Luxury Style and empowerment Four First Nations women tell us how fashion helps them express themselves By FW Luxury Four First Nations women tell us how fashion helps them express themselves By FW Previous article “Now is the time to do what I want to do.” Next article Equality in a Covid-19 world The inspiring panel at our 2020 International Women’s Day Breakfast Panel, looking ‘faboriginal’—as Emma Hill would say—in the latest Witchery collections, opened up about their relationship with style and why it’s important to be true to oneself when it comes to what to wear. EMILY HILL Proud Dunghutti/Yuin woman and Director at the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. “I know that when I’ve got my outfit on point, I just feel more confident and more empowered. For me personally, there is absolutely a nexus between style and feeling great about myself and feeling like I can achieve what I set out to do. When I first started in the workforce, I certainly found myself going very corporate in a suit and skirts and heels… Now, I just wear what’s comfortable.” Emily wears Witchery animal print blouse, SHOP SIMILAR, Witchery Top stitch mini skirt, $119.95, SHOP NOW, Witchery Ivy suede pump, $159.95, SHOP NOW PROFESSOR MEGAN DAVIS Proud Cobble Cobble woman, constitutional lawyer and Pro Vice Chancellor Indigenous at UNSW “Style is really significant. In my work with the United Nations, it’s really important to be able to walk into those rooms and feel empowered. I think expressing yourself is really important, but I also have to dress conservatively because you have to have regard for all the many ways people dress across the world. As I’ve gotten older, I like to stick to all black and comfort. And I always wear flats, but every now and then I like to pop on a pair of glittery heels… sometimes on those really long days, you look down and see something shimmery and it’s a real boost.” Megan wears Witchery Austin Jacquard wrap, $199.95, SHOP NOW KIRLI SAUNDERS Proud Gunai woman, poet, writer, artist and 2020 NSW Woman of the year “I think it’s really important to self-express in ways that feel appropriate to us. As a poet, writer and artist, self-expression has always been a really powerful tool for me in connecting with other people – and style is part of that. The way we present ourselves to the world and the way we dress allows us to connect. Style can be a really beautiful connecting point for us to have important conversations.” Kirli wears Witchery Leather mini dress (coming soon to stores), Witchery Morgan leather boot, SHOP NOW TEELA REID Proud Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman, criminal defence lawyer and human rights activist “In many ways when I think about fashion and style, it’s about me being comfortable in the context and the environments that I’m in and showing up in a way that makes me feel connected to that story about where we are walking on this continent. At the end of the day, as long as I stay true to my style and myself, the most important thing is the words that come out of my mouth not the way I look.” Teela wears Witchery Seam Detail Shirt, $149.95, SHOP NOW, Witchery Top Stitch Mini Skirt, $119.95, SHOP NOW, Witchery Kora Leather Boot, $229.95, SHOP NOW, Belt, Teela’s own PHOTOGRAPHER: Natalie Boog LOCATION: CAFE SYDNEY Brought to you by Best of Future Women Travel How to experience Byron Bay according to your personality By Patti Andrews Culture Five perfect strangers By Patti Andrews Culture Maxine Beneba Clarke on the value of time By Madison Howarth Culture Clare Bowditch on knowing your worth By Madison Howarth Culture Jamila Rizvi finds a room of her own By Madison Howarth Culture What drives Clementine Ford to stand up and Fight Like A Girl? By Mel Fulton Luxury The euphoria of makeup that highlights, and does not erase By Sally Spicer Style Four easy ways to shop sustainably with Lucianne Tonti By Bojana Kos Your inbox just got smarter If you’re not a member, sign up to our newsletter to get the best of Future Women in your inbox.
