Girl, Interrupted

I watched this film the other night, I've wanted to see it for so long. About a girl who goes to stay in a mental home in the late 60's and makes friends with the craziest of them all (Angelina Jolie) and rebels against the doctors there. But then realises that the only way she'll get out is by coming to her senses. The part where Brittany Murphy's character Daisy commits suicide is horrible though, but I could watch it over & over again. Winona Ryder's hairstyle in it makes me want to get a crop. So the other night I was considering cutting all my hair off. But then realised that would totally ruin my image, and I could never do it. Ever. It's a sexy film though, if you like movies about crazy girls with cool hairstyles in mental hospitals in the late 60's then it's a gooden. Also, watch it if you like the song Downtown by Petula Clark.

Video | Virgil Ortiz Indigene Silk Scarves

Check out this video promo for the limited edition silk scarves by Cochiti potter and fashion designer Virgil Ortiz:

Indigene by Virgil Ortiz Fashion Video from Virgil Ortiz on Vimeo.

Some more photos of Abbey Lee just because I love her so much

Axl Rose

Although he is a man, and these days he looks revolting, Axl Rose is one of my biggest fashion icons of all time (haha). What a dude. I have a huge guilty pleasure for hair metal, as cringey as it is. And men in leather, leopard print, with huge hair and bandanas are sexy. Unfortunatley any man you see walking down the street like this these days just looks like a total idiot, and the only ones who can really pull it off are all the bands like Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, Cinderella, Def Leppard, The Cult... etc. Unfortunatley this is not Sunset Boulevard in 1978, and no such things exist anymore. But still, I'm allowed to dress like him, so I do.

Simply Causal...

The Politics of Native Hair

Check out this delightful post by Gyasi Ross on the politics of Native hair.

Ross began his blog after his friend told him this: “I mean, yeah, sure it looks nice short. You look clean cut. But I prefer Indian boys with long hair. There’s just something really, really hot AND ‘cultural’ about Indian boys with long hair.”

Spun from the thoughts on whether or not long hair makes you 'more Native,' Ross begins a new blog series focused on the topic of "I'm Too Sexy For My Hair."

This post is part 1, and he promises to add more in the future to discuss both contemporary issues and historical ones.

Concerned with the perception(s) of hair within our Native societies, he wonders: Is hair more important to Natives than to other ethnicities?

With over 30 comments posted within the first 48 hours, this topic undoubtedly affects us all to some capacity - our relationships with our hair are intimate: our 'dos reflect our genes, our personalities, our contemporary cultural circumstances.

Ross is collecting hair stories. He says, "Specifically, I want to know about the significance/lack of significance of hair to Native people. Please send me your hair stories AND pictures–whether it was a fight that you got into because someone teased you about your hair or it was a man who liked you specifically because of your hair. Or maybe you LOVE your new mohawk. Or possibly you’re just really proud of your mane and want to tell people WHY you grew it out or cut it off. Whatever it is. Please also let me know if I can cite these stories in future writing projects–I think that Indian Country, and OUTSIDE of Indian Country is curious about these stories and photos."

I just wanted to share this photo of my friends at I at the Red Ink (Native American Student Publication) premiere party. We are all proud Indian women, with some very different hairdos.

Noir Anime Wallpaper

Noir Anime Wallpaper

Captain Tsubasa Anime Wallpapers

Captain Tsubasa Anime Wallpapers

Deadman Wonderwold Anime Wallpapers 1

Deadman Wonderwold Anime Wallpapers 1

Deadman Wonderwold Anime Wallpapers

Deadman Wonderwold Anime Wallpapers

Hana To Akuma Anime Wallpaper

Hana To Akuma Anime Wallpaper

Topshop Goes Native In London

Topshop goes Native in London:

London Fashion Week is coming to a close, and not without seeing some raw earthy 'Native' influences at the Topshop Unique fashion show. Several fashion publications and blogs reported on the over-the-top antler headdresses, bushy unibrows, and 'caveman chic' - but this reporter discusses the earthy Tribal Trend and ponders its influence and future:

