A haze of smoke sweeps the concrete walls of an industrial studio in Marrickville. Behind the smoke is a wink of silver, a strut of baby pink, a shiny flash of metallic pumps adorned with gleaming pearls. It may seem odd to shoot Miu Miu – the youthful, feminine darling of luxury fashion – against a stone-grey backdrop, but the marriage of edge and elegance is nothing new to the brand.

Let’s Dance is an ode to contemporary femininity and its liberating subversions. Muses Lisa (IMG) and Tamara (Kult) are draped in sequins and velvet – their faces brushed with pops of red and pink – and yet their stances are both empowered and playful, conscious and dynamic. As young First Nations women modelling for a globally renowned brand, they resemble the promising future of the fashion industry – so we chatted to them about modern womanhood, empowerment through fashion, and their hopes for the future.

On who they are

LISA: My name is Lisa Fatnowna and I am a proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Woman. I grew up on Gimuy Walabara Yidinji Country (Cairns) and made the move to Gadigal Country (Sydney) to pursue my modelling journey. Both of my grandfathers (maternal and paternal) are Kuku Yalanji from Port Douglas/Mossman. My grandmothers are from the Torres Straits: Moa Island (paternal) and Ugar (maternal).

TAMARA: My name is Tamara Licastro, I’m twenty years old and I identify as an Aboriginal woman. I’ve been modelling for a year and absolutely love it as I enjoy fashion, beauty, and photography. I hope to continue to model as long as possible as it has helped me step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself to become more self-confident. I also currently study a social science degree at university – I love learning about new subjects and topics which I hope I continue to do so even after I finish my current degree.

On the meaning of femininity

LISA: To me, femininity defines a strong, powerful woman with a great voice. After decades of serving men, we’ve grown to become the real women we are. We are risk takers, we are tough, and we can dominate. We are creators, we are contributors, and we empower each other.

TAMARA: It means embracing who I am, accepting all my flaws and insecurities and fully loving the person I see in the mirror – not only my physical self, but my whole, entire being. It’s about stepping into my true potential and power, and challenging myself to new heights in order to grow as a person.

On fashion, and how it makes them feel

LISA: Fashion gives me such a blast of energy. Meeting and working with incredible teams and creating with brands make me feel like I’m living the dream. But it’s important to recognise that fashion can also have a negative impact on people, too. There wasn’t much industry exposure or awareness of the First Nations people of this land, and it seems to have picked up due to the BLM movement that occurred in North America back in 2020. Racial profiling and racism continue to happen today, and it happens in the fashion industry within brands and retail work. We are finally looking in the right direction but there is more work to be done.

TAMARA: Fashion makes me feel empowered and confident – it gives me a way to express both my femininity and masculinity. Being able to express both sides are very important to me. Fashion has definitely helped me step out of my comfort zone and try different styles in order to discover who I am, and who I strive to be.

On the future of fashion

LISA: The future of fashion will be one hundred percent diverse. We will finally be embracing all colours, shapes, and sizes – and I’d love to contribute by representing myself and my culture.

TAMARA: I believe that it will be non-binary, with many stores breaking free of the separation of men and women’s clothing – which I will love to see, as there are many men who wear feminine clothing and women who wear masculine clothing. I think this separation will allow people to be more comfortable in expressing their true selves, helping them feel more accepted whilst wearing what they want to wear. This, in turn, will push others outside their own comfort zone.

Lisa and Tamara’s responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Creative Director / Photographer: Daniel Hanslow Video / Astrophe Editor-In-Chief: Simone Taylor Stylist: Coco Van Dijk Hair and Make-Up: Liz Tieu Talent: Lisa (IMG), Tamara (Kult) Writer: Cheyenne Bardos Location: Culture Machine Studios

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