Native Swimwear Australia was co-founded by Natalie and Eli Cunningham in 2012. The couple has grown the label from an idea into a multi-award winning business with Natalie at the forefront.
In 2013, Natalie secured a mentoring opportunity with Jets Swimwear and again in 2021 with Bec & Bridge as part a partnership between
David Jones and the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation’s Indigenous Fashion Projects.
The company is the first Aboriginal fashion label in history to showcase at New York Fashion Week in 2015.
Eli is a Nughi (Moreton and Stradbroke Islands, QLD) and Woorimi (Forster, NSW).
Natalie is from the Nucoorilma/Ngarabal people from Tingha and Glen Innes and Biripi people from Dingo Creek in NSW.
Natalie and Eli's work allows their Aboriginal culture and those of their fellow First Nations people to be celebrated with the world.
The business leaders work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and community groups around Australia to uncover authentic
First Nations artworks for each collection.
The artwork is licensed exclusively to Native Swimwear Australia and the company prints its fabric in Brisbane, Queensland.
The fabric composition is created from recycled marine plastic waste.
An extended team of trusted manufacturers, fabric suppliers, marketers, photographers,
videographers, graphic design artists (and more) support the creation
and commercialisation of each Native Swimwear Australia collection.
The company operates on Gubbi Gubbi Country in the stunning subtropical foothills of the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
with strict ethical values and by doing so has unearthed a bold and determined label,
that positively impacts the people it serves and the businesses it works with.
Natalie’s creative process explores ancient First Nations wisdom told through bold and colour visual prints.
She draws from her natural surroundings to develop unique and empowering pieces for active and poolside glamour including swimwear, resort wear, active wear and accessories.
Each garment has been designed with inspiration from the oldest living culture in the world - the Aboriginal culture -and Natalie’s own experience through motherhood.
Her designs feature clever confidence-boosting support and weaving, as well as UV50+ sun and chlorine protection.
Natalie is a board member of the Queensland Fashion Council and her achievements are significant, they include:
- 2021 David Jones exclusively stocking Native Swimwear Australia
- 2021 Natalie being inducted onto the Queensland Fashion Council
- 2021 Collection showcased at Australian Fashion Week
- 2021 Accepted into the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation's Indigenous Fashion Projects' Pathways Program
- 2021 Finalist of the National Indigenous Fashion Awards
- 2018 Finalist of the Queensland Reconciliation Award
- 2016 Collection showcased at Melbourne Fashion Week
- 2016 Finalist at AIM Leadership Awards
- 2016 Queensland Finalist at the Ethnic Business Awards
- 2015 & 2016 Collection showcased at New York Fashion Week
- 2015 & 2016 Winner Sunshine Coast’s Best Fashion Designer
- 2014 Collection showcased at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival
- 2013 Winner of National Deadly Award for Fashion Design
- 2013 Collection showcased at Australian Indigenous Fashion Week.
Getty Images/@gettyimages photograph taken at AfterpayAustralian Fashion Week 2021