"We didn’t think it would take long before the native look that us hippies have been rocking would start to wear off onto the mainstream. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen the mainstream fashion outlets slowly but surely turning more and more native. All of a sudden it’s ‘cool’ to look tribal. Could it be that urban chic is slowly but surely evolving from commercial hip hop honey style to something a bit more imaginative, meaningful and artistic…? And now the question is, when people were wearing bright colourful shades and neon 80s outfits only a year ago is this narnia earth mother native vibe being represented on the streets because Topshop told us so? As kroarohawks, we know that glorifying Gods creation like the native americans do with their costume is more than just a fashion statement…"

Also, here is a video of Topshop's fashion show:

Angela DeMontigny's Skins & Stones F/W 2010 Collection

Angela DeMontigny rocks it out with her Skins & Stones F/W 2010 Collection. It's totally 21st Century Urban Indian Chic:

(Men's Distressed Lambsuede shirt in Brown and Appaloosa Duffle)

(Black Fringed Goatsuede/leather Halter Dress)

(Fitted Glazed Lambskin Halter Vest in Whiskey, Orange Mongolian Lamb Shrug, Navy Goatsuede Pants and Aspen Weekender in Brown)

(Black Shearling Shrug with Black Goatsuede/leather Fringed Cocktail Dress)

(Black Mongolian Lamb Maxi Vest with Stretch Lamb Skinny Jeans, Custom Gem Belt and Rock'n Gem Leather Cuffs)

DeMontigny says: "A few pics of my new line for Fall 2010....fab pics courtesy of Dexter Quinto. Special thanks to Marianna and Leila from THEY rep for the make-up and styling :-) and my amazing assistants Arielle and Cam! Special thanks to my wonderful models: Christina, Angelina and Chris and to Town Shoes for the cool footwear"

Ontario designer Angela DeMontigny's contemporary ready-to-wear collection with one-of-a-kind wearable art draws from Chippewa, Cree and Métis elements. Her trademark is hand-painted symbols and beaded accents, executed with an artistic skill handed down by her ancestors.

“As a Métis/Cree woman, I feel honoured to represent Canadian Aboriginal fashion in such a unified way with my brothers and sisters from many Aboriginal nations across Canada to a world audience during this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said fashion designer Angela DeMontigny. “Louie Riel once said: ‘My people will sleep for one hundred years. When they awake, it will be the artists that give them their spirit back.’ I believe that we are carrying out his prophecy. I feel humble to know that my ancestors are proud as I carry the torch forward, leading the way so that future generations may create and live their dreams as I am.”

This is something to think about...

Video | UNRESERVED Native New York Fashion Week

Check out this video, by wwd.com, featuring the designers of the UNRESERVED Alliance Designer Collective event, held in New York during Fashion Week. This video covers three segments: Vena Cava, UNRESERVED, and L.A.M.B.

The Native shpeel starts at the 1 minute mark. This type of coverage for a Native fashion event is great (WWD!) - but they could have been a wee bit more creative when selecting the background music... but that's just my opinion!

Diversity on the NYFW Runway - Jezebel Reports

(Christian Siriano opened and closed his show with a black model, Sessilee Lopez — and was one of only seven designers to choose to give a coveted opening or closing nod to a model of color)

One of the central questions/issues of my dissertation on Native fashion has to do with presenting diverse concepts of beauty. I spend two chapters wading through this complicated topic.

It all began with an article by Rayna Green in 1988.

While the majority of her musings focused on body size rather other phenotypical attributes such as skin color, she made an important point: Many various perceptions pertaining to size and beauty exist but were being ignored by the fashion industry, which sought a culturally hegemonic ‘look.’ Two decades later, this situation, I contend, continues to exist today.

In my dissertation, I proposed that Native designers of high fashion (along with their models), who are armed with a traditional concept of 'beauty' (i.e. one that extends from tribal epistemologies), have the potential to offer other options for displaying 'beauty' and can subvert globalized notions of the fashioned beauty: the thin and pale-skinned young European-looking female. Some Native designers have been more successful than others at getting diversity on the runway, with the biggest 'hurdle' being the need to 'fit in' in order to 'make it.' In other words, some Native models feel pressured to shrink their body size in order to fit into the small sample sizes used on the runways, and sometimes Native designers hire pale-skinned models to relay to potential buyers that their garments are made for everyone (which is very important in sustaining their fashion businesses). This situation isn't an easy one to discuss - but it is incredibly important.

