Artist Profile | Nathalie Waldman

The exquisite and beautifully hand-crafted purses made by Nathalie Waldman are both raw and enchanting. Nathalie is a member of the Dene First Nation Dogrib Tribe located in the Northwest Territories of the far north part of Canada, and her Native American heritage informs her artistic techniques and inspires the bags she creates.

She selects natural hide and leather that exhibits character – pieces that reference nature and its gifts.

Sho Sho Esquiro | 2013 Collection

Our phone conversation began like most of our conversations: a quick dish about all the recent rad things that our Grammas said or did. While it might be common for Native American or First Nations designers to spend a lot of time with our grandparents, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it is probably not the case for most Canadian or American fashion designers.

For Kaska Dene and Cree fashion designer Sho Sho Esquiro however, lots of good quality Gramma time sits at the core of who she is as a person, and her recent collection (which she dubs her "Grown Up Collection") is clearly influenced by a sense of maturity and a reflection on the past. Traditional Dene and Cree beadwork, shellwork, and sealskin all find their way into her garments as elegant and thoughtful details.

Artist Profile | Nathalie Waldman

My friend Nathalie Waldman recently started making and selling hand-made leather purses that were inspired by her Dene heritage - she is a member of the Dene First Nation Dogrib Tribe located in the Northwest Territories.

Her bags are embellished with long flowing fringes, beaded rosettes, and fasteners made of silver, bone, and shell. Most of the purses have adjustable straps that can be detached, allowing the purse to be hooked to the belt loops on your jeans. They come in colors ranging from very bold (hot pink, turquoise, and purple), to more subdued or natural hues (such as tan, white, brown, and black).