Top 5 Native American Fashion Designers' Sites to Visit Now

What are some of the coolest online Native American fashion stores to scope out while you're surfing the web? We've compiled a short list of our favorite sites that we'd like you to check out now: they feature awesome fashion, from chic streetwear to luxe leather accessories to some fabulous and fancy higher-end pieces.

While we only spotlight 5 designers below, you can view a much larger selection at this link. Also, feel free to share your favorite Native-owned fashion shops in the comments section below to help spread the love!

Idyllwild Fashion Show | Native Couture in California

I am pleased to announce that I have been working with the great folks at Idyllwild Arts Academy on producing a high end fashion show that will serve as the finale event for their Native American Arts Festival Week.

The week-long festival held in Idyllwild, California, is designed to enhance and add depth to the academy's hands-on arts workshops, and includes performances, a lecture series, art exhibits, and informal discussions with artists, tribal elders and scholars.

Beyond Buckskin Lookbook

Beyond Buckskin is proud to announce that we are publishing a high-quality book to spotlight Native American-made fashion as it has never been seen before.

In this new and exciting book, over seventeen designers represent the Northwest Coast, Southwest, Northern Plains, California, Plateau and Southeastern Native American adornment legacies in contemporary fashion designs that range from high end couture to casual streetwear, and accessories and a range of jewelry.

Top 12 in Native Fashion for 2012

2012 was an amazing year for Native American-made fashion.

We saw designers taking home big awards, collaborations developed, tons of fashion shows all over the continent showcased designers from throughout Indian Country, some important new projects were launched, and Native pride was felt and seen through the items we wore on various significant events and rallies.

Now let's begin the Beyond Buckskin list for the Top 12 in Native Fashion for 2012.

Lookbook Shoot Behind the Scenes

2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Beyond Buckskin!

I have spent the past couple weeks traveling, and we just wrapped up a stunning photoshoot in downtown LA and in the Angeles National Forest.

Organized and styled by Bethany Yellowtail (Crow/Northern Cheyenne), the images were shot by Thosh Collins (Pima/Osage) and spotlighted Native models Martin Sensmeier (Tlingit) and Blake Sisk (Osage).

BB Facebook | Best of September

I post a lot of fashion news on the Beyond Buckskin Facebook Fan Page. It's a great way to share info quickly without having to prep and write an entire post on it.

However, if I only post it to Facebook, well, Facebook has a tendency to swallow good images, links to articles or videos. And who wants to do all that scrolling to dig it up again?

So I've started a 'Best of' post for each month where I highlight some of the coolest images, the most interesting articles, the biggest misappropriators, and the neatest videos. So, now that we're a week into October, it's safe to look back at September and pick out some good ones, so, fashionistas, here you go:

BB Facebook | Best of August

I post a lot of fashion news on the Beyond Buckskin Facebook Fan Page. It's a great way to share info quickly without having to prep and write an entire post on it.

However, if I only post it to Facebook, well, Facebook has a tendency to kind of 'swallow' good images, links to articles or videos in the sense that, in general, we don't really want to go through all the scrolling to dig it up again.

So I'm going to start doing a 'Best of' post for each month where I highlight some of the coolest images, the most interesting articles, the biggest misappropriators, and the neatest videos. So, now that we're a week into September, it's safe to look back at August and pick out some good ones, so, fashionistas, here you go:

Runway to Congress Show

In case you missed it!- Here's the article that was published in ICT about the Runway to Congress event held in Montana at the end of March.

Mariah Watchman of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ Boosts Crow Congressional Candidate 
By Adrian Jawort 

Jason Ward kicked off his 2012 election in style, with a little help from Indian country’s next top model. Ward, a Crow tribal member, wanted the March 24 “Runway to Congress” fashion show fundraiser event in Billings, Montana to not only highlight his initial foray into the political arena, but showcase how one could use Native heritage as a source of strength and inspiration.

