Paul Frank Presents....!

Paul Frank, in partnership with the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA), is pleased to announce the debut of its first ever collaboration with four Native American designers during Santa Fe Indian Market this week. The fashion collection will be showcased during a panel and event held at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Friday, August 16 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The “Paul Frank Presents” collection will also be available for purchase at the IAIA MoCNA store.

Beyond Buckskin x Homeskillet Fest

Greetings from Alaska! I am sitting here at a table next to a window overlooking the ocean. A cruise ship is docked, and tourists are exploring the small town of Sitka on this cool summer day. Smithsonian Magazine recently named Sitka as one of the best small towns in American to visit in 2013.

“There are photo ops galore at the Sitka National Historical Park, site of the last major battle between Europeans and Native Americans on the Pacific Coast,” writes Smithsonian author Susan Spano.

Paul Frank x Native Designers

The Paul Frank x Native Designers collaboration has been finally officially announced.

While I am undeniably thrilled about the announcement and all that it represents, the press release failed to mention the various factors that led to this collaboration, which is an incredibly important aspect of this story.

Last September, the lifestyle brand Paul Frank hosted a "powwow"-inspired fashion event that featured some questionable party favors and activities. You can read about it here and here.

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.

Paul Frank Update | Jan 2013 and Beyond

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've written for the blog! (there's legit reasons for this, I swear). But I wanted to give you guys a big update on the Paul Frank collaboration with Native American designers.

Last Friday, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Paul Frank Industries headquarters located in Los Angeles. It was a meeting that included the director of licensing, the manager of public relations, the marketing manager, the VP of design, and one of the four Native designers selected for this collaboration.

RAIN: Virgil Ortiz x Kenneth Johnson

Cochiti Pueblo artist and fashion designer Virgil Ortiz teamed up with jewelry designer Kenneth Johnson (Muscogee/Seminole) to create the stylish and modern RAIN Jewelry Collection.

The RAIN Collection is a bold unisex jewelry line of necklaces, earrings and cuffs that feature symbols from the natural elements that Ortiz uses to create his pottery. These designs can be seen on the VO signature sterling silver cuffs, which feature symbols of water, sun and the wild spinach plant that is required to prepare the black paint Ortiz uses to create the geometric designs on his clay works - and are actually reflected in the geometric designs themselves.

Chippewow Blossoms | BBB x Mea B'Fly Collab

I have a really cool job. I get to work with Native American fashion designers and artists on a daily basis. I'm hardly an artist, but their creativity inspires me more than they'll ever know.

A couple weeks ago, I was on the phone with one of the artists represented on the Beyond Buckskin Boutique site. Her name is MaRia and she heads up the super fresh Native-centered small jewelry business known as Mea B'Fly. She had an idea to do a collaboration with Beyond Buckskin for an exclusive earring design.

Angela DeMontigny Designs Fear Chaser Outfit

What do you get when you mix a Chinese actor and artist with a Native American fashion designer? Well, we will have to wait a bit to see the full results, but here is a sneak peak.

Native fashion designer Angela DeMontigny recently teamed up with Ayi Jihu for Jihu's project, Fear Chaser.

Fear Chaser is the story of a woman who, after being hit by a comet, is able to see and combat her own fears and those of others. Fear Chaser fuses animation, art, video and photography with music and expression to explore relationships with fear through the eyes of Ayi Jihu.

Jihu has been working with writers to create the Fear Chaser short story and movie, to be released this summer.

Navajos, Rodeos, Levi's and Pendleton

It's like a recipe for awesomeness.

Over a year ago, Levi's teamed with Pendleton to create a line of denim/blanket gear (sounds funky when I word it like that), and then they crewed up with Vice Magazine to present a documentary titled "Bares, Broncs and Bulls, Ranching and Riding in the Desert of the Southwest with the Hardest Working Navajo Kids Around."

Gong Mukluks

Activist artist Louie Gong teams up with Manitobah Mukluks to produce a special line of Northwest Coast-themed mukluks and moccasins.

