RETROSPECTRUM!: A Style Mixer

What would fashion history look like if Native American designers were consistently represented in mainstream style magazines, department stores and fashion shows?

How would a Hopi designer take 1960s Mod fashion to the next level? How would a Lakota designer add authenticity to '70s hippy style? How would a Navajo designer contribute to Pin-up fashion? And how would a Northwest Coast Haida designer enrich techno culture? What about a Mohawk hip-hop fly-girl stylist? That would be fashion history, to the next level.

Santa Fe Indian Market 2014: Fashion, Style, and Fun Events

In less than a week, my feet will be standing in the beautiful high desert of New Mexico. And by 'standing,' I mean rockin' 4 inch heels with my favorite dress, on my phone, en route to an art or fashion event or meeting with a curator, designer, or friend.. It's time for Santa Fe Indian Market!

This year is particularly special because the Santa Fe Indian Market has the most fashion events it has ever had. This is very exciting. Typically, the fashion events are held on the outskirts of SWAIA's sanctioned booths, but this year we happily see them showcased at the center.

P4xBBB Style Mixer Recap and Musings

I believe that when you combine fashion designers, stylish folks, music, and a space to mingle, magic can happen. And by magic, I mean creativity gets ignited, inspiration is spread, support is affirmed. These elements are critical to maintaining a Native American fashion movement. I'm not the only one who believes this. Beyond Buckskin recently teamed up with Navajo fashion bloggers (and academics, scholars, and professionals) Presence 4.0 to host our second style event in Phoenix during the annual Heard Indian Market.

We were honored to have Jared Yazzie of OXDX Clothing, Kevin Dakota Duncan of Painted Warrior Designs, Sun Rose Iron Shell of Warrior Status, and Nanibaa Beck of Notabove Jewelry in attendance to share their designs with us.

Patricia Michaels Party and Project PM Waterlily

I am writing to you live from Santa Fe where the annual SWAIA Indian Market is kicking off. The days are sunny, mixed in with some dashes of thunder and quick downfalls of much-needed rain in this gorgeous high desert region and the creative energy of Indian Market is filling the atmosphere as we inch closer to the weekend.

I'm meeting with Amber-Dawn Bear Robe who is working with Patricia Michaels and her team to host a fun fashion fundraiser in just 2 days.

Patricia, who placed second in last seasons Project Runway competition, is dead set on getting her designs back to New York for fashion week in September. She showed her work there for the first time in 2009 with a collective of other designers under an initiative by the Unreserved Alliance.

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.

Santa Fe Indian Market 2013 Fashion, Style, and Art Events

It's August. It's one of my favorite months of the year. Summer is in full swing, the sun is high, the days are long, and I'm blasting that Don Henley track an awful lot.

Another reason why I adore August is the fact that the largest gathering of Native American artists occurs during this magical month.

The annual Santa Fe Indian Market, organized by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, brings thousands of artists together for one fabulous and inspiring weekend.

Mea B'Fly July Farewell to Four Designs

In keeping with our mission to bring you the newest and greatest items for the best price, we are making room for new inventory by MaRia Bird (Mea B'Fly) by retiring some of her designs.

Mea B'Fly earrings are a great fusion of the powerful past with the energy of today. Each graphic print is made by Bird, starting with a focal background image that she elaborates with other design elements. She hand-produces each earring by adhering the small art prints to a wood base and topping them off with surgical steel earring hooks and jump rings.

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.

BBB x P4

I want to introduce you guys to a totally cool new collective called Presence 4.0.

They are a group of three Navajo women (Nanibaa Beck, Jaclyn Roessel, and Chelsea Chee) who recently launched a style blog that showcases the ingenuity and creativity that Native American people utilize in styling themselves.

This website documents Native participation in fashion by featuring individuals and their expressive style on the streets (and dirt roads!).

