Ariels and Wilson Storage Southern Saints will debut their dress designs on Wednesday night, designed by First Nations artists Teghan Voce and Bayley Mifsud respectively.
They join Casey Demons and Melbourne University Lightning who wore dresses with First Nations designs last year in the inaugural VNL First Nations Round.
Ariels’ dress has been designed by Healesville-based artist Teghan Voce, who is a proud Wiradjuri/Taungurung woman. A talented netballer herself, Teghan’s design represents the connections forged between the members of a netball team.
“The meeting place in the centre is there to represent the team, connecting it as a family. It shows the pathways connecting the team to its community and to all the people that support the team. The mountains and river are there to connect all to the land making everyone feel safe and welcomed on the land,” Teghan said.
Both the Melbourne University Lightning and Wilson Storage Southern Saints dresses were designed by Bayley Mifsud, a proud Kirrae and Peek Wurrong woman of the Gunditjmara nation.
Bayley’s design for the Lightning features journey lines that converge at a central meeting place, highlighting how the journeys of the twelve members of the netball squad have brought them to where they are today.
“The lines exiting the meeting place, however, is where they aspire to go as a team. This bond or unity around the meeting place highlights that, as one, they will be fearless and strong to achieve their desired goals,” Bayley said.
AFLW player Krstel Petrevski designed Casey Demons’ First Nations dress last year, which the club will wear again in this year’s round. Krstel chose to incorporate the history of the club and acknowledge those who have contributed to the Casey Demons in her dress design.
“The footprints on the dress represent the past players and staff that have come through the club. It’s important to recognise the people that have come through because they helped develop the programs, the pathways, and the culture that [Casey] has now,” she said.
"The wedge tail eagle is the creator of Wurundjeri people, and it pays respects and acknowledge to Melbourne, the people and the land in which the club is based on and which we are playing on."
The clash between Casey Demons and Melbourne University Lightning will be livestreamed on KommunityTV.
Interested in seeing more of the artists’ work? You can follow them on Instagram:
- Teghan Voce – @teghanmay_indigenous_art
- Krstel Petrevski – @krstelp_
- Bayley Mifsud – @merindahgunya