Jezebel just published their fantastic and comprehensive review of diversity on the runways for New York Fashion Week, and they reported that this year was less diverse than last year, with only 18% of spots in show lineups booked by models of color. The overall impression they derived from the shows was that "what's gonna big for fall is being a white person. (Also: fur.)"

They have this to say:

The importance of this issue can hardly be overstated. The United States is only around 75% white, and according to the Census Bureau's most recent figures, New York City is only 44% white. And many of the least-diverse labels, like Calvin Klein, Diesel, and Donna Karan, are international brands. Wouldn't they want their potential customers to recognize their own forms of beauty in their runway shows? The aesthetic standards set by the fashion industry affect all of our lives. Making a sample size that models don't have to die of anorexia to get into seems to be a real head-scratcher for some designers, but validating the beauty of models who meet every one of the industry's other restrictive standards, and also happen to be non-white, should be a no-brainer.

Readers responded, suggesting the following:
1) prejudiced forces, and preexisting paradigms, in the industry are largely responsible for a disparity in total number of models of color and that the model population is a reflection of what designers want,
2) societal factors influence designers to hire an overwhelmingly white cast for their shows,
3) the images presented on the runway appear in popular magazines and infiltrate and affect our everyday lives (and have particular affect on youth).

Did you get all that? Let's recap: a preexisting framework exists which champions the 'thin and pale' for fashion models, and these standards, along with societal forces (i.e. what regular folks like us 'aspire'), influence the designers' visions and executions for their shows. These shows, in turn, affect our daily lives and shape our self-perceptions and definitions of beauty.

Well isn't that food for thought.

Playing Indian: Artistic or Insulting? Blog repost

(Image from America's Next Top Model)

Today I stumbled across this blog by Eli’s Fashion Chronicles – she writes about fashion, and this particular post questions the ethics of dressing models up as a different race, often using stereotypical garb, but also sometimes using ‘black face’ in order to make white models appear black. She asks, is this artistic? Or is it insulting?

Eli writes:
Artistic? or Insulting?

It is happening again and this time just in time for Black History Month. The most current controversial expression of Fashion has now been followed by the question "Offensive or Artistic". The act of changing models nationality with body paint, & make-up for editorials, and ads. This story has been hitting news for over a year now. It begin when French Vogue's editor-in-chief Carine Roitfield styled a shoot in which she decided to paint Dutch model Lara Stone's face, arms and legs in dark make-up to resemble what we can all assume to be a black person. Perhaps even more controversial is the fact that this specific edition was marketed as the "Women of Color Issue" yet no women of color were displayed on any of its pages.

As weeks passed from that event the trend continued to hit mainstream news. As more images emerged of women of different nationalities portraying different ethnicities with the help of body paint and make-up. The question is now being asked "Should we be offended?". Another case was examined when African-American model Tyra Banks, and host of Americas Next Top Model a, show dedicated to giving aspiring models their big break, aired an episode where the finalist contestants were transformed into different nationalities, all in inspiration of "Hapa" (that's Hawaiian for mixed-race). The nationalities varied in this case between "Russian-Moroccan", "Native American-East Indian", "Botswanan-Polynesian". All the models were portrayed in stereo-typical clothes and head dress. As some look at this as a flattering, and beautiful way to embrace different cultures, colors, and ethnicities; some are asking why not just hire a model of that race or culture?

It's back this month and in time for Black History Month. Editors at L'Officel Hommes have placed this spread in their latest issue. In this editorial spread Caucasian male models get painted a darker shade and outfitted with Afro wigs, chains, etc in order to pantomime being African-American. The spread is questionably entitled “Keep It Goin’ Louder Part 1.” As if the pictures weren’t already controversial the titles meaning is even more unclear.

