Alice Springs resident Rhonda Sharpe named finalist in the 2025 National Indigenous Fashion Awards

With a prestigious national fashion awards returning to the Territory later this year, one Alice Springs artist is hoping this will be the year she nabs her second award. Find out more.

Yarrenyty Arltere (Larapinta Valley) town camp resident and Luritja woman Rhonda Sharpe is a finalist in the 2025 National Indigenous Fashion Awards in the textile category. Picture: Supplied

An Alice Springs fashion designer is hoping to nab another award later this year, when a prestigious national fashion showcase returns to the Territory.

Yarrenyty Arltere (Larapinta Valley) town camp resident and Luritja woman Rhonda Sharpe is finalist in the textile design category in the 2025 National Indigenous Fashion Awards, with the winners set to be announced in August this year.

Ms Sharpe said she’s “very happy” to be named a finalist, and is hoping to add another award to her collection after winning the wearable arts category in 2023.

One of Ms Sharpe's works. Picture: Michael Stuart Walters / Supplied

“I feel very proud to be with these other artists,” she said.

“This is a good award because you can see my sewing and that is what I love very much, to do sewing. Everyone is doing really good work and making beautiful fashion.”

The national awards feature the Country to Couture runway event, which has showcased more than 1000 unique looks by 250 First Nations models down the runway since its inception.

Twenty-two collections by First Nations artists will be showcased, with Ms Sharpe one of 38 short-listed finalists named.

Ms Sharpe is part of the Yarrenyty Arltere Artists and said she was encouraged to learn how to sew by her aunty Dulcie Sharpe.

“I make stitching and the stitching makes patterns. I do it on blankets. I love my sewing. I never stop working,” she said.

“We always do sewing in the art room because we make soft sculptures. We started doing fashion to try a new way to do our art and because we all love fashion.”

Winners will be announced at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair held on August 7 to 10.

Originally published as Alice Springs resident Rhonda Sharpe named finalist in the 2025 National Indigenous Fashion Awards