Tyra Howard
Thanks to actresses like Lily Gladstone and models like Quanna Chasinghorse, Indigenous fashion is being thrust into the spotlight. But this isn’t just a passing fad. This unprecedented and long-awaited celebration of authentic Indigenous expression has been millennia in the making and celebrates the long-standing cultural traditions and skills of countless tribal communities.
That diverse creativity was on full display last weekend at the first-ever Native Fashion Week in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Organized by the Southwestern Association of Indian Arts (SWAIA), the nonprofit that also puts on the popular annual Indian Market, the four-day event showcased the work of 17 Indigenous designers, whose collections were worn by 140 models, many of whom are Native American, including Killers of the Flower Moon actress Tantoo Cardinal and Dark Winds stars Jessica Matten and Kiowa Gordon.
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“Fashion and art are mirrors of society, and right now there’s a need for diversity in all fields,” SWAIA curator and fashion producer Amber Dawn Bear Loeb tells ELLE.com. “Our vision is to expand the footprint and representation of Indigenous talent in all aspects of the fashion industry — design, modeling, hair and makeup, production, photography — and inspire people to take that vision seriously.”
Below are five standout collections from Native Fashion Week, featuring designers who paid tribute to the rich cultural traditions of their respective tribal communities.
Leslie Hampton
Tyra Howard
Leslie Hampton is an acclaimed Anishinaabe/Temagami First Nation designer who has dressed actresses such as Lily Gladstone, Tantoo Cardinal and Reservation Dogs’ Devery Jacobs. Her work focuses on body neutrality through an Indigenous worldview. In Hampton’s new Alkaline collection, that worldview takes shape in beaded dresses, pleated maxi skirts and flowing gowns adorned with her trademark feathered florals. “I use my work as a catalyst to discover my multifaceted identity and speak out on socio-cultural issues that lead to conversation, confidence and growth,” says Toronto-based Hampton. “I believe in a fashion system where height, hip size and genetics are not judged before being judged.” The emphasis on inclusivity is reflected in the diversity of models, proving that “high fashion works for any body type.”
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Leslie Hampton Asymmetrical Draped GownLeslie Hampton Feather Floral MaxiLeslie Hampton Alkaline Beaded Dress
Orlando Dugi
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Orlando Dugi, who has been beading since he was six years old, is of Navajo descent and inspired by his Diné traditions. For Dugi, it all comes down to “hojo,” which means beauty, harmony and balance in Diné. Dugi says it’s “ingrained in my culture and ingrained in my work.” His exceptional craftsmanship, fusing traditional techniques with contemporary elegance, is evident in everything he makes, from women’s eveningwear to his recent menswear line, which features versatile tulle tops, silk skirts and knit pants perfect for layering. “This is a critical moment for Indigenous representation,” Dugi says. “Sometimes the only way to secure a place in the industry is to carve it out for yourself, and that’s Dugi’s mission.” [we] did.”
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Orlando Dugi Hozhó Tulle TopOrlando Dugi Pleated Silk SkirtOrlando Dugi Asymmetrical Crop Top
Himi Crow Pamela Baker
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For over 35 years, Pamela Baker of Himikaras has been paying tribute to her Squamish, Tlingit and Musgamak traditions with vibrantly colored couture dresses and ready-to-wear pieces featuring Native American West Coast motifs. She is also on a mission to educate others about her tribal heritage and to boost the confidence of Indigenous youth on the Capilano Indian Reserve in West Vancouver, Canada, where she grew up. Her latest collection celebrates the renowned craftsmanship of her Coast Salish ancestors with intricately detailed dresses, capes and black and white menswear with accents of a color she calls “Indian red,” in honor of her show being held on National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Awareness Day. With each of Baker’s clothes and jewelry, she conveys a singular message: “We’re still here.”
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Himikalas Pamela Baker Sydney Half Zip TopHimikalas Pamela Baker Salish Vivienne ScarfHimikalas Pamela Baker Salish Poncho
Sutai’s House
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Peshawn Bred, a non-binary Comanche, Kiowa and Cherokee filmmaker, creative director and model, recently launched her brand House of Sutai, which means “to bless” in Comanche, to make space for the Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ community in the fashion world. Bred is inspired by “generations of my relatives who have been making clothing for survival, decoration and art for many years,” particularly my great-aunt Josephine Myers Wap, who continued her finger weaving practice until her death at age 102. Their collection for Native Fashion Week was inspired by the disco era. Why? “The ’70s was a time of heightened political resistance where we were fighting for the right to live, so we wanted to create pieces that reflected the clothes Indigenous people would wear at a disco,” they say. “We wanted the collection to visually represent Indigenous joy while celebrating our relatives of all body types, genders and skin colors.”
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House of Style Pearl and Dentalium Necklace House of Style Pearl and Dentalium Copper Choker
Vividus Sports
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With a motto of “A Life Well Done,” Tierra Alicia’s golf-focused Vividus Sports is equal parts fun, functional and feminine. Seattle-based Filipino designer Kasia Pomo launched her brand last spring with a limited-edition runway line that honored her heritage with delicate touches like gemstones and abalone shells. The juxtaposition of street style and high fashion reflects Alicia’s own view of fashion. “I see the world as a great melting pot where every culture and style contributes to a collective beauty,” she says. “In my collection, there are different styles for different types of women, but somehow it all works together in harmony.”
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Vividus Sports Alicia SkortVividus Sports Sara JacketVividus Sports Crystal Polo
Kate Nelson, a member of the Alaska Native Tlingit tribe, is an award-winning writer and editor living in Minneapolis.
