b'INDIGENOUS FASHIONI ndigenousfashionismoreTheres a hunger thanjustaformofartistic expressionits a celebration of culture, heritage and economicfor stories that empowerment.Leadingthis movementareIndigenouswomengo deeper than likeSagePaul,JoleenMittonand Melrene Saloy-EagleSpeaker. All threesurface-levelwomenhavecarvedoutaunique space for themselves in the fashiontrends. Peopleindustry and are contributing to thewant to connect growth of Indigenous design on the worldwide stage, and all are runningwith something successful businesses.real, and Indigenous Paul, the founder of Indigenous Fashion Arts in Toronto, and Mitton, the creativefashion offersforce behind Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW), have been instru- that authenticity.mental in pushing Indigenous fashion into the spotlight. Their work has pavedJoleen Mitton, VIFWthe way for Indigenous designers to showcase their creations on interna-tional platforms while staying rootedfor free sometimes leads to peoplean app to sell their designs, and how in cultural authenticity.not showing up. So now we charge ato scale their businesses, she says. Meanwhile Saloy-EagleSpeakers entre- small fee, which also helps keep thingsIndigenous designers are becoming preneurial spirit as a designer hasrunning smoothly. But we always keepbusiness Indians all over the place, empowered countless Indigenousthe balance of affordability and acces- and its beautiful to see.women in rural Alberta to build sustain- sibility at the heart of what we do.able businesses of their own, oftenPaul notes that technology has played while navigating the complexities ofSaloy-EagleSpeaker, the Blackfoota huge role in connecting Indigenous the global fashion industry. founder of Native Diva Creations, addsdesigners from remote communities her perspective on funding challenges.and allowing their work to be seen on BALANCING TRADITIONFashion really is not the same as themainstream platforms. Social media For Paul, running a successful fashionart world; its showcased differentlyhas allowed the visibility and repre-event means facing complex financialthan traditional art forms like paintingsentation of our work to explode, she and logistical challenges head-on,or sculpture, she explains. Its toughsays. Its empowered our people to something she learned when her ideacurating funding through arts grants.create and build economies around our for Indigenous Fashion Arts took root.Ive written 150 grant proposals infashion, even in places that were previ-Adding a layer of complexity, she says,the last six years and only receivedously disconnected from the broader was that it was not just about putting onfunding from five. Much of it comesfashion industry.a show. It wasand remainsaboutout of pocket, and I fundraise locally focusing on cultural integrity.to keep things going.For Saloy-EagleSpeaker, the growth of Indigenous fashion is not just about In terms of integrity, the big thing isDespitethesechallenges,Saloy- gaining visibility but also about chal-where our revenues are coming from,EagleSpeaker, who is from the Kainailenging stereotypes. People are finally explains Paul, a member of English RiverNation in southern Alberta, has hadseeing us as more than just a stereo-First Nation. We receive public funding,tremendous success, which has allowedtype of tragedy and trauma, she and its crucial to know whether fundersher to continue showcasing Indigenousshares. Weve always celebrated our are exploiting our people or the land.fashion on a global scale while main- beauty and creativity, but now others There are ethical challenges, especiallytaining cultural pride and integrity. are recognizing it too. Fashion is a way when were talking about governmentfor us to amplify our voices and be seen funding, but its part of our responsi- GAINING MOMENTUM for the richness of our culture.bility to keep pushing forward. In recent years, Indigenous fashion has gained significant momentum, bothSowhyhasIndigenousfashion Mitton shares a similar concern butlocally and globally. Mitton, who hasexploded? All three women agree that highlights the practical realities ofPlains Cree, French and Scottish heri- its a convergence of factors: increased organizing large events like VIFW. Wetage, has been at the helm of VIFWvisibility through technology, a shift in arent here to make a bunch of money,since its inception in 2017 and has seenglobal consumer consciousness toward she says. Its about accessibility, butthe industry evolve firsthand. Peopleauthenticity and sustainability, and a weve learned that offering everythingnow know what units are, how to workreclaiming of narratives by Indigenous Indigenous BUSINESS REPORT51'