Friday 6 November
Multipurpose Room, CIT Woden Campus
Ngunnawal Country, Canberra
Photos by Mikhail Lipyanskiy
Designs Keli Studio
Discover visionary sustainable fashion collections from leading local and national designers, including fashion pioneer Linda Jackson AO.
Explore captivating displays and circular design stalls, and hear from inspiring change makers.
Australian Dance Party will be presenting their new short work 'Off the Fringes' in collaboration with designer Kelli Donovan and accompanied live by musician Sia Ahmad.
Expect bold fashion, breathtaking performances, sensory experiences, and new connections.
Presented by the visionary Australian Dance Party, sustainable fashion pioneer Kelli Donovan, and the Canberra Institute of Technology, Clothing the Loop brings together experts and community in a celebration of circular design.
Clothing the Loop is part of the 2026 Craft + Design Canberra Festival.
Tickets have launched!
Upgrade to our exclusive VIP experience and enjoy pre-show drinks and canapés, along with intimate opportunities to meet the designers and choreographers, and learn about the sustainable stories behind their work.
Featured Designers
Linda Jackson AO
Linda Jackson is a true pioneer and free spirit of Australian Art and Fashion.
Linda studied art, fashion design and photography in Melbourne in the early 1960s and in 1970 left Australia to live in New Guinea and travel through Asia to Paris and London.
Returning to Sydney in 1973, Linda met kindred spirit Jenny Kee and together colourful creativity was their flamboyant force, along with staging Flamingo Park fashion parades that became famous for their energetic amalgamation of art, fashion and music.
Jackson’s label- “Bush Couture” was launched in 1982 from her new studio in Kings Cross. This decade was full of flamboyant inventions and exhibitions: Opal Jewellery and perfume, Cabaret style fashion shows, original handprinted textiles emulating the bush and fluorescent opals.
She has received many accolades for her work, which has been acquired by the Australian National Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria, Powerhouse Museum, RMIT, Art Gallery of NT, Art Gallery of SA and the Queen Victoria Museum Tasmania.
Kelli Donovan is an Australian sustainable and circular fashion designer, artist, educator and ethical fashion pioneer with over 30 years’ industry experience. Founder of Pure Pod and KELI Studio, she champions creative approaches to sustainability, circular design and textile innovation. Kelli creates fashion, installations and sustainable costumes, including collaborations with the Australian Dance Party. Through workshops, events and shared coordination with ADP in the Clothing the Loop festival, she connects fashion, art and performance to inspire positive change and a more circular future for the industry.
Blaklabel Dreaming is a First Nations fashion and design label founded by Wiradjuri artist and designer Kristie Peters. My work is grounded in culture, Country, family and storytelling, transforming my original artwork into contemporary fashion that celebrates identity and creates meaningful connections between culture, creativity and design.
My latest collection, Yiramiilan × Yirawulin, draws inspiration from Country’s journey from sunrise to sunset. Yiramiilan represents sunrise — first light, hope, renewal and new beginnings — while Yirawulin represents sunset — reflection, connection and honouring the journey travelled.
Together, the collection tells a story of movement through the day, reminding us that from first light to last light, Country is always speaking.
For me, circularity is also about valuing what already exists, respecting materials and extending the life of garments. It is about creating thoughtfully today while carrying respect and responsibility forward always.
Corella & Crow is a First Nations fashion label founded by Wiradyuri artist and educator Rechelle Turner and Ngunnawal/Wiradjuri artist Megan Daley. Our practice is grounded in Country, culture and story, with each collection exploring how fashion can carry knowledge, connection and responsibility.
Our Madhan (Tree) collection reflects our relationship with trees as living beings, knowledge holders and markers of place, memory and change. Through the collection, we consider not only what we create, but how we create it and the impact our choices have on Country.
Participating in Clothing the Loop with Madhan creates an opportunity to share a collection where cultural practice and sustainable design sit together. Our work asks audiences to think differently about clothing: to slow down, consider where materials come from, value what is already around us, and recognise that our choices have consequences beyond the garment itself.
At the heart of Corella & Crow is a simple principle: create with care, use what we have, honour story and culture, and remain accountable to Country.
Dissonance is a fashion label grounded in thoughtful design, conscious craftsmanship and a commitment to creating garments that stand the test of time. Our approach is rooted in the belief that fashion should be beautiful, considered and responsible—not disposable.
We prioritise high-quality, natural-fibre fabrics in our designs, selecting materials for their comfort, durability and ability to age gracefully. Natural fibres can offer a beautiful connection to the way a garment feels and wears over time, while quality construction ensures each piece is made to be enjoyed for years, rather than seasons.