B.Yellowtail Fashion Show presented by Wood Event Planning, Winnipeg

To end the annual Manitoahbe Weekend last November, Wood Events Planning hosted a fashion show and party featuring Los Angeles-based fashion designer Bethany Yellowtail.

Dubbed 'The Finale,' Yellowtail launched her new Fall/Winter 2010 collection while Thosh Collins streamed the event live via Ustreaming. Three other photographers were in attendance along with a couple of videographers. Boogey the Beat, Team Rezofficial and DJs Hectic and D Lo provided musical entertainment and background beats for the fashion show.

Wood Event Planning is headed up by Amberae Wood, an Oji-Cree model from Garden Hill First Nation in northern Manitoba. Her mission is to incorporate professionalism, quality, and integrity into the event-planning process to create energetic and first rate events that are successful and beneficial to the participants and clients.

Check out Yellowtail's website and my previous Designer Profile post on her.

November 2010: Upcoming Native Fashion Events!

Check out these upcoming Native fashion events happening throughout (Urban) Indian Country! (click on the pink links for more information about each event):

Native Fashion with Social Action Fashion Show in Los Angeles
Red Nation is the New Glam - Nov 3-9, 2010: more info coming soon.
Since 2005, Red Nation Film Festival The Authentic Voice of American Indian Indigenous Cinema has presented exclusive screenings, Oscars nominated films, spirit award nominated films, Native Women in Film & Television presentations, as well as a fashion show (Native Fashion with Social Action, Red Nation is the NEW Glam), all under the commitment to keeping American Indian image at the forefront of the entertainment industries and the world at large.

Martini Couture in Scottsdale
On November 5, Martini Couture (by Dii Martin of the Navajo Nation) will be featured during the annual Scottsdale Fashion Week. She will also be a part of an upcoming fashion show at the Heard Museum in Phoenix on November 20 (more info to come).

Patricia Michaels in New Mexico
Taos fashion designer Patricia Michaels has been busy with a photo shoot in Taos for ELLE France featuring her PM Waterlily Designs. She also will be participating on Nov. 6 in a fashion show and fundraiser for New Mexico Tribal Libraries at Isleta Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Native Model Studio Fashion Show in Winnipeg
NMS is hosting their annual Pink Party on November 6, featuring performance by various Native DJs and performers, and a fashion show with designs by Disa Tootoosis, Sho Sho Esquiro, Swirling Winds Design, Turquoise Soul, and Ruby Feathers.

Bethany Yellowtail in Winnipeg
On November 7, Wood Events Planning is hosting a Fashion Show featuring Los Angeles fashion designer B.Yellowtail, who will be launching her new Fall/Winter 2010 line while being shot live by Thoshography. The party will also feature Native DJs and singers - so check it out!

Designer Profile | Bethany Yellowtail

(Hair: Andres Copeland - Make up: Marisol Garcia - Photos: Thoshography)

B.Yellowtail Designs
Born and raised in southern Montana, Bethany Yellowtail is a proud member of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Tribes. Her Indian name is Ammaakealachehiibaachilakacheesh “Overcomes through Faith.”

Yellowtail attended college at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) where she was recognized for her talents and skills. A member of Phi Theta Kappa, Presidents List, and being nominated for FIDM’s prestigious “fashion designers award,” she graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Her fashion is inspired through her love for her native culture and european Haute Couture as well as mainstream high-end women's wear. An ultra contemporary infusion of native craftsmanship best describes Yellowtail's workmanship. The style is classy and sophisticated while still being edgy and sexy. Using only high quality fabrics and craft, every B.Yellowtail design is veraciously constructed.

At this time Yellowtail resides in Los Angeles, California where she is developing her own label and working as a freelance fashion designer. She specializes in custom designs, and women’s wear including, bridal, cocktail, and evening dresses.

[note: the first dress design above is inspired by the Plains Indian warrior bone breast plate]

[from carbonmade, for contact information click here]

[listen to a podcast interview with Bethany Yellowtail here (note: the first 5 mins are confusing... hang in there!)]