Gong has been creating shoe art for the past couple years, making his mark on Vans sneakers in the form of Custom Coast Salish and Northwest Coast style shoes since 2009. You can check out his Eighth Generation website for more information on all his latest accomplishments and creative projects.

The two footwear options offered as part of the collab will feature a hand-etched Thunderbird design created by Gong and placed onto the Manitobah Mukluks' traditional Gatherer style shoe.

Fashion Leaders Bridge Cultural Divides at NOMAD Two Worlds

(Fashion designer Donna Karan, Australian Nyungar elder Dr. Richard Walley, and photographer Russell James pose on the red carpet during the NOMAD Two Worlds gallery premiere. James collaborated with many Australian, Native American, and Haitian artists to bring the L.A. collection to reality.)

Fashion Leaders Bridge Cultural Divides at NOMAD Two Worlds
(Adapted from an article by Katherine Peach/Special to LAist)

The fashion world merged with the deep cultural background of Australia's Indigenous heritage to create a show of modern music, art and fashion. The politically charged exhibit NOMAD: Two Worlds embodied the positive message of Reconciliation from the ashes of a tragic cultural devastation.

The collaborative exhibition focused on the cultural divide experienced by Australia’s Indigenous people, a reality witnessed by fashion photographer and Australian native Russell James. The exhibit featured art, music and film that James has worked with for more than a decade.

Heard Indian Market 2011 - Doug Miles & Susan Folwell

Blood & Dirt
Check out this cool Heard Market collaboration -

Santa Clara potter Susan Folwell and Apache/Akimel O’odham artist Douglas Miles (of Apache Skateboards) teamed up to create some truly unique collaborative work that experimentally combines street art with traditional Pueblo pottery.

Donna Karan Collaborates with Australian Artist

(Nomad: Two Worlds photography exhibit)

Donna Karan does it again! -

Back in 2002, New York fashion giant Donna Karan collaborated with Cochiti fashion designer Virgil Ortiz to create garments that fused her tailoring with his pottery designs. Now, she has collaborated with artist Clifton Bieundurry, a Walmajarri artist from the central Kimberley region of Australia, on 10 one-of-a-kind batik-print cashmere-and-silk scarves.

(Donna Karan and Virgil Ortiz collaboration)

(Donna Karan/Clifton Bieundurry scarf)

The collaboration is part of a larger art exhibit called "Nomad: Two Worlds" which features the art of Australian photographer Russell James who partnered with Indigenous artists to create new works of art.

About the Nomad show, Karan said, "To experience the spirit of these people, to see and feel the craft and wisdom of their traditions, is to understand why we must bring their artistry to the world. We must illuminate, educate and raise awareness while cultures like this still exist."

The show is currently on display in Los Angeles, and Karan will speak in a panel discussion with UCLA professor Jessica Cattelino, and Richard Walley, a Noongar Indigenous Australian elder, on additional topics relating to the challenges faced by Native cultures in the modern world.

Some of the proceeds from sales will benefit Karan's UrbanZen foundation, which helps preserve Native cultures, among other endeavors.

There's two main reasons why I love Donna Karan. First, she collaborates with Indigenous artists and she names them. She doesn't do a generic "oh I'm inspired by the beautiful cultures of Native Americans." She collaborates with individuals, and she gives them credit. Secondly, she supports various programs and organizations that benefit Indigenous peoples. Many non-Native designers profit greatly from their Native-inspired collections, yet they never give back. They continue the colonial legacy of profitting from the packaging and selling of Native cultures. I hope other non-Native designers will follow Karan's lead.

Click here to read more.

The West is Dead Partners with Native Tribes

Ethical denim brand, The West is Dead, has turned its attention to land preservation and the restoration of the bison to the American West.

Produced in Los Angeles, The West is Dead was begun by Kaelen McCrane and Will Cheng. The brand has partnered with 53 Native American tribes to bring back the stock of bison to normal levels. The label will partner each year with organizations who they feel embody their beliefs and goals in protecting and restoring 'the wild west' by donating a percentage of their profits to these organizations, but also by creating public awareness.

