Behind the label is Taungurung woman Annette Sax. An artist, designer and storyteller, Annette’s work honours her Elders’ cultural knowledges and connects deeply to Taungurung Country and stories. 

Early in her career, under the guidance of Taungurung Elders, Annette learned the art of collecting Ochre & wattle sap -  skills that have become integral to her craft. Wa-ring’s debut collection Nagambii, meaning 'water source,' paid homage to these teachings, with designs transferred onto linen textiles using screen print techniques, incorporating Ochre and campfire charcoal pigments. Nagambii was launched at Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2022 and led to an invitation to create the costumes for The Hum with the Australian Dance Theatre & The Australian Ballet in 2023.

Alongside founding Wa-ring, Annette is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Yarn Strong Sista where she has been championing the representation of Aboriginal culture across the education sector for over 22 years. Both Wa-ring and Yarn Strong Sista’s collections are handmade by Nepalese artists in Kathmandu through a longstanding partnership that supports an Indigenous, Fair-Trade supply chain between Nepal and Australia.