The Ngali Miya runway was a love project. Multi-award winning designer Denni Francisco, collaborated with some of Australia’s most gifted First Nations artists, inviting them to realise their visions through fashion’s lense. The result was an intriguing show, supported and staged by the city’s Melbourne Quarter and recorded by Voxfrock Rookie photographer Carlin Stephenson from preparation to finale. Scroll down to meet today’s multi-talented rookie and remember to click back for daily MFW reports by the 2022 Voxfrock Rookie crew of future fashion photographers and journalists.
Words and photographs: Carlin Stephenson
With half an hour until the Ngali Miya solo show, student volunteers from RMIT and LCI Melbourne decorate seats with welcoming gifts for patrons.
Backstage, the hair and make up team create subtle and elegant looks with white paint contouring models’ eyes and ears. There is also an emphasis on natural hairstyles, such as thick braids, plaits and low ponytails. Runway model Bella Kasimba (above) eagerly awaits the show.
Out front, the team behind Ngali Mayi Runway gather for group photographs, and share in the excitement and joy of their greatly anticipated solo show. Gathered with designer Denni Francisco (first row, fourth from the left) are models, volunteers and stylists, as well as footwear artists Jason Mulholland (first row, far left), Josh Deane (first row, second from the left), Kristie Peters (first row, fourth from the left) and Keedan Rigney (second row, far right).
Guests are greeted with bouquets of eucalyptus branches. In Denni Francisco’s opening speech, the designer describes the gifts as a symbol of the, “land that we share” which, “acknowledges our various backgrounds, but welcomes us as one on Wurundjeri Land.” Antoinette (pictured) expresses how excited she is for the show to begin.
Having respectfully acknowledged the Land and those involved in the show, the runway kicks off with models walking, swaying and dancing gracefully down the runway to music composed by Kyah.
The themes of regeneration are present in the earthly designs as well as the organic shapes, and lines of the garments, and the subtle hand woven accessories from Cassie Leatham and Jessica Hunter.
Model Halla Madol poses at the end of the runway in an elegant Ngali silk dress.
Meet the rookie
Fashion photographer Carlin Stephenson
Carlin recently completed his Certificate IV in Photography and Photo Imaging at Melbourne Polytechnic and is excited to explore all genres of photography, particularly in the fashion industry. “Ultimately, I want to collaborate with my favourite brands and artists to create eye-catching work.”
