Lee’s most up-to-date assortment, titled the “The Dream Weaver,” options shapely attire and tops that double as graphic artwork items; the items are solely hand-woven in an array of brilliant colours, all made utilizing over 5 kilometers of cotton webbing. “Each bit is completely different, and the way lengthy it takes is determined by the supplies and design,” says Lee. Her masterful method to twisting and intertwining materials into wearable designs isn’t a talent she simply discovered by herself: she additionally credit her mentor of over 10 years. “This conventional weaving method was taught to me by Dr. Uncle Ken Thaiday Snr.,” she says. “He has been an unimaginable information, serving to me study and have fun my tradition by way of this follow.”
Photograph: Wendell Teodoro
Every of Lee’s vibrant items are made to order. “They’re daring, sculptural, and infrequently otherworldly in kind,” says Lee. “For me, these items act like armor—embodying power, respect, and a deep connection to my tradition and id.” Consider them much less as on a regular basis garments, and extra as wearable artwork. In actual fact, The works are so placing, that Lee expanded them right into a particular artwork exhibition, debuted eventually yr’s Brisbane Pageant, titled The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace. “The exhibition featured eight ethereal shields and armors, every representing a give attention to my totem, Koysemer (moth), symbolizing transformation and the everlasting connection to my ancestors,” she says. “The works had been [photographed] on the salt flats of the Gangalidda Garawa individuals’s land. I collaborate intently with native fashions, working collectively to deliver these creations to life by embodying the follow itself.”
For Lee, her singular weavings are usually not solely created to supply daring style statements. “I’m now passing on this information by coaching different weavers to work on this bespoke technique, which not solely preserves but in addition strengthens our cultural heritage,” she says. “I see it as an vital and significant solution to deliver individuals collectively and hold our traditions alive.” Lee additionally hopes her one-of-a-kind designs will change individuals’s perceptions round Indigenous design. “My designs intention to push boundaries, creating an area the place Indigenous cultures are usually not simply included however celebrated, and the place style turns into a car for cultural expression and empowerment.”
