Can fashion contribute to reconciliation in Australia? “Definitely,” said Elverina Johnson, a highly respected artist and Gungganji Gurugulu woman from Yarrabah in Far North Queensland, who recently collaborated with fashion brand Taking Shape on a collection of plus-size clothing. The collaboration started organically. Johnson was shopping at her local Taking Shape store in Cairns when she began discussing her artwork with a staff member. A few weeks later, she received a call f
call from the brand’s head office about turning her designs into clothing, and she quickly realised the potential impact this could have on people.
“I saw this as an opportunity to take a different and unfamiliar pathway to reconciliation,” Johnson told Inside Retail. “It’s not walking on the bridge, it’s people wearing clothes with my stories, and that prompts them to talk.”
The collection launched in April and is available online and in 14 stores in Australia. It includes six items of clothing in sizes 12-24, accessories and giftware featuring artwork from two paintings that Johnson created exclusively for Taking Shape.
One painting, Bunya Yaji-I, features symbols representing the mat and basket-weaving techniques of the Gungganji women. The other, Dirringhi, features a mussel shell, which is both a delicacy, adornment and cutting tool.
Johnson said the paintings were inspired by stories she heard from her ancestors, and she is pleased they’re reaching so many people who would not otherwise have encountered them.
“People are actually learning from the collection because of the stories,” Johnson said. “It’s prompting people to talk about Indigenous issues. It’s doing a living work, as opposed to a shirt or dress that just has flowers or something on it.”
How it happened
Johnson describes her collaboration with Taking Shape as a very positive experience. It took about 12 months to finalise the legal aspects of the agreement, and she ultimately signed a three-year contract.
“This was the first time that Taking Shape had worked with a First Nations artist, so it was a learning process for them as well,” she said.
She credits the brand for involving her throughout the entire design process. She helped choose the clothing styles, made sure the colours were accurate to her artwork and wrote descriptions of the stories behind the paintings, which are included on swing tags on each garment, along with her name and photo.
“It was important to me to be involved throughout this collaboration, and make sure that the stories were right as well,” Johnson said.
She personally attended three in-store launch events, and said the response to the collection has been amazing. The brand sold out of all its stock in its Queensland stores within the first two weeks.
“People were so happy, especially First Nations people. I was getting text messages, phone calls and emails to say what a great initiative it was,” she said. “I think it sends a message that [Taking Shape] values First Nations people and cultures and stories.”
Alla Buinowicz, managing director of Taking Shape, said the brand was proud and excited to be able to showcase Aboriginal culture through Johnson’s designs.
“We are thrilled to be working with Elverina on our journey to ever-increasing diversity and inclusion, and our important path to reconciliation with Indigenous communities,” she said in a statement.
The collection was shown at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week last month, as part of the First Nations Fashion + Design runway, marking the brand’s Fashion Week debut, and a jacket from the collection was worn by trailblazing Indigenous model Elaine George in the recent May issue of Vogue Australia.