Arts North West backed three First Nations artists from regional NSW, Robbie Hartigan, Tania Hartigan and Kerri-Ann Taggart, to take their work to Country to Couture and the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) on Larrakia Country in early August. Between the two events, the trio sold 140 pieces of artwork and fashion for a combined $11,658 over the whole event, which was seen by more than 15,000 people.

Country to Couture lit up Darwin over two nights, staged under a heritage boab tree in the forecourt of Charles Darwin University's new Danala campus. Show 1, "Carried by Our Matriarchs: From Legacy, We Rise," brought eleven First Nations fashion labels to the runway. Show 2 followed the next night with "Seasons of the Land, Water and Sky."

Halfway through the Show 2 lineup was Marayn Menswear, run by Robbie Hartigan, Arts North West's Aboriginal Arts Officer when he's not designing. His new collection, Scorched Lines, was developed with collaborators Kerri-Ann Taggart and Tania Hartigan, and mentored by Jo-Anne Barr, who travelled to Darwin, and Cassie Fisher-Patterson, who mentored remotely from home. The collection explored the environmental and social impacts of natural disasters through a First Nations lens, with themes of drought, bushfire, resilience and renewal. Tania also exhibited separately as a featured visual artist at DAAF, through Arts North West's partnership with the Aboriginal Regional Arts Alliance.

Jo-Anne Barr, one of Robbie's mentors, wrote this reflection on the trip:

"Travelling to Darwin to attend Country to Couture and the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair was an incredibly valuable opportunity. The trip allowed me to support Robbie Hartigan and Marayan Menswear in his endeavours, providing guidance, encouragement and practical support as he continues to develop his creative practice and business."

"I was also incredibly proud to see Robbie and the Marayn Menswear team represent themselves as professional practicing artists and designers. They conducted themselves with confidence, professionalism and generosity, while proudly representing not only their own creative practice and cultural identity, but also Arts North West, the Regional Arts Development Organisation (RADO), and the broader regional arts community. Their participation demonstrated the quality, diversity and professionalism of creative practitioners working in regional NSW and provided a strong ambassadorial presence for the region."

Kerri-Ann Taggart, one of the Scorched Lines collaborators, put it this way:

"10 days of culture, collaboration and connection. Being part of Robbie's journey has been a monumental moment in my own creative practice. The whole experience offered so much learning, finishing in Darwin for Country to Couture and DAAF with the launch of the Marayn brand. From day one, arriving and meeting the designers, crew and models at C2C, to reconnecting with them at DAAF alongside new faces, it all felt grounding and energising. Sharing one-on-one moments with people browsing the store, telling our regional NSW stories with pride, and being welcomed with open arms was something I will carry with me. On the final day it was hugs, swapping business cards, exchanging numbers and making plans to meet again. An amazing experience from start to finish. Thank you Robbie, Tania, Jo and Cassie for having me on this journey."

**Tania Hartigan: **

“What a humbling experience to attend Country to Couture as one of the designers working with Marayn Menswear. It was an awesome to see my designs on the runway and at DAAF. I would like to Thankyou Robbie Hartigan and Art North West for supporting myself and the team from Marayn Menswear to learn and be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity. I was also excited to be approached by the Charles Darwin University to teach a workshop on my paper making practices.”

Robbie Hartigan

In August we visited Darwin to launch and showcase the work we have created over the last 12 months. When I applied to Country to Couture last year as a menswear designer, I did not think I would get in but I am so thankful that the Indigenous Fashions Project saw my potential. Due to this I was able to work alongside my Mum, Kerri-Ann Taggart, Jo-Ann Barr, and Cassie Fisher-Patterson on growing Marayn Menswear.

It was such an exciting and nerve-racking experience until we arrived at the Charles Darwin University on Saturday, where we were introduced to all the other deadly artists and got to share our stories and hear their experiences. It was great to see how all our mobs were creating parallel concepts even though we had never met before.

We spent two days preparing on location and rehearsing for the event but even when we finally saw the pieces on models and walking the catwalk, it was still so surreal and unbelievable. After going from just viewing the Country to Couture runway last year to being part of it this year and seeing behind the scenes, we all have been bursting with ideas on what we can bring back home and how we can grow local Aboriginal fashion.

