Dive Brief:
- The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts held its second annual Native Fashion Week from May 7 to May 11 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in partnership with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week.
- More than 50 designers presented on the runways, with about 110 nations represented at the event, including Māori, the Indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand, and Kichwa from South America.
- The five-day fashion week was one day longer than its inaugural show last year, and organizers said their goal is to eventually make it a week-long event.
Dive Insight:
This marks VIFW’s first time as co-producer of the now stand-alone SWAIA Native Fashion Week. VIFW previously partnered with SWAIA on a Sunday fashion show, produced as a side event to the Santa Fe Indian Market, which originated in 2014 and is held every summer.
Approximately 4,000 people attended the event, which was more than double the number of participants from last year, according to organizers. Guests included designers, retailers and models, as well as fashion industry members such as Steve Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and Cindy Morris, Dallas Market Center CEO. Representatives from Ralph Lauren and Apache Skateboards also attended, as well as actor Norman Reedus and several cast members of the AMC television show “Dark Winds,” per an event spokesperson.
Runway shows from May 9 to May 11 were held at the Santa Fe Convention Center. They included presentations from Nonamey, Stitched by April, Dene Couture, Lauren Good Day, Sacrd Thndr, Emme Studio, Dorothy Grant, Copper Canoe Woman, RVSO78, Stevens & Snyder, Robyn McLeod and PM Waterlily.
The final show featured former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland of the Laguna Pueblo nation, walking the runway for Patricia Michaels.
The weekend also included pop-up shops, activation spaces and design collaborations, as well as a party held at the Governor’s Mansion in Santa Fe.
SWAIA Native Fashion Week also held an industry day, designed to bring together designers, buyers, stylists and industry leaders for immersive conversations about fashion and its global influence.
“The week, with all its events, was a powerful success for our community, driving economic impact for the City of Santa Fe and bringing Native/Indigenous fashion on the global stage,” Jamie Schulze, executive director of SWAIA, said in a statement. “Our partnership with the esteemed Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week deepened cross-border collaboration and cultural exchange. Together, we are building a vibrant and sustainable future for the Native fashion community and fashion audiences worldwide.”