So I close asking: Would you be flattered or would you be offended if your ethnicity or nationality? Are we being to sensitive? Are we looking to far into this? Are we taking a step back by being offended? Should they just hire models of the chosen decent? And, lastly what do you think, Artistic? or Insulting?
xoxo
eli

Maya Stewart Featured in Tulsa World Newspaper

By STACY PRATT
World Correspondent
Published: 2/21/2010 2:27 AM

Editor's Note: Stacy Pratt is an Oklahoma native now living in New York with her husband, a U.S. Army staff sergeant and Oklahoma native stationed at Fort Drum. Pratt's cousin is Maya Stewart, a Washington, Okla., native who started a line of handbags featured in this year's New York Fashion Week, held last week.

NEW YORK — Bryant Park is covered with the remains of yesterday's big snow, but a bright sun shines on the famous white tents that have taken over this peaceful oasis in the middle of Manhattan.

Muffled music from the runway shows inside them serves as a soundtrack to the action outside: Security guards check invitations and press passes of expensively dressed socialites and journalists in comfortable shoes. Television crews shoot teasers for interviews with models and designers whose names and faces make regular appearances in the biggest fashion magazines.

At the park's round green tables, men play cards as they probably do every day, seemingly oblivious to the fact that this is Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week — the week when designers unveil their spring collections for the press, department store buyers and anyone else lucky enough to score a coveted invitation to the event's last year at this landmark location.

While the white tents have been a symbol of New York Fashion Week since its inception in 1943, shows are held all over Manhattan, including right across the street from the tents in historic Bryant Park Hotel. That's where I caught up with native Oklahoman accessories designer Maya Stewart, creator of the Crazy Snake Rebellion luxury handbag line, on Thursday, day two of the prestigious event.

In the swank red-leather lobby, she was waiting for news about a box of purses that was supposed to have arrived in New York the day before. It was sent several days ahead of time by overnight mail, but the mid-Atlantic blizzard delayed it. Now, two hours before she is due to make her Fashion Week debut as part of the UNRESERVED Designer Collective installation show in Bryant Park Hotel Loft, the purses are still en route from Oklahoma.

Most people would panic in this situation, but Stewart — who originally hails from the small town of Washington in central Oklahoma — appears completely unruffled. In an outfit of tall boots, black leggings, and a diaphanous white blouse topped by a sleek black blazer, she fits right in with the rest of the fashionably attired people in the lobby, most of whom are watching a television crew film a piece about Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha. After placing courteous, calm calls to the appropriate authorities, she grabs her things and heads toward the Loft.

"Most of the bags did make it here," Stewart says. "I really wish I had all of them, but at least I have enough to represent the collection, and the rest should arrive in time for the trunk show tomorrow."

N.M. to N.Y.
Michael Chapman and Gail Bruce, co-founders of UNRESERVED, said this kind of professional confidence, along with Stewart's innovative, high-quality work, is what convinced them to make her part of the collective's inaugural Fashion Week show.

"We met Maya at the Santa Fe Indian Market, and our PR company was blown away by her talent. We thought she'd be a great person to bring in for our first show," said Chapman. "Her enthusiasm and her talent stood out to us right away."

The Designer Collective is part of the UNRESERVED American Indian Fashion and Art Alliance, an organization formed to provide internships and other professional opportunities for American Indian designers from all tribes. Eileen Fisher, Daryl Kerrigan, Nanette Lepore, Pamela Love, Nicole Miller, Urban Zen by Donna Karan and Diane von Furstenberg are among those who have agreed to sponsor UNRESERVED interns in the coming year.

Before her involvement with UNRESERVED, Stewart, who lived in Los Angeles for several years before to moving to London for college, did internships with British designer Matthew Williamson and Los Angeles designer C.C. Skye. Bruce calls her a "shining example of what internships can do."

Chapman agrees, and says that UNRESERVED hopes to help Stewart, and the other three American Indian designers in the show, reach the next level in their careers.

"We are committed to opening up a new frontier, a new realm, for native designers through entry-level internships and other opportunities," he said. "With Maya, we want to introduce her to the press, potential backers and buyers for department stores so people can appreciate and celebrate her talent."

Bruce said Stewart's work also supports the creative goals of UNRESERVED.