We were also able to participate in the Darwin Aboriginal Arts Fair as a Fashion Trade Booth. Getting to hear all the support from people who saw us on the runway or just liked the ideas behind the brand was so inspiring. As we saw people notice our fashion and arts, then stop and come into our stall before walking away with a piece of our story made all our labour and efforts feel truly worth it.

We have learnt so much from this participation and are so grateful to those who taught and mentored us for this experience. While Cassie couldn’t attend, she supported us the whole way and was sending us ideas and kind words from home. It was also amazing to have Jo attend the event as a mentor and ally of First Nations art. Her experience and guidance meant that we were not left dead in the water, and we could easily overcome any challenges that arose. We are all so thankful for our mentors who gave up their own time to see us shine and to Arts North West for providing the support that allowed this to happen. We all hope to continue working on our fashion practices and to showcase it at other events. I also plan to bring all these new skills back to our community and raise up other artists into this same space.

For Arts North West, the trip is part of a broader push, through its First Stories: Moving Forward Together Program, to strengthen regional First Nations creative careers and expand their reach onto the national stage.

Country to Couture was brought together by Indigenous Fashion Projects, supported by Country Road, the Northern Territory Government through Tourism and Events NT, and Charles Darwin University, with premium media partner Peppermint Magazine and ticketing partner Darwin Fringe Festival.

Supporting First Nations Artists at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair and Country to Couture in 2026

Arts North West continued its commitment to creating national opportunities for First Nations artists by supporting regional participation in two of Australia's most significant Aboriginal arts and fashion events: the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) and Country to Couture, held on Larrakia Country.

In partnership with the Aboriginal Regional Arts Alliance (ARAA), Arts North West supported Gomeroi artist Tania Hartigan to participate as a featured artist at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair 2026. Through this partnership, Tania's work was presented alongside Aboriginal artists from across regional New South Wales, providing an opportunity to showcase her artistic practice to collectors, curators, galleries and audiences from across Australia and internationally. The partnership reinforced Arts North West's commitment to supporting Aboriginal artists to access new markets, strengthen professional networks and building sustainable creative careers.

Separately, Arts North West supporrted its Aboriginal Arts Officer, Robbie Hartigan, to further develop his Aboriginal-owned fashion label Marayn Menswear through participation in Country to Couture, Australia's premier Indigenous fashion runway. As part of this support, Arts North West assisted Robbie and his mentors to participate in the event, recognising the importance of professional development, industry networking and national exposure for emerging First Nations fashion businesses.

Founded by Gomeroi artist Robbie Hartigan, Marayn Menswear is a regional New South Wales fashion label built on four core values: inclusivity, First Nations artwork, environmental responsibility and Australian-made sustainability. The business is committed to protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), ensuring artists retain ownership of their cultural stories while providing royalties from every garment sold directly to the contributing First Nations artists and their communities. Marayn Menswear also provides an important platform for South-East Aboriginal artists whose cultural connections have been disrupted through colonisation, creating opportunities to celebrate identity, culture and Country through contemporary fashion.

At Country to Couture, Marayn Menswear presented a new collection, Scorched Lines, which featured collaborative works by Cassie Fisher-Patterson, Jo-Anne Barr, Kerri-Ann Taggart and Tania Hartigan. The collection explored the environmental and social impacts of natural disasters through First Nations perspectives. Each artist interpreted their connection to Country through themes of drought, bushfire, resilience and renewal, creating a powerful contemporary fashion collection grounded in storytelling, culture and environmental awareness.

By supporting Tania Hartigan's participation in the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair through its partnership with ARAA, and Robbie Hartigan's participation in Country to Couture, Arts North West demonstrated its commitment to nurturing Aboriginal creative careers across multiple artforms. These opportunities strengthen regional representation at nationally significant events, expand professional networks and celebrate the innovation, resilience and cultural leadership of First Nations creatives from the New England North West while showcasing the region's rich Aboriginal artistic talent on a national stage.