Mainie: Celebrating the World’s Oldest Continuous Living Culture

Mainie is more than a collection of beautiful scarves, it is a mission to share Australia’s extraordinary Indigenous cultural heritage with the world through timeless wearable art.

Launched in Cairns, Far North Queensland, in 2015, Mainie is a distinctively Australian Aboriginal fashion label.

From the very beginning, the brand has embodied three trademark features: LUXURIOUS – AUTHENTIC – UNIQUE. 

Luxurious

Mainie sources only the finest materials: premium-quality silk, vegan-friendly Modal, and Woolmark-certified Australian Merino wool. Our signature silk and wool pieces are hand finished, ensuring unparalleled quality and artisanship.

Authentic

What sets Mainie apart is its exclusive use of traditional Aboriginal art designs. All designs are ethically acquired in accordance with the Indigenous Art Code, ensuring that Aboriginal artists receive fair compensation and legal protection for their work.

Unique

The Mainie collection showcases traditional Warlpiri Aboriginal women's designs from the remote Tanami Desert region. These artworks, acquired from the renowned Warlukurlangu Art Centre, depict ancient Dreaming stories passed down through generations of storytellers over tens of thousands of years.

Preserving Cultural Heritage

The Warlukurlangu Art Centre provides a gathering place where Warlpiri women of all generations come together to share and preserve their time-honoured stories. Mainie collaborates with different generations of these women’s families to feature their designs, creating wearable art that celebrates their enduring cultural legacy.

Desert Rain: A Story of Connection

One standout design, Desert Rain, is inspired by the Water Dreaming story. Created by Bessie Nakamarra Sims, who experienced her first encounter with Europeans on her ancestral homelands, this piece symbolises resilience and connection to the land. Designs by Bessie’s daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter are also featured in the Mainie collection.

Empowering Artists

Mainie’s licensing agreements ensure artists retain copyright to their original works, receive royalties for each piece sold and have access to a sustainable income stream. This supports the economic empowerment of Aboriginal women and preserves their cultural heritage for future generations.

A Meaningful Celebration

Every Mainie scarf is more than a fashion accessory, it’s a celebration of the survival of the world’s oldest living culture, spanning over 65,000 years.

Indigenous Owned and Accredited

Founded by Gunggari Aboriginal woman, Charmaine (Mainie) Saunders, Mainie Australia is a Supply Nation Verified Indigenous-owned business and an Indigenous Art Code member.

Discover the timeless beauty of Mainie’s fashion collection at mainie.com.au