Native Fashion Week Confirmed Indigenous Fashion Designers Are The Original Couturiers – Here Are 5 Designers Leading The Way 

Framed by jagged obsidian mountains and the wide-open poetry of desert light, New Mexico has always had a magnetic pull – a place where landscape meets spirit. But from 8-11 May, that pull became a full-blown current, drawing hundreds to Santa Fe’s historic Railyard Arts District for Native Fashion Week – a landmark celebration of Indigenous design pulsing at the heart of the city.

The buzz wasn’t just in the galleries or on the runways – it was everywhere. Santa Fe felt it from within. From Uber drivers to market vendors, bartenders to baristas, everyone seemed dialed into the moment. Even the iconic neon signs at motor courts like El Rey Court had it written on flashing signs alongside vacancy notices and check-in hours. This energy was a definite contrast to New York, where Fashion Week often plays to a certain in-crowd while the rest of the city scrolls past, Sante Fe didn’t just notice – it responded.

The schedule was stacked with designer trunk shows, where creatives such as jeweller Milford Calamity sold pieces straight from their collections; high-energy runways; and thought-provoking panels tackling urgent issues – from cultural appropriation to the systemic lack of support for emerging brands, especially those from marginalised communities. Now in its second year, the event – founded by Indigenous fashion expert and curator Amber-Dawn Bear Robe –brought together a vibrant network of more than 30 Indigenous designers, alongside a global community of models, photographers, gallerists and creatives – including Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The event served as a powerful reminder that Indigenous communities have been defining style and shaping identity long before the rise of today’s fashion capitals.

From time-honoured weaving techniques and intricate beadwork to the use of adornments like ribbons and lace, design has long been central to Native identity. Specific materials, silhouettes, and craftsmanship not only distinguish the many Indigenous cultures, they act as vessels of memory, carrying tradition, history and resistance across generations. “Indigenous fashion has been couture since before [the term] existed,” says Amber-Dawn. “The precision, the artistry, the vision – it’s always been here, shaping style in ways the industry is only beginning to understand. [This] is where that influence takes centre stage.”

The week kicked off with a ride on an old-fashioned train departing from the historic Santa Fe Railyard, where passengers sipped drinks in an open-air car at sunset, catching glimpses of pieces from the new collections. Nonamey – a Trans Portland-based artist and activist from the Ojibwe Anishinaabe tribe of Mashkiiziibii and Waaswaaganing, who has already worked with Hermès – showcased a red cargo suit and a blue collared dress, both in his signature 2D style and rich with traditional motifs. Meanwhile, professor and designer Jason Baerg of Ayimach Horizons offered a preview of more formal pieces, which seem to glide down the aisles, lit by the glow of New Mexico’s famed golden hour.

Over the next few days, the runway shows were marked by notable appearances, including Jessica Matten and Kiowa Gordon (stars of Netflix series Dark Winds), as well as former US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. The collections themselves showcased a fusion of avant-garde designs and cultural elements, featuring exaggerated silhouettes, bold colour palettes and traditional adornments such as feathers. But the fashion has never been just about aesthetics – here, fashion is protest, memory, message.

Radical storytelling and political messages pushed through the designs. Korina Emmerich of EMME Studio and Jimmy Dean Horn of Running Horse Studio incorporated the red, green, and black of the Palestinian flag to call for a Free Palestine. Himikalas Pamela Baker of TOC Legends designed a red gown symbolising the strength, resilience and spirit of missing and murdered Indigenous women. To close the week, Canadian brand Sacrd Thndr sent a collection down the runway protesting the current US administration’s attacks on basic human rights, complete with a striking light show that drove the message home.

For Amber-Dawn, the event was less about chasing exposure or fitting into fashion’s mould and more about reclaiming the narrative to show the world what the history of American couture actually looks like. “That wasn’t representation, it was power, by design,” she says. “This is how we build a fashion ecosystem that reflects who we are and who decides what matters.” Deb Haaland echoed that sentiment, noting the deeper resonance behind each look: “Every detail spoke to the brilliance of our people. Native Fashion Week isn’t a trend – it’s a force.”

While every Indigenous creative featured in the showcase brought something distinct and are deserving of attention, a handful of brands rose to the top, not just for their fashion-forward designs but for the powerful messaging woven into their work. From renowned designers to multifaceted creatives, here are five Indigenous designers you need to know about...

Alex Vigil Apparel

Also known as AVA, the brand founded by Alex ‘Ali’ Vigil focuses on sustainability and passion in the present. This was reflected in the new collection through deconstructed, colourful patterned denim, which served as both a modern interpretation of and an homage to his Indigenous heritage. Strategically placed silver grommets and beaded pearl fringe added the perfect touch of contemporary edge.

Darcy Big Horse

Known for her beadwork and adornments, Darcy Big Horse’s work, described as “Indigenous couture”, is a fusion of her English and mixed Heévâhetané’e (Cheyenne and Arapaho) heritage. Her new collection blends traditional elements from both cultures, including ribbons, tribal prints and motifs, with British touches like blue-porcelain-printed mutton-sleeve dresses and lace-up corsets, reminiscent of early 20th-century styles. Standouts included a silky white lingerie set, a Wednesday Addams-inspired velvet mini dress and a floral-print midi dress with bow-detailed shoulder straps cascading down the model’s back.

Dorothy Grant Studio

Dorothy Grant is often referred to as one of the OG designers in the world of Indigenous fashion. After getting her start in the industry through basket weaving and drawing artwork from the Haida tribe onto clothing during the ’80s, Grant launched her namesake label in 1989. The 55-piece collection incorporated these traditional motifs as a way to reclaim her culture, which was appropriated by non-Native designers. Over the weekend, the designer showed a strong line-up of refined tailoring and minimalist silhouettes emblazoned with Haida prints and patterns.

Nar Rew Ekar by Shoshoni Hostler

There were audible gasps of excitement and approval from the audience when the spotlight hit Shoshoni Hostler’s opening look at Native Fashion Week: a gorgeous beaded halter top paired with a sheer skirt. Hostler’s affinity for beadwork was inherited from her mother, a seasoned Native jeweller who encouraged her to try it. Putting her talent on full display, the collection’s whimsical essence manifests in the form of skin-baring tops paired with lace skirts, intricate floral appliqués and dragonfly motifs throughout her designs.

Nonamey

With an approach “rooted in anti-colonial aesthetics”, Nonamey takes traditional colonial pieces and puts them through an Indigenous lens as yet another reminder of the ways in which the Indigenous community “takes the scraps that they’ve been given throughout history, transforming them into something beautiful and sacred,” he says. There’s also a focus on the survival of Trans and Native bodies through beauty, memory and storytelling, drawing inspiration from his life experiences. “This collection is a love letter to my ancestors, my community, and all the stories stitched into who I am as a Two-Spirit Anishinaabe artist.”