This award-winning label is weaving Indigenous art into the fabric of fashion

Marina Gainulina
03:00pm July 11 2025

Ngali collaborates with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists brings culture, Country, and storytelling to life at Australian Fashion Week, 2025. (Supplied, AWF25)

Denni Francisco doesn’t talk about fashion the way most designers do. “Some people are surprised when I say I don’t think fashion is that important,” she says. “I think what fashion can do is important.”

Francisco is the founder of Ngali, a Melbourne-based fashion label that’s fast become one of Australia’s most compelling Indigenous-owned businesses. Launched seven years ago, Ngali is built on a simple but ambitious premise: to bring First Nations art into the global fashion conversation - without compromising the integrity of the stories behind it.

“I wanted to contribute more to our community,” Francisco says. “I saw an opportunity to support Indigenous artists through fashion, not just creatively but economically.”

Ngali’s garments are known for their striking prints, derived from existing artworks by Indigenous artists. But Francisco is careful to distinguish between inspiration and appropriation. “We don’t commission new pieces. We work with art that already exists,” she explains. “And we never replicate it [the art] directly. It’s always a translation - so the story remains with the artist.”

That distinction is central to Ngali’s model. Artists retain the rights to their original works and receive royalties from the adapted designs. “It’s about creating a passive income stream,” Francisco says. “Especially for artists in remote communities who may not have consistent access to markets.”

Francisco’s approach is collaborative and deliberate. The brand avoids categories like swimwear or lingerie, not out of prudishness, but because Francisco believes the garments must align with the cultural context of the artwork. “The artists have to be comfortable with how their work is used,” she says.

Denni Francisco, Wiradjuri woman, Westpac customer and founder of Ngali, is reshaping fashion as a platform for Indigenous storytelling and economic empowerment. (Supplied - photography by Liana Hardy)

This ethos has earned Ngali both critical acclaim and commercial traction. In 2023, the brand became the first Indigenous label to present a solo runway show at Australian Fashion Week (AFW). The show featured not just Francisco’s designs but contributions from 22 other First Nations creatives - models, stylists, videographers, and even artists who hand-painted boots worn on the runway.

“That was a milestone,” Francisco says. “It wasn’t just about Ngali. It was about showing what’s possible when we build something together.”

The label was shown again at this year’s AFW, and expanded its footprint internationally, with showcases in Milan, Jakarta, Dubai and more recently, in New York through a pop-up alongside other prominent Australian fashion labels. “From the beginning, the vision was global,” Francisco says. “We have 60,000 years of culture behind us. That’s not something to keep local.”

Brand growth hasn’t come at the expense of its values - standing firm against fast fashion, producing seasonless collections designed to be layered and worn across seasons. “We think in terms of journeys,” Francisco says. “A piece from last year should work with one from next year. It’s about continuity, not consumption.”

Ngali also integrates sustainability into its operations, sourcing quality fabrics and offering resale and rental options through AirRobe. “We want our garments to have a long life,” Francisco says. “And if someone’s done with a piece, it should still have value - for someone else.”

Francisco’s path to entrepreneurship wasn’t linear. She left school at 15 to support her family and spent years working in corporate fashion before launching Ngali. That experience informs her pragmatic approach to business. “You need a powerful ‘why’ to get through the hurdles,” she says. “You have to be resilient, agile and sometimes just plain brave.”

As NAIDOC Week wraps up in Australia, Francisco’s work feels especially resonant. This year’s theme - The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy - speaks to legacy and leadership. 

“We’re always thinking about who’s following us,” she says. “We’re walking in the footsteps of our ancestors, and we have a responsibility to widen the path for others.”

Marina Gainulina

Marina Gainulina is a Content Producer for Westpac Wire, with ten years of experience in marketing communications. She holds a Bachelor of Communications & Media (Journalism) degree and a drive to connect with discerning audiences via authentic storytelling across mediums. She has managed editorial and brand comms for the likes of Tiffany & Co., Hugo Boss, NIVEA and GRAZIA.

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