Miss Canada and the Free Bin

Well, I was hoping this wasn't true, but alas, Miss Canada, Paola Nuñez, wore this lil "Totem Pole" number for the Miss Universe Preliminaries held two days ago in Las Vegas. The pageant will be televised live on Sunday, Dec 20, on FOX.

The past costumers for Miss Canada seem to have an identity crisis of sorts, not really knowing how to authentically represent their unique national identity in a flamboyant soundbite of an ensemble.

What makes Canada unique? In the past, they've featured Mounties, maple leaves, and even hockey sticks, but they always come back to old standby: "the Native."

Announcing the #GoNative Winners!

The #GoNative campaign has officially ended, but a lot of us will continue the #GoNative trend and wear Native American-made fashion everyday!

It's a way to stand out, be unique, and support artists. If you're Native American, it can mean more - it's a way to express pride in your heritage and continue a beautiful legacy.

Our top five winners racked up well over 200 Likes each, and some even over 300. Our winner, a surprise perhaps (?!), cashed in over 400 Likes on Facebook!

Designer Profile | Derek Jagodzinsky

Sleek fabrics, classic silhouettes, and an infusion of Cree culture are the hallmarks of LUXX ready-to-wear garments made by fashion designer Derek Jagodzinsky, a member of the Whitefish First Nation.

Jagodzinsky graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Design degree, and went on to intern in New York with fashion designer Michael Kaye Couture. These experiences, Jagodzinsky explains, provided him with the opportunity to not only refine his skills in couture, but also to understand the business side of fashion from an international perspective.

LUXX clothing is produced in Edmonton, and is handmade in small quantities to ensure quality craftsmanship.

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.

Flashback Friday | Turtle Concepts and Creating Mechanism of Persistence

Two years ago I had the great opportunity to attend the annual Canadian Aboriginal Festival held in Ontario. In conjunction with the large powwow, Turtle Concepts hosts a fashion show to highlight First Nations fashion designers.

Headed up by Dave Jones of the Garden River First Nation, Turtle Concepts has hosted the Fashion Pavilion at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival for over a decade.

Designer Profile | Jamie Gentry

Jamie Gentry is a member of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation located in British Columbia. She is a mother of three boys and the brains behind the children's clothing company, Love In Everything.

She makes one-of-a-kind children's clothes and baby items that fuse her Native cultural background with upcycled or recycled fabrics, making each item unique. She also brings in a nice dose of enviro-consciousness with her selection of eco-friendly (and skin friendly!) organic materials.

NAFW12 | Review: Looking Forward

Last Thursday I had the great opportunity to attend the first ever National Aboriginal Fashion Week held in Regina. For a more positive review, click here. If you're not into constructive criticism, this post isn't for you.

But if you're interested in hosting a Native fashion event in the future, or being a part of one, and want some tips, keep on reading. Hopefully this is semi-constructive (that's the hope!).

Aboriginal Business Woman of the Year

It's always cool to see Native people succeeding - and here is a story about a Metis woman who started up a fashion boutique in 2007. It has been a great success, featuring and selling only Canadian-made clothing and accessories by emerging designers - very cool! She's an inspiration for me as I look to launch the Beyond Buckskin Boutique in just a couple weeks! Click below to read her story and check out her site.

Exhibit | Fashionality: Dress and Identity in Contemporary Canadian Art

An upcoming exhibit at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection focuses on fashion and identity in Canada. Guest curated by Julia Pine, Fashionality: Dress and Identity in Contemporary Canadian Art, will be on display May 5 to September 3, 2012.

As a newly coined term, 'fashionality' combines fashion, personality, and nationality, and refers to the interplay between clothing, identity, and culture. This exhibit looks beyond fashion and also explores the use of apparel and the act of adornment in the work of twenty-three active Canadian artists.

Beat Nation and Maria Hupfield

One of my favorite artists is Maria Hupfield. I first came to know of Hupfield's work when my friend Amber-Dawn Bear Robe lassoed Hupfield into submitting some art for Red Ink Magazine back in 2005.

Hupfield is of Anishnaabe (Ojibway) heritage, and a member of Wasauksing First Nation, in Ontario. She works with photography, sculpture, installation and performance art. Last August, a group of us were participants in Vestige Vagabond - a public art performance by Hupfield and Charlene Vickers held during the annual Santa Fe Indian Market (left).

At the Edge of Canada: Indigenous Research

When I was in Winnipeg the other week, I was asked to do an interview for the radio show At the Edge of Canada: Indigenous Research, and it was a wonderful experience talking with the host, Dr Robert-Falcon Ouellette, about the exciting world of Native fashion. The interview is available online as a podcast, and you can access it by clicking here or here (and I actually sound semi-intelligent. Rock out!)

Photographer Profile | Nadya Kwandibens

I first came across the photography of Nadya Kwandibens when I was scouting for artists for Red Ink Magazine (left). The issue was going to focus on the loose idea that a Native pop cultural movement was occurring, and we wanted to infuse the issue with visuals that would capture the energy behind this idea. Nadya's work was a perfect match. It was bright. It was contemporary. And it was distinctively 'Indian.'