Porsche Centre Adelaide X AFW23

In 2023, as part of the celebrations for Australian Fashion Week, Jade Akamarre partnered with Porsche Centre Adelaide on a landmark project that celebrated both culture and cutting-edge automotive design. Entrusted with reimagining the all-electric Neptune Blue Taycan Cross Turismo through her artistic lens, Jade produced a luminous work titled Atnwengerrp – Dreaming in My Grandmother’s Country.

Over 40 hours of painting went into the piece, translating the car’s sculptural lines, vibrant hues and sense of movement into a Dreaming story that connected Porsche’s spirit of innovation with the deep continuity of Aboriginal culture.

Her signature approach — layers of loose dotting that form flowing linear patterns — evoked an aerial view of her Country, Atnwengerrp in the Utopia region of the Northern Territory. The rich blues drawn from the Taycan created a sense of shimmering energy, while the movement of her dotwork echoed the rhythm of driving across landscape. The result was an artwork that embodied Porsche’s forward-looking dynamism while remaining anchored in cultural heritage and storytelling that has endured for more than 60,000 years.

Alongside the painting, this collaboration — staged during Australian Fashion Week 2023 — became the platform for another milestone: the announcement of Jade’s fashion label, AKAMARRE.

During this launch, Jade revealed that she had been quietly developing her brand behind the scenes and offered an exclusive sneak preview of the first samples she and her creative partners were experimenting with. These early designs hinted at what would become the foundation for the label’s debut — a full denim collection.

Led by head designer Jodia Natapradja, whose background spans luxury fashion, innovative fabric development and architectural tailoring, the range shown included corsets, jeans, dresses and oversized blazers — artful statement pieces that pushed beyond convention. Jodia’s ability to merge refined technical skills with bold, forward-thinking design made her the perfect creative counterpart to Jade. Together, they crafted pieces Jade described as “raw, edgy and sexy,” conceived as modern “power suits” for women.

Designed to empower and to tell stories through fabric as her paintings do through canvas, the samples gave a tantalising glimpse into AKAMARRE’s future. By previewing this new creative venture with Porsche, Jade and Jodia signalled their intent to position Aboriginal creativity not only in galleries but also in the global fashion market.

A passion project at best, this is a process they are not rushing — one that will be launched in due course.

For Jade, this collaboration carried a deeply personal resonance. Porsche wasn’t just a brand she admired — it was part of her life story. At 16, when she first got her licence, one of the very first cars she drove was her father’s Porsche Cayenne. That experience left an indelible mark. The power, precision and design of the car ignited an obsession that has stayed with her ever since, shaping her admiration for the brand.

To now collaborate with Porsche as both an artist and entrepreneur, and to do so on the stage of Australian Fashion Week, was a full-circle moment. It allowed Jade to merge her teenage passion with her cultural practice, weaving her Dreaming stories into the brand she had admired since childhood.

This project not only honoured her family legacy, including her grandmother Barbara Weir and great-grandmother Minnie Pwerle — but also marked the beginning of a new creative chapter. By bridging Aboriginal art, automotive excellence and the upcoming launch of her AKAMARRE label, Jade positioned Aboriginal storytelling alongside global icons of design and innovation.

To view the whole project video is below.