31 MAY 2018: Fashion is about more than just making beautiful things for designer Sage Paul, and she hopes this week’s Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto makes that clear. The Dene artist says beading, weaving, textiles and sewing are inextricably linked to her upbringing and identity.
For Paul, creating clothes, jewelry and accessories can be just as much about combating stereotypes and shifting minds as looking good.
“If we want to be sustaining our culture and ensuring that cultural continuity that our ancestors have passed on to us, the only way that it’s going to be out there is if we do it,” says the Toronto-based Paul, who founded the showcase to present “the most distinct and progressive Indigenous artists working in fashion, textiles and craft.”
The four-day event will feature runway shows, a curated exhibition, panels and lectures, hands-on workshops, and a marketplace, with Indigenous artists including those from Canada, the United States and Greenland.
It kicks off Thursday with runway shows from Lesley Hampton, Evan Ducharme, Janelle Wawia and Sugiit Lukx Designs.
Free lectures and panels feature speakers including artist Kent Monkman, weaver Barbara Teller, and culture critic Jesse Wente tackling topics including fashion symbolism and imagery, cultural appropriation, Indigenous dyes and fibres, and technology and innovation.
By nature, the fashion industry has not been friendly to emerging creators who more often work-to-order or only make small batches. Those on remote reserves are at a further disadvantage because tools, materials and shipping are more expensive.
Paul said, “We’re not going to be able to mass produce at the level that a major retailer would want. I’m hoping to change or to start influencing how we work with Indigenous designers … to look at purchasing lower quantities and understanding the value with that.”
“By bringing everyone to Toronto I’m really hoping that that sparks some sort of interest and motivation for retailers and buyers to actively go out and find these designers, regardless of where they’re located.”
Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto starts Thursday and runs through Sunday.