CIAF: Fashion designers announced, models wanted

CIAF celebrates family connection at 10 year anniversary fashion performance amid call-out for models.

Cairns indigenous Arts Festival has announced two fashion designers in this year’s line-up for its 10-year anniversary fashion performance Woven.

Seasoned fashion designer and multidisciplinary artist Simone Arnol and her niece, first time CIAF-presenting fashion designer Holly McInnes, both Gunggandji women, will present their collection Fish/Guyu, Lemon and Rice.

Miss McInnes said they chose the name for the collection from this year’s CIAF theme, Woven.

“It’s a very popular dish throughout indigenous communities. We all eat fish, lemon and rice so it brings everyone together for dinner, to hunt for fish and tell stories,” Miss McInnes said.

“I like how our collection weaves communities and families together so Wovento me is kind of like a memory of bringing your family together at dinner to eat fish, lemon and rice.”

Miss McInnes and her aunt screen-printed fish onto yellow cotton fabric to represent the dish and used the pattern to tie all their pieces together.

“The other fabrics we’re using will also blend in well with it,” she said.

Up and coming Gunggandji fashion designer Holly McInnes and her aunt Simone Arnol have created four pieces each for their Woven inspired, Fish/Guyu, Lemon and Rice, collection.

“They’ll represent the rice and fish, so we’ve used textures similar to fish scales and rice grains.”

Miss McInnes, whose father taught her how to sew, said she was grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with her aunt.

“She’s helped me and mentored me through this so much. It’s amazing,” she said.

“She was amazing when I was younger as well. My dad originally taught me how to sew because he used to be an upholsterer so I was on the side sewing cushions and stuff and he would be doing all the hard stuff like couches.”

Miss McInnes hopes to continue working in fashion design, setting her sights on a fashion course at QUT.

CIAF fashion performance curator Lynelle Flinders said she wanted to highlight the collaboration.

Up and coming Gunggandji fashion designer Holly McInnes and her aunt Simone Arnol have created four pieces each for their Woven inspired, Fish/Guyu, Lemon and Rice, collection.

“Holly is up and coming. She’s a young woman who collaborated with her aunty who is a designer and came up through the CIAF fashion performance over the years and I thought it would be lovely to showcase,” she said.

Ms Flinders said the Woven theme encouraged artists and designers to get stories into their works.

“How can you get the stories your grandmother, your mother or your aunty told you and how can you put it into your art or into your fashion?” Ms Flinders said.

She said CIAF was also calling for new and experienced performers to model the collection.

“It is important that we secure a diverse group of models including a number of experienced performers that ill lead the way and mentor first timers into what is destined to be another truly exciting and special anniversary performance,” she said.

To apply, visit the CIAF website to fill out and Expression of Interest form.

The fashion performance, will take place at Tanks Art Centre on Friday July 13, and will celebrate a decade of showcasing Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion.

Originally published as CIAF: Fashion designers announced, models wanted