Indigenous Art Meets Merino Wool: A Fashion Festival Debut
A collaboration between Victorian farmer Sue McClure and Indigenous artist Sherry Johnstone resulted in a collection of knitwear designs presented at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. The project utilized fine merino wool and incorporated Indigenous art, leading to a debut on the Beyond Blak Runway and the launch of Johnstone's brand, Flash 1A.
Collaboration Takes Root: Indigenous Art Meets Merino
The partnership began when Sue McClure, a farmer from Pigeon Ponds, Victoria, sought to incorporate Indigenous art into her knitting work. She contacted Sherry Johnstone, a Keerray Woorroong and Yorta Yorta woman based in Warrnambool, stating she was uncomfortable using designs found online.
The two established a collaboration based on a shared interest in land and environmental care.
Initial projects included creating blankets and scarves featuring Johnstone's artwork. The designs incorporate fine merino wool sourced from Tasmania. This wool undergoes processing in Italy before being returned to Australia for garment creation.
Award-Winning Designs Lead to Fashion Festival
Their first major joint project involved developing a blanket shape into an outfit, which Johnstone submitted to the National Wool Museum Future in Fibres competition. The competition focused on sustainability and circular economy principles, attracting 150 international entries.
Johnstone's entry secured second prize. Following this, a competition judge recommended that the collaborators submit a 'lookbook' to the Melbourne Fashion Festival. The lookbook was submitted in October and accepted by the festival in November.
From 'Healing Country' to High-Tech Production
Johnstone developed 10 outfit designs for the lookbook, drawing inspiration from her connection to country, ancestral stories, and elements such as banksias, flowering gum, and tree bark. Her collection was titled 'Healing Country,' and one specific design, 'Oh My Bundjil God,' was inspired by a wedge-tailed eagle.
McClure utilized a Japanese-made knitting machine, acquired in 2021, for the production of the garments. The machine, which cost $180,000, is capable of producing full garments or fabric sections. Rod Murray, a Melbourne-based knitting software expert, was engaged to program the machine for the designs.
The production process involved one week for sample creation and an additional month for manufacturing the complete clothing collection. A power outage at McClure's farm, occurring a day before the delivery deadline, necessitated McClure hand-stitching the final pieces.
Festival Debut and New Brand Launch
The bespoke garments were presented at the Melbourne Fashion Festival in February as part of the Beyond Blak Runway. The showcase took place at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.
This successful collaboration has led to Johnstone launching her own brand, Flash 1A. The name 'Flash 1A' refers to an Indigenous colloquialism. The brand is set to produce jumpers, hoodies, ponchos, and dresses, with production scheduled to occur on McClure's farm using her knitting machine.
The collaboration culminated in a successful debut at the Melbourne Fashion Festival and the launch of Johnstone's 'Flash 1A' brand.
Johnstone indicated a willingness to reproduce specific garments upon request. McClure stated that future participation in international fashion weeks is not planned.