WEAVING THE WORLDS

Marking its first-ever India showcase, Australian label Kirrikin, which turns 10 this year, lit up Delhi with a runway blending Aboriginal Australian art and luxury design. Founder Amanda Healy talks about culture, kinship, and bringing her designs to India.

- ADITHI REENA AJITH

WHEN Australian designer Amanda Healy walked into Delhi this week, it was not just for another runway show-it was a celebration of ten years of her label Kirrikin, which has long championed the stories of Aboriginal Australians like herself.

Presented by the Australian High Commission, in collaboration with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and the Centre for Australia-India Relations, the 'Connection to Country' showcase marked Kirrikin's first major debut in India. "To me, this is an opportunity to tell our stories and show what we're capable of as Aboriginal people," Healy says. "Like India, our country was colonised-our people were excluded and removed from their lands. This is about showing that we're still here, capable of building and creating on our own terms."

For its India debut, Kirrikin's pieces were designed in Australia by First Nations artists and crafted in Noida, fusing hand-painted Indigenous Australian artworks with Indian craftsmanship. Healy lights up when speaking of the collaboration: "I have to say it's been a lot of fun. The quality and range of fabrics here is remarkable-it isn't available anywhere else in the world. Indian artisans see things differently, but they always respond beautifully to what our Australian market looks for."

Runway spirit