Selection Criteria
All expressions of interest need to demonstrate a clear, cohesive aesthetic and quality production. Collections must also show strong evidence of Indigenous agency. The applications received will be vetted by the Indigenous Fashion Projects (a program of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation), which will include confirming all applicants meet the terms and conditions of entry and that the form has been completed in its entirety.
Fashion industry professionals (including Indigenous curators, media, designers, retailers, peak bodies and copyright experts) will help Indigenous Fashion Projects (IFP) assess the applications. Applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria:
Fashion Design
- Strong collection story with cultural integrity.
- The collection shows evidence of fine attention to detail, with high quality garment construction and high quality fabric selection.
- Designs must be original.
Textile Design and Fabric Innovation
- Strong embodiment and reflection of Indigenous identity, history and/or culture in textile design.
- Evidence of new textile design and art.
- Use of innovative fabric selection and/or printing techniques.
- Evidence of well considered colour palettes that support the story behind the collection.
Sustainability and Ethics
- Consideration of environmental and sustainable practices when sourcing textiles, printing onto textiles, and manufacturing garments.
- Consideration of ethics pertaining to cultural safety, social impacts and protection of Intellectual Property.
Indigenous Agency and Best Practice
- Show evidence of consultation with communities and artists in collaborations (for example, artist agreements, letter of support from artists/Art Centres, video from the artists talk about their role in the collaboration)
- Evidence of Indigenous agency throughout the entire design process. For all collaborative collections, the assessment panel needs to clearly see that artists have contributed to, and approved, each element of the collection’s development including textile design, garment design, manufacturing, packaging and labeling, marketing and sales etc.
- Evidence that financial benefits are being returned to Indigenous artist(s), Art Centre, and/or designers.
Things to get ready:
As part of this application form we'll be asking you to provide us with a number of assets including marketing images, blurbs and logos. It's a good idea to have these handy, though you can always save your progress and return to the form as needed.
All applications will be assessed as they are presented in your expression of interest. Please don’t assume that we have any prior knowledge about the collection. This means you need to ensure that we have all the information we need to assess your application!
Terms and Conditions:
- I understand that the 7th Country to Couture will be held on 2 August 2022 at the Darwin Convention Centre.
- Entry is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Centres with their chosen design collaborator, or independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion designers.
- Designs or collections that have been seen in previous Country to Couture runways will not be accepted.
- Applications must include a complete collection concept at the time of applying to participate in Country to Couture. This is important to plan the runway and creative processes for the show.
- Only one collection per designer can be submitted to Country to Couture.
- For collaborations the name, contact details and branding information for each party must be provided.
- Each collection requires a minimum of 10 looks, with a maximum of 15 looks, and it is preferable that the garments are an Australian size 8-10.
- Each applicant will be charged a $1,350+GST fee to participate. The fee covers performance costs including promotion, ticketing, venue, models, hair, make-up and shoes.
- Each participant may be offered the opportunity to have a small stall at the Country to Couture trade fair at the 2022 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair. This will incur an additional fee. There are no formal sales opportunities on the night of Country to Couture.
- The participation fee must be paid by 1 July or the collection will be excluded from the show.
- Refunds will be offered for cancellations up until 30 June 2022.
- The images provided in your application will be used for marketing purposes to promote your involvement in Country to Couture, this includes being shared with event partners and media, and will be used in perpetuity unless we are otherwise notified in writing. All images provided by designers will be attributed correctly.
- For participants in Country to Couture, any social media posts published by participants must include reference to Country to Couture and Indigenous Fashion Projects, using hashtag #countrytocouture and tagging @indigenousfashionprojects on both Instagram and Facebook. For Twitter please use #countrytocouture and tag @darwinartfair.
- For participants in Country to Couture, the complete collection must arrive at the DAAFF office (Darwin) by 4 July 2022 with a full photographic inventory. Failure to provide an inventory will result in the Head Stylist styling the collections at their own discretion. Any small changes to styling can be discussed during the rehearsal, strictly no changes may be made on the day of the show.
- Successful participants will be required onsite at the Darwin Convention Centre for the full dress rehearsal on the 2 August 2022.
- The freight costs of the collection to Darwin and travel expenses to attend the show are the responsibility of the participant.
We will cover any freight costs to return collections to the designers after the show.
- Each designer will need their own public liability insurance. The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation in partnership with Indigenous Fashion Projects will not be responsible for participants' general liability.
- The information we collect will be in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988.
If you have any questions about the selection criteria or the terms and conditions, please call 08 8981 0576 or email c2c@daaf.com.au
COVID-19 Safety
Your safety is important to us. The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation is committed to staging our annual programs and activities and supporting the many people involved, in a safe and sensitive manner. In light of the evolving Covid-19 pandemic, our event delivery plans may be subject to change. We will endeavour to provide as much prior notice as possible in relation to any changes that may impact your participation, and commit to following the recommended health and safety guideline provided by the relevant State and Territory health and government authorities to ensure all of our events are CovidSafe.