The West is Dead focuses on the highest available quality of fabrics and hardware that are also earth-friendly.

Click here to read more.

Patricia Michaels at SWAIA/Legends Show

Changing the Face: Celebrated Female Fashion Designers and Textiles Artists

The fifth and final show of the collaboration between Legends Santa Fe and Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) featured celebrated female fashion designers and textile artists including Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo).

Michaels was the unanimous 2010 winner of the Santa Fe Indian Market's Textiles Classification. Competing against traditional Native textiles, her winning piece signals the ever-expanding possibilities of the ancient art of adornment.

Michaels explained, “Every garment that I make, the fabric and the cut of the garment tells a story. And that’s how I feel Native people can give back to the rest of the world… to share their stories with people in the outside world. Some people do it through pottery, or painting, or jewelry. For me, I just thought, well, somebody can wear it. They can feel [these stories] on their skin.”

(All images below are of Patricia Michaels' fashion designs shot during the Legends/SWAIA event, and are courtesy of Jessica R. Metcalfe and Keith Grosbeck, with special thanks to Michaels and her models):






To read more about Patricia Michaels, check out my designer profile on her, and visit her website.

Also, if you're in the neighborhood, be sure to check out the upcoming Legends show featuring the jewelry of Colin Coonsis (Zuni/Navajo), which opens on November 26, 2010:

Apache Skateboards Teams Up With Volcom

Doug Miles and Apache Skateboards produce some of the freshest of the fresh when it comes to Native streetwear. Apache Skateboards’ latest collaboration is with Volcom to create a new line of clothing for the Fall 2010 Stone-Age Collection.

Colin Provost, Aaron Suski, and Felipe Ortiz trekked out to "Hell's 40 Acres" – a.k.a the San Carlos Apache reservation to shoot photographs for the fall catalogue. Check out these two videos (one released by Volcom, the other was shot and edited by Razelle Benally) for an exciting sneak peek of the collection. Watch here:


Video Shot and Edited by Razelle Benally. Copyright 2009 Red Brigade Films.


Inspired by and designed for skateboarding. Volcom Stone-Age products are only available at select locations. Volcom.com/Stoneage



Check out more about Apache Skateboards on their website or on MySpace or Facebook.

Artist Profile | Breeze and Un3ek

The Heard Museum Indian Art Market is always a fantastic event - I've gone every year since 2005 (that's 6 years in a row!) and I have no intentions of stopping - I love it! It's the second largest Indian Art Market (next to the SWAIA market in Santa Fe in August), but, I think, it's the most creative.

I hope to post some post-Heard Market artist profiles on this thing in the near future, and my first is a profile of my friend Thomas Marcus, aka Breeze.

Along with several other Native/Indigenous artists, Breeze shared some of his artwork at the Protect Ya Neck art show at Barsmith in Phoenix this past weekend.

I snapped a pic of this collaboration, and he explained it on his blog :

This month Tyson Powless of Un3ek Sy5tems and I have worked together to create this new image of Geronimo holding an Ak-47, with a sunburst halo around Geronimo and the assault rifle. The title of the image is "Sacred Soldiers". It symbolizes the intensity that so many people possess deep down in their soul and bones. It also is a tribute to those who have gone on, who at one point in their lives, were fighting for their land and people. As Indigenous peoples (all over the world), we are all proud of where we come from, and at the same time we still defend and fight for our people, and cultural identity, and right to exist in so many forms. -"Our Existence is our Resistance"

Silk screen prints. Hand printed black ink on white Stonehenge archival paper. 22" x 30". Series of 24. Each one is signed and numbered by both artists. $60 each unframed. ***For additional pricing info on framing and out of state shipping please email housebroken285@yahoo.com*** A limited number of black ink on white T's are available also. $20 each. $5 for shipping and handling.