Indigenous designers have been recognised at the 2021 Australian Fashion Laureate, which honours exceptional talent in the fashion industry.
Meriam Mir woman Grace Lillian Lee was celebrated for her work as founder of with the inaugural Carla Zampatti Award for Excellence in Leadership.
“This award is more than recognition,” Ms Lee said, reflecting on her journey.
“The late Carla Zampatti was an iconic name I read about as a young designer… To be the first woman to be awarded this incredible gift is truly an honour.”
Getting recognised as a trailblazer in the fashion industry, Ms Lee said, also honours the community she has fostered.
“First Nations Fashion and Design is a community, and we are the next generation of leaders paving a way to preserve our culture through fashion,” Ms Lee said.
“This is not a moment, it’s a movement.”
Ms Lee said she’s been fortunate to have been surrounded by people who’ve encouraged her to explore her culture through her work.
Carla Zampatti Award for Excellence in Leadership winner Grace Lillian Lee (left) and Indigenous Designer of the Year Julie Shaw (right) at an event hosted by IMG to commemorate the 2021 Australian Fashion Laureate award-winners in Coogee, Sydney. Credit: Lauren Bamford
“I have been exploring and celebrating my lineage for over a decade through the act of weaving,” Ms Lee said.
“I’ve been blessed with the guidance and wisdom of some incredibly powerful people… Uncle Ken Thaiday has been a mental and the cultural beacon of light throughout my career.”
Ms Lee is also the founder of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and Indigenous Fashion Performance, which began in 2013.
Her work has been displayed in galleries around the country, including the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Studies.
She’s also displayed her work in exhibitions overseas in countries including Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and the United States.
At the event in Coogee, Sydney, Ms Lee was applauded when she reflected on her career.
Awabakal woman and International supermodel Charlee Fraser at Mimi’s Restaurant in Coogee, Sydney to celebrate the 2021 Australian Fashion Laureate awards. Credit: IMG
“I'd like to acknowledge that I have stuck this out, and I’m so grateful that I’ve made difficult choices in my career that’s led me here,” Ms Lee said.
“I've stayed focused and have followed my heart and I’m grateful, when I heard my culture, I listened.”
The 2021 Australian Fashion Laureate also celebrated Yuwaalaraay woman Julie Shaw as Indigenous Designer of the Year.
“I acknowledge Julie for paving the way for the next generation and creating a beautiful brand,” Ms Lee said.
Ms Shaw’s clothing brand name, ‘Maara’, refers to the word for ‘hands’ in the Yuwaalaraay and Gamilaraay language groups.
Maara’s contemporary designs are inspired by Country and created in collaborations with Indigenous artists and artisans.
