Global Indigenous Beauty Awards 2026: The Winners

Our inaugural Awards brought together Indigenous-led beauty, wellness and fashion brands from Aotearoa, Australia, Samoa, Canada and Alaska. Every entry was scored independently by our panel of Indigenous founders and industry leaders. Ngā mihi nui to every brand who entered, and congratulations to our 2026 winners.

Beauty & Wellness

Best Skincare Product
Bush Medijina, Mini Balm Kit
Anindilyakwa Country, Groote Eylandt, Australia
A 100% Indigenous-owned social enterprise built on the knowledge of Anindilyakwa Elders and women. Its balms are made on Country from wild-harvested bush medicine plants, and every profit goes back into community.
bushmedijina.com.au

Best Haircare Product
Jack59, Restore Shampoo Bar
Canada
Founded by Vanessa Marshall (Cree, Swan River First Nation), Jack59 is a certified B Corp making plastic-free, plant-powered hair bars shaped by Indigenous teachings.
jack59.ca

Best Use of Indigenous Ingredients
Mailelani Samoa Body Care, Oil to Milk Cleanser
Apia, Samoa
Guided by Fa'a Samoa, Mailelani works with local farmers and families and makes its body and face care by hand in Samoa, beginning with a single coconut oil soap in 2000.
mailelani-samoa.com

Innovation Award
Perfume Pod NZ
Aotearoa New Zealand
Creators of New Zealand's first perfume vending machines, making premium fragrance accessible to everyone and showcasing local fragrance businesses.
@perfumepodnz

Youth Founder Award
Te Kahukura Boynton, Māori Millionaire
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea, Aotearoa New Zealand
Te Kahukura founded Māori Millionaire at 18 and now leads a community of more than 60,000. Her book is the first personal finance book by a Māori author.
maorimillionaire.com

Fashion

Indigenous Designer of the Year
Waiapu Road, Jonique Oli
Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Porou, Aotearoa New Zealand
A Māori-owned label celebrating wāhine, whakapapa and identity. The winning Haeata Pleated Dress, meaning "break of dawn", is a one-of-a-kind piece about new life and becoming.
waiapuroad.com

Indigenous Designer of the Year, Silver
Jennifer Younger Designs
Tlingit, Alaska, USA
Jennifer Younger carries traditional formline into contemporary wearable art. Her Metamorphosis Corset, a hand-shaped copper butterfly, is a symbol of transformation and resilience.
jenniferyoungerdesigns.com

Cultural Storytelling Through Fashion
Nichola, Tāwharau Collection
Ngāi Tūhoe, Tainui, Kirikiriroa Hamilton, Aotearoa New Zealand
Named for the Mataatua waka, the Tāwharau Collection is a series of one-of-a-kind upcycled garments painted and printed with stories of protection, identity and transformation.
nichola.co.nz

Best Bridal Collection
Ivonn Bridal Couture, Mana Motuhake
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Kere, Ngāi Te Rangi-koi-anake, Hawke's Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand
Ivonn Aranui created her label so wāhine Māori could see themselves in luxury bridalwear. Mana Motuhake celebrates whakapapa, self-determination and the strength of the modern wāhine.
ivonn.co.nz

From Recognition to Retail

The Awards are the first phase of the Global Indigenous Beauty Collective, a 6-month programme that takes Indigenous brands from recognition, through mentorship, onto shelves at Flying Solo in New York (SoHo) and Paris. Our first New York intake opens 1 November 2026.

The Awards Return in 2027

The Global Indigenous Beauty Awards will be held again in 2027. Categories, entry dates and fees will be announced soon. Follow @globalindigenousbeauty to be the first to know when entries open.

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