01 Jun Our Happy Women, Fashion Show Stopper
‘Lady in Red’ was the theme of this year’s Our Happy Women fashion showcase at the inaugural Art on Bundjalung Festival at Lismore’s Quad on Saturday.
Established in 2015 as an initiative of YWCA/ Communities for Children, Our Happy Women creates a culturally-safe place in which to nurture and empower Aboriginal women to reach their goals, and realise their dreams. Elders, aunties, sisters, and cousins connect in a family environment, centred around producing and selling Aboriginal art, with the aim of giving back to the community. Learning through a series of hands-on workshops, the women tell their stories through hand-painted silks, plant-dyed scarves, and screen-printed fabrics.
The fashion parade on Saturday celebrated the strength of women and beauty, and the diversity of culture, in the form of wearable art.
YWCA’s Cultural Community Engagement Facilitator, Aunty Mim Bolt, has led the Our Happy Women group since 2017. Aunty Mim had the vision for the ‘Lady in Red’ fashion show.
“In the lead up to the festival, Our Happy Women have been transforming their art and designs into wearable pieces that have been screen-printed and hand-painted onto pre-loved red dresses.”
Pre-loved dresses were donated via supporters of the Remote OpShop Project, an initiative of Circulanation. Remote OpShop Project supports the redistribution of pre-loved clothings and house hold items to remote Aboriginal communities, supporting economic independence and inclusion.
“Red not only represents the earth, but is also symbolic of women’s empowerment. It was a very proud moment for Our Happy Women, their families, friends and community, to be part of the showcase,” commented Aunty Mim. Accompanied by the dance troupe, “The Descendants”, and members of YWCA’s HIPPY program (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters), the fashion parade was certainly one of the highlights of the day. “This is community engagement at its finest,” added Aunty Mim.
Our Happy Women’s long-term aspiration is to use their skills and talents in creative arts to establish their own social enterprise. The women have identified entrepreneurship as a platform to; support the sustainability of the group, to create pride and offer their unique culture to the market, and to realise their vision for a stronger community for all. Circulanation is working with Our Happy Women and the YWCA to fulfil this dream.