"One of our goals is to bring native cultures from the past into the present with an eye to the future," she said.

Stewart, who is finishing a bachelor's degree with honors in accessories design at the London College of Fashion, does that, creating purses and bags that incorporate designs from her Chickasaw/Creek heritage into contemporary forms, using modern luxury materials and traditional techniques.

She is part of the Fife family of designers whose artwork and fashion designs were recently featuredin a retrospective at the Broken Arrow Historical Society Museum.

"The goal of my collection is to showcase the beauty of American Indian designs using modern materials," Stewart said. "Nothing else is like it, and there are so many designs and techniques that are slowly being lost. I want to help keep them in our native communities and also share them with the wider global community."

All of the bags are varying textures and shades of black, created from fine lambskin. All of them are exquisitely constructed using techniques and designs ranging from Seminole patchwork to a raised image of a Pomo basket pattern. But it was the brilliant cerulean blue that lines the inside of many of the bags that began her inspiration.

"The theme of this collection is 'astronomy,' and the idea behind it actually began with this amazing blue," she said. "At that time, I was talking a lot to my aunt, Phyllis Fife, who directs the NSU Symposium on the American Indian in Tahlequah, and the theme that year was 'Sun, Moon, Stars,' so the importance of the sky to our native cultures was on my mind. When I saw this color, I knew I wanted to create a collection that would reflect that reverence in a subtle but powerful way."

Great opportunity
For the Loft show, Stewart's purses and a hand-woven sash made of thin nylon cords created by her aunt, artist Sandy Wilson of Morris, are displayed on two large wooden discs. The natural textures both contrast with and complement the modern lines and ancient patterns of the purses.

For almost five hours, Stewart stands next to her collection answering questions from members of the fashion media, including several respected industry publications, as well as buyers from major department stores and private collectors.

The next afternoon, Stewart once again arranges her collection — this time with the formerly missing bags included — and prepares for the trunk show and cocktail party that follows. This event is held in the elegant Ramscale Studios Penthouse on the banks of the Hudson River. Featured in several television shows and movies, the 13th-floor penthouse has high ceilings and huge windows that face the Empire State Building on one side and the Statue of Liberty on another.

"I'm so glad to have all the bags here," she says. "I put so much into this collection, and it's gratifying to have so many people come by to see it."

About the event
These days, around 40 fashion weeks are held across the world, from Los Angeles to Johannesburg, but New York Fashion Week is the oldest of the lot. Begun in 1943 by fashion editor Eleanor Lambert, the event was originally called Press Week. Lambert organized it because Francewas then occupied by Germany, cutting the American fashion press off from its usual source of news.

This first event also heralded a new attention to American designers, who until then were all but ignored in favor of the French. Today, New York Fashion Week is one of the four largest and most important fashion weeks, along with Milan, Paris and London.

This year marks the UNRESERVED Alliance’s first show at New York Fashion Week. In addition to showcasingup-and-coming Native American designers Maya Stewart, Victoria and Dylan Poblano, Maria Samora and Patricia Michaels, this year’s show marks the beginning of the organization’s fashion internship program.

For more information on the UNRESERVED Alliance internship program, visit unreservedalliance.org.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=43&articleid=20100221_43_D4_MayaSt662241&rss_lnk=4

Vogue Goes Native, Part II

Two issues of Vogue (for March 2010) feature Native motifs. The first is for Vogue Germany, and the second is Vogue US.

Here's the US version: "Avatar has entered the fashion world with this editorial entitled, “The Warrior Way” featuring Daria Werbowy photographed by David Sims and styled by Grace Coddington for Vogue US , March 2010."

The visually stunning imagery of the film Avatar has designers and stylists inspired to 'fashion' their own versions of Warrior Chic - drawing off of stereotypical tropes of the huntress and Amazonian wild female.

So while the New York Fashion Week shows displayed little Native American or tribal influences for Fall/Winter 2010, the stylist for this photo spread selected print dresses with tribal patterns and exotic accessories, and these (in combination with black body tattoo art and a 'jungle' setting) create quite a stunning visual. Alas, the Tribal Trend lives!

Once again, for your viewing pleasure: