At dusk in an outback town's park, under the glow of lights wrapped around eucalyptus and boab trees, models strut along a makeshift runway.
Rhiana Cherrabun's dress, top, hat and necklace combine contrasting pinks, greens and blues.
But it's the images embedded in her clothing which have deep resonance for the local models and designers from the East Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Buzzing after a photo shoot, the 25-year-old describes what's depicted on her top.
"The white triangles represent the hills … so the beautiful ranges we have in our country," Gija woman says.
"The blue represents the water because we do a water blessing, and then the boab represents us as people of the Kimberley."
The Boonkaj Fashion Parade forms part of this week's Ord Valley Muster, a festival which showcases the region's Indigenous culture, pastoral heritage and renowned scenery.
Designs grounded in nature
The following day, artist Dora Griffiths happily reflects on the event's success at Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, in Kununurra, where the clothes were created.
The Miriwoong-Ngarinyman woman says the modern wears immortalise ancient knowledge.
"That idea came from my mum, Peggy Griffiths," she says.
"She wanted to show her artwork of bush medicine and bush tucker through other mediums to show the younger generation what to look for when they're out on country, fishing, hunting and camping.
"It made us feel proud … getting young girls to be the models, because they never had the chance to do those things before."
Fashion runway provides path to young people
Ms Griffiths is among a group of Indigenous artists who hope to start selling the pieces online in the coming months, and take advantage of growing awareness, both in Australia and overseas, of First Nations fashion.
Their goal is to create a sustainable economic enterprise that can continue for generations to come.
Ms Cherrabun says clothes design and modelling was a modern way for young Indigenous people to express their culture, in a part of Australia where the western world and ancient lore and customs coalesce.
"It is a big thing. I'm going to get a bit personal here, but it is a white man's world out there, so we can't move forward without working together," she says.
"As Indigenous artists, sending the artwork into the fashion industry, it's like a new thing for the younger generations. Not many kids these days want to sit and paint on the board.
"The fashion is all about young people so we're trying to reach out to all the young ones because they're the ones who are going to be the next leaders."
The Ord Valley Muster festival also showcases Indigenous music and dancing, storytelling, food, and the region's diversity of artistic styles.
