First Nations Fashion and Design (FNFD) and The Iconic have launched a first-of-its-kind incubator program to foster the next generation of First Nations designers.
Expressions of interest for the eight-month program have opened to First Nations designers from today, with the program commencing in April 2023.
The Iconic x FNFD Incubator Program is expected to address the unique challenges faced by First Nations designers in the mainstream retail ecosystem, including establishing culturally sensitive and sustainable ways to scale. It is also said to provide The Iconic an opportunity to learn from First Nations designers in an effort to ensure the fashion retail environment, and its platform, better supports Indigenous business owners.
Applicants to The Iconic x FNFD Incubator Program will be reviewed by a selection panel made up of industry experts from the fashion, design and First Nations communities. This includes FNFD founder and CEO Grace Lillian Lee; Global Fashion Group (CFG) chief brand partnerships officer Melanie Smallwood; Indigenous model Elaine George; Australian Indigenous Fashion founder Yatu Widders Hunt; Australian designer Johnny Schembri; Harper’s Bazaar’s fashion & features news director Patty Huntington; and Carriageworks’ director First Nations Programs Jacob Boehme.
The panel will select three aspiring First Nations fashion designers to complete the 2023 pilot program over the course of eight months.
The 2023 Incubator Program is planned as an inaugural event. It is informed by ongoing feedback from the First Nations creative community, and will offer First Nations designers inclusive, real-world learning opportunities. This will include mentorship, workshops, gatherings and events, with the aim to create commercially viable and sustainable business models.
“It’s fantastic to see a major retailer like The Iconic show real, tangible support and commitment to the First Nations fashion community,” FNFD founder and CEO Grace Lillian Lee said. “Interest in First Nations fashion has exploded in recent years, with designers like Nungala Creative and Clothing the Gaps piquing the interest of the mainstream with considered, sustainable and beautiful designs that pay respect to country and culture.”
First Nations fashion is also gaining international attraction, with Ngali founder Denni Francisco saying her label is currently reviewing offers to participate in major runways in Europe and the USA in 2023, following its first-ever runway event at Milan Fashion Week earlier this year.
This is marked by a newfound collaboration with the Qantas marketplace as part of their loyalty program.
Ngali is also considering an invitation to join international eCommerce site Wolf & Badger.
Speaking on the new incubation program with FNFD, The Iconic CEO Erica Berchtold said the talent within the First Nations community is a “force to be reckoned with.”
“We’re proud to have had the opportunity to co-design and co-develop such a robust program as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the growth of First Nations fashion,” Berchtold said. “Working in allyship with Australia’s First Nations peoples is deeply important to us as we play our part in contributing to the long term economic viability of the First Nations fashion industry.”
The program will be open to First Nations creatives of all backgrounds and generations, and is not limited to fashion; jewellery and accessory designers, graphic artists, textile artists and others are encouraged to apply.
Further details will be announced early in the new year, including the appointment of three established First Nations creatives to act as cultural mentors to the successful applicants, alongside three retail industry leaders. The role of the mentors will be to provide a combination of cultural guidance and industry expertise throughout the duration of the Incubator program and beyond.
The Iconic’s partnership with FNFD is part of the company’s First Nations-led to its Indigenous Engagement strategy, which was recently announced as part of The Iconic’s and GFG’s vision to be People & Planet Positive. Its 2030 strategy outlines five strategic pillars designed to drive positive environmental and social change, while looking after its people.
FNFD has also supported the penning of The Iconic’s Innovative Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which is designed to guide the company’s ongoing reconciliation commitments from 2023 to 2025. FNFD participated in the advisory panel through 2022, providing valuable insights to inform the drafting of the Innovative RAP.
Applications for The Iconic x FNFD Incubator Program are set to close on January 15, 2023, however may close earlier due to expected high demand.