Native Fashion Now: Spotlighting and Celebrating a Movement

I think it's fair to say that, when we look at Native fashion, we are experiencing an 'Indigenous spring' moment: for lack of a better phrase, it's an exciting and rejuvenating creative cultural explosion moment. New artists are constantly emerging while more established designers are reaching greater heights. I get to witness it firsthand as I meet fresh faces and celebrate great accomplishments with others. But this moment is part of a longer Native fashion movement. I just returned from the East Coast where I reconnected with over 20 Native American designers who were featured in the new Peabody Essex Museum exhibit, Native Fashion Now, which spans 50 years and includes over 70 designers.

Iris Apfel on Style

Iris Apfel discusses style!

Apfel was the subject of an exhibit a couple years ago at the Peabody Essex Museum. I love fashion exhibits, and I wish I could have caught this one.

The title of the exhibit, Rare Bird of Fashion, really pinpoints this style maven. Inspired by the beauty, creativity, colors, and vibrancy of the fashion designs of the world, Apfel discusses the importance of clothing as an expressive creative process. What I respect about Apfel is the fact that she traveled extensively, learned about diverse cultures, and expressed genuine interest in other definitions of 'fashion' and other concepts of how to decorate the body.