Beyond Buckskin Street Style Fashion Show

Last weekend, the awesome folks at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor helped me to launch and host the first ever Beyond Buckskin Street Style Fashion Show (click here to read more about the weekend).

The models for the show were all students (a great combo of beautiful faces from all backgrounds) and the garments for the event came from the Beyond Buckskin Boutique as well as the Beyond Buckskin personal collection of Native-made fashion. The students remixed the items to make them their own and rocked it out on the runway. The talented photographer Brita Brookes was in attendance and did an amazing job of capturing the fun and creative energy of the night. It was definitely an inspiring experience.

University of Michigan Event Recap

Last weekend I was honored with the great opportunity to visit the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and host the first-ever Beyond Buckskin street style fashion show.

The NASA and MESA groups flew me out to put on this event, and in addition I also guest lectured for a class and spoke about telling stories through our clothing, or Native American Adornment: Wearing the Story. The students had great questions and it was such an amazing feeling to be back in the classroom sharing this material that I love so much and think is so important. So, I want to send a huge thank you to Margaret Noori for inviting me into her classroom. That evening I had dinner with the members of NASA, and it was great to have that one-on-one time to talk with them about the fashion event the next night.

Post-Manito Ahbee

Ah! Hello everyone!!

Things are finally settling down for a hot second (before they pick back up again for the Michigan event) and I wanted to tell you a little bit about this past weekend at Manito Ahbee!

First off, two of the Beyond Buckskin Boutique artists flew into North Dakota and they camped at the Metcalfe compound in Gardena North Dakota for a couple of days before we dashed past the North 40 up to Canada.

Cody High Style 2012 | Bruno Henry

Every September, people from all over head to Cody, Wyoming for the annual Rendezvous Royale - a boot scootin' full week of high end western art and culture.

The Cody High Style fashion show has become one of the week's highlights, with fashion designers who define 'western chic' coming in from throughout the US and Canada.

One of these designers was Bruno Henry. Originally from Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, Henry creates garments from supple leather and hide in black, white, and all variations of tan.

Santa Fe Indian Market 2012 Fashion Events

The Santa Fe Indian Market kicks off in less than two weeks! There are tons of events and openings going on - for example, while the official Market doesn't start until Saturday, Market-related events begin the week prior.

I fly in on Wednesday, just in time to hit up the Gallery openings on Thursday and Friday. Every year I post a list of fashion events, mostly to keep myself organized, but also to show how fashion is an important component. Here's the list of cool events that you can catch me at!:

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.

Woven Together

Here's a story posted in ASU's State Press Magazine about the upcoming fashion show to be held this Thursday:

Woven Together By Noemi Gonzalez

As far back as history shows us, the manner of decorating oneself has served a greater purpose. The style a person chooses, like the adage says about images, paints a thousand words.

Event | Native Fashion Show to Honor Women

The American Indian Graduate Student Association (AIGSA) will be hosting a fashion show to kick off the Arizona State University Powwow in Tempe next weekend.

Featured designers include Marco Arviso, Kevin Duncan, House of Darylene, Dineh Couture, Earle Couture, Glacsy, Genevieve Hardy, Cher Thomas, Shayne Watson and Kevin Whitehat.

The theme for the second annual show is 'Our Past, Our Present Woven Together: Honoring Our Native Women in Fashion.' Brenda Norrell at Censored News explains: "The theme highlights the strength of Native women, which is drawn from their Native cultures, values, and traditions and uniquely woven into their daily modern lives.

Video | Annual Lakota Fashion Show 2012

Event | Heard Museum Fashion Show

Ah yes! A fashion event in Phoenix - check it out:

Trendsetting Native American Couture to Highlight Heard Museum Fashion Show

Explore the color, glamor and cutting-edge excitement of Native American couture and jewelry at Native Style: Where Fashion is Heard, the Heard Museum’s fashion show, boutique and luncheon, on Friday, December 2.

Video | Patricia Michaels Guerrilla Fashion Parade