Perched up high on a hilltop overlooking the Los Angeles skyline, the Getty Museum served as the dramatic backdrop for a new Fashioning Indigenous Futurism runway show held last night. As guests filtered in wearing their best Native American couture—including VIPs such as actor Tantoo Cardinal in her Patricia Michaels gown—they proceeded to take in the new collections of five contemporary designers who are redefining Indigenous fashion: Jason Baerg, Orlando Dugi, Jontay Kahm, Caroline Monnet, and Jamie Okuma. (Artist Virgil Ortiz, meanwhile, also displayed special AR art activation on-site.)
The special showcase was presented in collaboration with the Autry Museum of the American West, and was organized by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, who also curates the annual Santa Fe Indian Market fashion show in New Mexico. The catwalk presentation was held to coincide with the Autry’s new exhibition, Future Imaginaries: Indigenous Art, Fashion, Technology, on view now; It features approximately 58 works from artists such as Wendy Red Star, Virgil Ortiz, and Andy Everson—all of whom display pieces that use contemporary Native technologies to envision a more inclusive and sustainable future.
The runway showcase, however, put emphasis on the best of today’s Indigenous couture—displaying how a crop of fashion designers are carrying forward their traditional craftwork in new, unexpected ways. “The fashion show at the Getty was a groundbreaking event, elevating Indigenous fashion on a global stage and showcasing the designers in one of the world’s most prestigious art institutions,” Bear Robe tells Vogue. “Their works exemplify innovation and creativity, blending Indigenous artistry and knowledge with contemporary design.”
Opening the show was Luiseño/Shoshone-Bannock artist Jamie Okuma, who hails from the La Jolla Indian Reservation in California. She showed her signature graphic Parfleche dresses—which have been worn by stars like Lily Gladstone on the red carpet—beaded choker necklaces, and dentalium shell earrings. Up next was a refined menswear assortment from Orlando Dugi, a Diné designer based in Santa Fe who specializes in formal wear. Dugi debuted his fluid designs such as a pink puff-sleeved jacket embellished with crystals, as well as a beaded shift dress-top and tulle skirts worn overtop pants.
Anishinaabe-French artist Caroline Monnet put forward her theatrical designs made of repurposed materials such as insulation, Tyvek, and construction plastics. Included in the mix was a colorful woven coat recently worn by singer Jeremy Dutcher on tour, made of recycled housing materials. “It’s a way to address social and environmental issues through design,” Monnet told Vogue of the design.
Métis designer Jason Baerg showed a soft, fluid collection of draped dresses that were built for movement (his models opted for contemporary dances down the runway, versus traditional walks). Rising Plains Cree designer Jontay Kahm, meanwhile, closed the show with this dark-and-dramatic creations, including sculptural feather coats and completely-beaded draped gowns.
As the distinctive designs made their catwalk debut in front of an intimate crowd of creatives, one couldn’t help but ponder how the clothes—set against the glitzy L.A. cityscape—certainly deserve a spot on the celebrity red carpets that happen just a few neighborhoods over. As Hollywood continues to make space for more inclusive Indigenous stories, especially thanks to recent hit movies like Rez Ball and Fancy Dance, the catwalk made the argument for mainstream fashion spaces needing to do the same. The innovation and flair is already there, and these designers are going to be the ones leading that charge forward.
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