Native Street Style

August 24, 2023 11:58 AM

If the Indigenous community has its version of the Met Gala, this would be it. Inlaid turquoise sunglasses? Don’t mind if I do. AuntieCreations - Lynn Traylor - making the ultimate beaded hat. Goodday, bringing it as always. “When you and your silly jingle chain make it to Vogue.” IndigiGoth looks. On Wednesday we wear pink to the Native Guitars Tour. Your earrings should be bigger. There are ribbon skirts, and then there are ribbon gowns. Raven Bright showing us how to move. Velvet and a wealth of turquoise. It’s the bomber jackets for me.
posted by Bottlecap (17 comments total)

Flagged as fantastic. Thanks, Bottlecap!
posted by MrBadExample at 12:20 PM on August 24, 2023 [2 favorites]

what a gorgeous array of beautiful people, fashions, jewelry!
posted by supermedusa at 12:34 PM on August 24, 2023

Looks like Vogue is finally trying to step into the future, and it's great to see them go beyond Wintor's apology for their long history of active contributions to racism and appropriation (previously). I think this is all the result of Teen Vogue, hell it was only in 2020 that a Vogue created an edition of their magazine where the majority of artists, models and photographers were Black. Consider just this data visualization of the recent history of the Vogue cover models.

So I think it's maybe a bit soon for them to be the ones asking the question "Is Fashion Finally Turning the Page on Cultural Appropriation?". But that article was locked for me so maybe the article covers their own major role in that exact issue, and it's another case of the editor sensationalizing the title.
posted by zenon at 12:44 PM on August 24, 2023 [2 favorites]

Maybe let’s not turn this into a thread about Vogue. I tried to put actual people front and center for the post, and that was purposeful. You’ll note that many of the uncredited designers and people in the vogue article are linked in the post.
posted by Bottlecap at 1:15 PM on August 24, 2023 [14 favorites]

Really loved the Jamie Okuma skirt in the Vogue article so I looked her up on Instagram and her stuff is stunn-i-i-i-i-ing, I don't think it's linked in the post so I'm adding a link here! Great stuff, thank you.
posted by babelfish at 2:03 PM on August 24, 2023 [6 favorites]

Here's a great episode of a great podcast talking about Native Fashion with Jamie Okuma and Dr. Jessica Metcalfe.

[All My Relations Podcast] Ep #8: Native Fashion #allMyRelationsPodcast
https://podcastaddict.com/all-my-relations-podcast/episode/79943644 via @PodcastAddict
posted by kokaku at 2:21 PM on August 24, 2023

omg you are not kidding her work is amazing!!! boooooottttsss
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:21 PM on August 24, 2023 [2 favorites]

I am not very astute and viewing this through a bit of a haze, so I do really appreciate explicitly saying this is not about Vogue & pointing out the issue with them, thank you

Cannot even begin to comment on the art, I need to go look at all these lovely pieces again for a while
posted by Baethan at 3:10 PM on August 24, 2023

I have been to the Indian Market before. If you ever have the chance to go, I can't recommend it enough. There are hundreds of booths, most with museum-quality art and you can talk directly with the people who made it, there are performances, and then there are the satellite exhibits and events. It is serious sensory overload.

I love that this post is highlighting specific people and artists.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:36 PM on August 24, 2023 [4 favorites]

It's a story from last year, but I feel like people who appreciate this stuff would have liked this bit about Wrangell, Alaska, students and their efforts to win $50,000 for their school's art program with some pretty awesome sneakers drawing on the rich history of Tlingit design.

I am fortunate to live in an area where I get to see some pretty excellent fashion pieces based on traditional Alaska Native design. Most are special occasion regalia, but not all. There's a whole lot of awesome creative energy in this region and it finds its expression in a million different ways.
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:56 PM on August 24, 2023 [4 favorites]

Edit window closed on me as I was getting ready to add: another way in which we are fortunate is that, as an area with a significant and active population of indigenous peoples, we are frequently visited by similar groups from elsewhere who come to observe local traditions and share their own.

A memorable example would be the dancers from the Jingle Dress Project, who visited last summer. They had some absolutely incredible designs - stunning when static but really meant to be in motion.
posted by Nerd of the North at 4:10 PM on August 24, 2023 [2 favorites]

The most stunning jacket design I have seen recently is Raven Jewel Jacket from Dorothy Grant. It’s THE red surge, which is a whole thing, features two black ravens and every detail is perfect.
posted by zenon at 7:04 PM on August 24, 2023 [2 favorites]

Thanks for this post! What stunning people and amazing styles! I love chances to see when clothing/fashion is a celebration, a joyful intersection of art, creativity, culture, individual expression, and community.
posted by cnidaria at 7:30 PM on August 24, 2023 [1 favorite]

I follow some of these designers on Insta already but it is nice to see a roundup.

Some less good news from the world of Indigenous fashion: D'arcy Moses lost his home and studio and much of his life's work to an out of control forest fire that burned the entire town of Enterprise, NWT.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:24 PM on August 25, 2023 [2 favorites]

Mod note: [This has been added to the sidebar!]

btw, the bomber jacket link isn't working for me ... if there's an alternative url, let us know in a comment here (and flag) and we'll edit the link.
posted by taz (staff) at 2:17 AM on August 26, 2023

Of relevance to this FPP, SWIAA just announced that they will be launching an annual Indigenous fashion week starting in 2024.
posted by Dip Flash at 12:54 PM on August 26, 2023

Patricia Michaels from New Mexico was a contestant on season 11 of Project Runway (2012) and she made it to the finale, one of the top three showing at NYFW. She was the most distinctive designer to have appeared in 20 seasons since she created most of the textiles she used. It’s more art wear and really outside the parameters of the show. And another Vogue link for her gown at Cannes (scroll down) worn by Tantoo Cardinal.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:55 AM on August 27, 2023 [1 favorite]