After campaigning for “Yes” the AFC respected the call from First Nations leaders for silence. Now, we wish to express our continuing support for First Nations people and reconciliation.

Our campaign work highlighted the many brands and businesses who were active in showing their support for Yes. More broadly, it has underlined the AFC’s ongoing commitment to being part of a society that recognises First Nations’ perspectives.

Diversity, inclusion, listening and moving forward together is not a box to tick. It is a way of being and working that makes our community richer and stronger.

We are so grateful for the guidance and leadership of our board member Yatu Widders Hunt who is a champion of First Nations fashion and a proud Dunghutti/Anaiwan woman. 

We would also like to recognise Rachel Perkins, Elle Roseby and Laura Thompson, and thank them for participating in the AFC Talks, Voice to Parliament webinar. You inspired us with your courage and your motivating call to action: 

Be Active, Bring Yourself to This, Be Brave.

Thank you also to Kin Fashion’s Peter Naughton for driving this project and Eloise Bishop for making it happen.

And to Claire Ainsworth from Groundswell Giving, Courtney Miller from Next Generation and Marie-Claude Mallat from MCMPR for your generosity in orchestrating the photo shoot and press rollout that received such great support from the teams at Vogue, InStyle, Russh, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire. 

We would like to acknowledge the industry leaders and brands who joined #FashionForYes: Country Road, Clothing the Gaps, Citizen Wolf, bassike, Alix Higgins, Spell, Ngali, Kloke, Bianca Spender, Genevieve Smart (Ginger & Smart), Anna Plunkett (Romance Was Born), Sarah Munro (Sarah & Sebastian), Emma Mullholland (Emma on Holiday), Mikey Nolan (Double Rainbouu), Jordan Askill, Hamish Tame (Le Specs), Akira Isogowa and industry figures including Glynis Traill-Nash, Kellie Hush, Paloma Garcia, Natalie Xenita, Jordan Turner, Bella Thomas and last but definitely not least, a special thanks to Clare Press for her relentless advocacy for this cause.

Indigenous Fashion Fund

Looking ahead, in 2024 we are focussed on maximising the opportunity we have through the activation of the AFC’s Indigenous Fashion Fund.

The fund will be used to undertake a listening exercise to better understand the key priorities for the First Nations fashion sector and to discuss how to establish governance structures that embed First Nations advice, engagement and advocacy through the AFC and broader industry. The model and approach will be developed in partnership with First Nations fashion peak bodies and leaders, with the first meeting to be held in the early part of 2024.

There is so much to do, but at the AFC, we remain determined and optimistic that together, we can ‘Be Active, Bring Ourselves to This, Be Brave’ and continue to support First Nations people on the journey towards reconciliation.

The AFC is proud to contribute 5% of membership fees to the Indigenous Fashion Fund, Join Us now.