Design Award and Lucy Simpson of Gaawaa Miyay Designs the Wearable Art Award.

Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni of Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association received the Traditional Adornment Award. The Community Collaboration Award went to Bábbarra Women’s Centre and Tharangini Studio, while KAFTA — Kimberley Aboriginal Fashion Textiles Art — received Business Achievement. Jake Powers was recognised with the Cecilia Cubillo Young Achiever Award.

The variety of categories tells a fuller story than a single runway highlight could. The awards acknowledge cultural expression and technical practice alongside leadership, commercial development and relationships that return benefits to communities.

For audiences discovering First Nations fashion, the winners’ page is a useful place to begin following individual designers and organisations. It also explains what each award recognises and the development support attached to it.

Meet the recipients on Indigenous Fashion Projects’ official winners page.