First Nations practitioners working across textile, customary adornment and fashion have come together from across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Turtle Island Canada through the Tri Nations Exchange Program, a three-year Creative Australia initiative supporting cultural exchange, collaboration, capacity building and First Nations-led sector development.
The program brings together First Nations fashion and textile creatives, designers, models and industry specialists and advocates to develop leadership, strengthen sector connections and support a fashion and textiles ecosystem across three continents, grounded in respect, reciprocity and custodianship.
The first gathering will be hosted by Creative Australia in Garramilla Darwin on Larrakia Country from 2-10 August 2026, followed by subsequent immersive visits to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2027 and Turtle Island Canada in 2028.
The selected Australian participants are Lucy Simpson, Lillardia Briggs-Houston, Michelle Maynard, Nicole Chatfield, Cassie Puruntatameri, Bianca Long, Marley Morgan and Juanita Page.
Creative Australia Executive Director First Nations Arts and Culture Franchesca Cubillo said the program reflected the strength and ambition of First Nations fashion, textile and customary adornment practices from the past including more contemporary innovative practices today.
"The Tri Nations Exchange is an important opportunity to make space and support First Nations creatives and industry leaders to connect, share knowledge and build lasting relationships across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Turtle Island Canada," Franchesca Cubillo said.
"This remarkable group represents a small selection of some of the innovation and cultural leadership that is currently shaping First Nations fashion and textile practice today, and we are proud to support their participation in this international exchange."
Initiated in 2015, the Tri Nations partnership between Creative Australia, Creative New Zealand and the Canada Council for the Arts has supported several iterations of international exchange, including programs focused on Storytelling, Visual Arts/Curatorship and the Performing Arts.
Australian delegation
- Lucy Simpson: A Yuwaalaraay mother, artist, designer and maker. She is a founding member of Countryman Collective and principal designer behind Gaawaa Miyay Aboriginal design studio based in Sydney on Wangal Country. Her work responds to the needs of Country and its waterways while supporting the transmission of knowledge through experiential exchange, research and contemporary design practice.
- Lillardia Briggs-Houston: A Wiradjuri, Gangulu and Yorta Yorta artist and fashion designer creating distinctive garments and textiles informed by traditional cultural practices, connection to Country and contemporary design. Her practice champions fashion as a powerful medium for cultural expression, innovation, sustainability and change.
- Michelle Maynard: A First Nations designer from Lutruwita/Tasmania whose practice spans digital design, print, collage, installation, creative production, fashion and textiles. As Manager of Indigenous Fashion Projects at Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation, she supports national programs and pathways grounded in cultural integrity, care and responsibility to people and Country.
- Nicole Chatfield: A First Nations creative from Cairns whose work is grounded in her Yirrganydji and Nughi connections. Through Goompi's Girl, she collaborates across art, fashion and design to create culturally grounded visual narratives that honour ancestry, Country and lived experience.
- Cassie Puruntatameri: A Tiwi creative producer, model and mentor from Pirlangimpi on Melville Island. With nearly a decade of fashion industry experience across platforms including Australian Fashion Week, Melbourne Fashion Week and Country to Couture, she creates opportunities for emerging First Nations talent through MANA Creative.
- Bianca Long: A proud Aboriginal artist, entrepreneur, and community advocate from the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. She is the founder of Jaru Girl Designs and Milky Water Western and owns and operates an Aboriginal-owned arts and cultural hub in Wyndham. Through her creative work, Bianca celebrates the stories, landscapes, and cultural connections of Country, drawing inspiration from her heritage and the Kimberley.
- Marley Morgan: A Wiradjuri, Gamilaraay and Ualaroi photographer and storyteller based on Gumbaynggirr Country. Her work spans fashion, culture and art, centring First Nations excellence and ethical representation through visual storytelling.
- Juanita Page: A Gooreng Gooreng and South Sea Islander designer and founder of Naarm/Melbourne-based menswear label JOSEPH & JAMES. Her practice explores contemporary Australian menswear through storytelling, craft and considered design, alongside her work as a freelance stylist and Fashion & Textiles lecturer at RMIT.
Media kit
A full list of delegates and high-resolution images are available to download from our media kit.
About the Tri Nations partnership
The Tri Nations Exchange is a longstanding partnership between Creative Australia, Creative New Zealand and the Canada Council for the Arts. The 2026/28 program supports First Nations creatives and industry professionals in fashion, adornment and textile design to build collaborations, share knowledge and contribute to a sustainable First Nations-led fashion, textile and adornment ecosystem.
