Samantha Harris Face of Australia's First Indigenous Fashion Week

It has been announced in Sydney this week that Australian Indigenous Fashion Week (AIFW) will officially kick off with shows expected from around a year from now. The organisation is designed to be a will be a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designers to showcase high quality traditional and contemporary fashion arts, textiles, accessories and furniture. The first year will include about 30 artists and designers. 

Tapped to be the face of the new event, indigenous model Samantha Harris said of the AIFW, "I hope next year when the Indigenous Fashion Week starts the rest of the world will stand up and take notice of such a unique heritage. We are an old culture that is very rich in the arts, sports and fashion. I want the world to know how talented the Australian Aborigines are."

Apart from recognising and celebrating one of the world's oldest surviving cultures, one of the main aims of AIFW is to improve the economic status of Aboriginal people by brokering relationships with local and international buyers.

At this year's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, label Roopa Pemmaraju, featured the original print designs by renowned Indigenous Australian artists. 

Check out model Samantha Harris chatting to Rescu TV about her role as David Jones Youth Ambassador.

Roopa Pemmaraju SS12-13 Collection Show at MBFWA

Backstage Hair at Roopa Pemmaraju SS12-13 Collection Show at MBFWA