Kirrikin – Amanda Healy

How did Kirrikin begin? I started Kirrikin in 2014 in response to a huge gap in the market. There was lots of ‘Indigenousstyle’ work, but none had any real connection to Indigenous people, stories or culture. Having an Indigenous background, I was inspired to create a brand that truly represented who we were, using real Indigenous artists and artwork, and telling our stories. What is the story behind this print? The Grevillea artwork is by Jessica Tedim from the Yuwaalaraay/ Gamilaraay people in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. Her artwork is fresh and edgy; it speaks to her Aboriginal heritage. In this artwork, Jess was inspired to paint the grevillea as she watched it bloom in her backyard. The grevillea was our original bush lolly – our people used to shake the nectar from the flower onto their palm and mix it with a little water to get a sweet burst of flavour and a refreshing drink. Why is fashion a great medium for Indigenous art and design? Fashion is something we interact with every day, and through this medium, Kirrikin changes the broader population’s view of Aboriginal people one dress at a time. We all feel such pride in seeing our pieces worn down the street. It is important to be seen as a high-end product, too – I want to link our people and

culture with luxury, and I want to remove the stigma that has been attached to us.