General News
27 April, 2026
Fashion show takes on rustic mill backdrop
THE rustic interior of an old saw mill will be the venue of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair’s 2026 fashion performance.
The newly-branded style show at historic Rankin Mill at Stratford will feature 25 designers – the largest line-up in the fashion history of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) – and will include, for the first time, international collections from three Indigenous Taiwanese designers and a guest designer from Indigenous Fashion Week New York.
They will presenting two immersive performances responding to the theme ‘Reclamation and regeneration’.
The event brings together Queensland First Nations designers, models, dancers and musicians in a powerful intersection of culture, art and contemporary design, blending fashion, movement, storytelling, digital projections and cultural programming.
CIAF fashion curator Lynelle Flinders said the program embodied the strength and diversity of First Nations storytelling through fashion.
“This year’s fashion program brings together designers from across Queensland who are sharing stories of Reclamation and Regeneration – from climate resilience and connection to land to personal journeys of healing and identity,” she said.
“Across the program, designers amplify their perspectives through creativity, using fashion to honour cultural knowledge, challenge assumptions and express lived experiences.
“Together, they create a powerful collective narrative where fashion becomes a space for imagining new futures guided by First Nations voices,” she said.
Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes/Torres Strait Islander fashion and textile designers in Queensland were sharing their creative talent with growing national and international audiences and markets.
“CIAF’s vibrant program helps deliver on Queensland’s Time to Shine, our 10-year strategy for arts and culture, by maximising economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives and reinforcing Queensland’s reputation as a vibrant cultural destination.”
The fashion shows are in July.
For tickets visit www.bit.ly/4cmrUSk