Fia Lucia is a Blue Mountains-based slow fashion label founded by emerging designer Sophia Long, creating small-batch and one-of-a-kind womenswear from reclaimed, vintage, pre-loved and deadstock textiles. Fia Lucia explores the relationship between fashion, material and personal expression.
Fia Lucia’s design principles focus on material-led design, creativity, durability and low-waste construction. Sewing patterns are created and adapted to work with existing textiles wherever possible, reducing unnecessary waste.
For Fia Lucia, sustainable design is about more than just the materials we use. It is about questioning the systems and habits of fast fashion and considering how clothing can be made, valued and worn differently. Each garment is made slowly in the Blue Mountains by Sophia, with an emphasis on thoughtful construction, existing materials and creating pieces that say something.
Clarrissa Fugill - Winner of the 'Creative Talent of the year' award in 2025 - is the proud Noongar Gamilaraay descendant behind Harrys Clarry.
The brand was born from the inspiration of her Partenal grandmothers love of sewing and the love of having one of kind clothing & accessories. This love began from a young age op shopping with her Mama finding clothes no-one else had.
She combines both heritages and her passion for sustainability in her creating style. Up-cycling 2nd hand clothing and textiles into new pieces.
Healing connection to culture and breaking cycles through art.
Magenta Fox is a brand new fashion label by Sydney designer April Sharratt. With a background spanning decades in fashion and styling, April brings her love of colour, texture and beautiful prints, creating unique pieces. Her collection includes Mongolian and Icelandic sheepskin, naturally sourced and ethically produced using natural dyes.
For summer, Magenta Fox is expanding into one of a kind pieces made from reworked vintage scarves and pre loved textiles, embracing circular fashion and giving beautiful vintage pieces a new life.
Magenta Fox is unapologetically for people who don’t want to blend in.
Neo3DT
Our couture pieces explore the future of sustainable fashion through zero-waste pattern cutting, modular construction and digital patterning. From wearable art garments to sculptural fashion pieces, each design challenges conventional production methods while celebrating innovation, craftsmanship and circular design. Neo3DT couture is created for those who believe fashion can be both extraordinary and responsible.
Braidwood based, Saloon Design House is fashion with a difference. Owner, designer and dressmaker Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano has worked in the fashion and theatre costume industry for over 30 years. A valued mentor and champion of ethical fashion production; her brand Saloon Design House embodies these design disciplinaries. Thoughtful production is at the forefront and Dena lends her hand and heart into every piece. Saloon encompasses community with local models and collaborations; photo shoots celebrate life in the rural town of Braidwood.
Liberty prints, bold colours, and universal fabrics, are imbued with authenticity- bringing together the Saloon cultural melting pot.
Saloon’s trademark is femininity and strength. This summer I will be up-cycling samples from previous collections, using offcuts and juxtaposing my classic styles with a twist of vintage fabrics and hand painted designs. I look forward to showcasing at 2026 Clothing the loop.
At the heart of every Treee Rose Revival creation is a carefully curated archive of more than 5,000 preloved, vintage and antique tablecloths, doilies, linens and lace trims, collected over 40 years. Inspired by her precious grandmother’s collection of antiques from an early age, Sarah Baker channels her love of unique textiles into every garment. Rather than allowing these beautiful fabrics to be forgotten or end up in landfill, she reloves them into one-of-a-kind treasures that celebrate craftsmanship, history and slow fashion.
Every piece begins with a rescued fabric, carrying its own story through intricate embroidery, handwork and natural signs of age. Each is individually selected, restored where necessary and reimagined into flattering designs that honour its original beauty while creating something entirely new. Because no two vintage textiles are identical, every garment is unique and designed as a future heirloom.
Rosalei Buchecker has a passion for fashion.
This collection is made and sold at The Green Shed Underground in Civic using exclusively items that have been dropped off or discarded.
Fifi Hopkins is a passionate and experienced actor, director, lecturer, filmmaker, and costume designer, with a multifaceted background that spans both stage and screen. Her work blends deep performance insight with a sharp eye for visual storytelling, underpinned by years of hands- on experience in both creative direction and production execution.As a costume designer and maker, she brings strong technical skills and an intuitive understanding of character, movement, and narrative. Her designs are known for their precision, emotional resonance, and storytelling power. She has a proven ability to enhance production values through garments that reflect both world-building and internal transformation.
Her style, both in performance and design, is characterised by intensity, sensitivity, and meticulous attention to detail. With a commitment to storytelling that challenges, engages, and inspires, continues to create meaningful and innovative work that bridges mediums and communities.
Thank you to the sponsors of clothing the loop
Major Sponsors
Media Partners
Festival Partners
Accomodation Partners
