A fashion first nation
Liandra Gaykamangu is going global.
After taking part in group shows for the past three years, her label Liandra will take centre stage as one of the most anticipated runway events of Australian Fashion Week. “We’ve grown, we’ve evolved and we are having our own show,” Gaykamangu said. “This is us banging on our chest and letting everyone know that we are here, we’re proud and we are exactly where we should be for the age of the brand now. It felt like the right time to be able to come out of that cocoon of safety where you are with peers and in a group of safety and step out on your own.” Gaykamangu started the brand out of Darwin just over six years ago and is ready now to take on the global market with her striking and colourful designs.
Liandra was a swimwear brand initially, with Gaykamangu transitioning over the past 12 months to encompass everything from “the beach to the boardroom”.
Liandra, she said, is a brand for everyone. “I am proudly an Aboriginal woman but I also see myself in the same calibre as some of our top Australian labels so that is what the goal is, to place the brand as proudly First Nations and seen internationally as an outstanding Australian brand.”
The push internationally will start in the US and Canada. Jesinta Franklin fronted the brand’s most recent campaign.
“We are ready to grow our market share in Australia but also inch out because the opportunity we could have globally is an exciting opportunity to explore,” she said.
Pandora Australian Fashion Week will kick off on Monday, with Liandra on the schedule for Tuesday at Carriageworks in Eveleigh, Sydney.