Santa Fe was aglow with Indigenous joy and creativity. Here are some of our favorite trends from this weekend’s SWAIA Native Fashion Week.
The debut of Native Fashion Week happened on a denim carpet and offered a full slate of runway shows, pop-up shops, and exhibits.
An overdue offshoot of the Native Fashion Show during the annual Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) Indian Market in August which has sold out for years, this event ultimately expanded the universe of Native fashion and style.
All-star models and entertainers taking part throughout the events included Tantoo Cardinal of Killers of the Flower Moon, Kiowa Gordon and Jessica Matten of Dark Winds, and Dakota Beavers of Prey, all of whom have respresented Native fashion and designers frequently on Hollywood red carpets in the past.
Fashion Week director Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (Blackfoot/Siksika), who started the Indian Market fashion show in 2014 working out of a truck in Santa Fe's Plaza, hosted a swanky fashion week kickoff party at the Governor’s Mansion to kick off the events. “Why a Native Fashion Week? Indigenous designers are barely a footprint in the mainstream fashion world and fashion academia, yet Native artists are the original couturiers of North America," Bear Robe said. "We don't get more couture than hunting an animal, gutting, then cleaning the intestines to make an exquisitely beautiful, lifesaving, one-of-a-kind couture garment.
“We gather not just to witness history, but to honor the legacy of storytelling, Indigenous pride, and artistic innovation. Native Fashion Week is not just about clothing. It's a powerful expression of Indigenous knowledge, language, identity, and contemporary expression. Each garment, each design carries layers of meaning, fashioned by innovative designers who, with their unique expression and techniques, push boundaries to create new narratives, and sometimes re-interpret time-honored narratives.”
Jamie Schulze and Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Tira Howard)
Sifting through the four-day swirl of activity, we found several trends that stood out.
Natives Supporting Natives
We observed a lot of community spirit, in Native American attendees actively showing support for other Native products and businesses. In every show, designers relied on each other's input and pieces to complete their visions with accessories, shoes, makeup, hair, and skincare folded into many looks. Award-winning designer Patricia Michaels, who closed the show with a gorgeous flow of hand painted silk dresses, used handcrafted moccasins made by Robert Mirabal of Mirabal Mocs, both of whom are from Taos Pueblo. Multicolored with fringe, laces, and appliqués, the high-end, down-to-earth designs complemented Michaels couture.
Vibrant Makeup
Successful makeup entrepreneur Cece Meadows of Prados Beauty, whose line is carried in more than 600 JC Penny stores, said “People all around are using Indigenous business products, not just the fashions, One of the trending things that is going on now is a lot of makeup, very pigmented neon color makeup, a lot of '60s- and '70s-type makeup and eyeliners. In the Indigenous community, it's always about vibrancy with strong eyes and strong red lips.”
Inclusion
Native people come in all shapes, sizes, and genders, so the recognition of that on the runway shows felt like a reflection of the real world — with professional beauty help. Kicking off the event was House of Sutai by Peshawn Bread, which brought out brightly colored graphic outfits with intricate beaded neckpieces featuring pearls and dentalium shells worn by a diverse collection of models. A roller-skating beauty expertly danced the U-shaped length of the platform to a roar of applause as D.I.S.C.O. by Ottawan played. It was a powerful statement of the new and now.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Studio Seven
Jewelry
No Native look is complete without jewelry, and major pieces were on the models, in the crowd, and in the popups. Star jeweler Kenneth Johnson showed his Seminole roots with intricate pieces in silver, featuring turtle designs that graced earrings and pendants. Cody Sanderson is known for his stars in silver. His flashy knuckle-to-knuckle rings were everywhere. Indi City is pushing the length of their acrylic earrings to more than a foot in geometric designs that glitter from earlobes to the waist. Prize for the most daring accessory goes to Helen Oro and her beaded gas mask in orange and silver.
Horsehair
There must be some bald ponies running the range as horsehair showed up in wildly unusual places during fashion week. Jason Baerg had extensions dyed in blue and pink tied into his models' hair, braids, and of course, ponytails. He showed the colored horsehair on bags and earrings. Amber-Dawn Bear Robe wore a large Baerg gold chain necklace with red horsehair dangling from the links.
Ayimach Horizons by Jason Baerg (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Tira Howard)
Canadian and Arctic Designers
With its distinctive look born from geographical necessity, the great white and furry Northern designers showed Arctic looks with sustainable seal fur and fox trim. Warmth and function are the priority as designers take cues from parkas, huge tundra boots and mittens as seen in Victoria’s Arctic Fashion. Clara McConnell of Qaulluq uses arctic fox and seal skin in glossy grey and white on ballgowns, vests, and dresses.
Victoria's Arctic Fashion (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Tira Howard)
Designers in Museums
Beyond the runway, designers' work is being exhibited in major museums. The Wheelwright in Santa Fe and the Metropolitan in New York have both exhibited Jamie Okuma, who is known for her beaded boots and graphic patterned separates. A special exhibit of her outfits was on display from the collection of film producer Jhane Myers (Prey). Patricia Michaels has an exhibit now at the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture.
Jamie Okuma display (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Sandra Hale Schulman)
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