Etsy Gift Guide: Up North

Continuing with my latest Etsy kick - today I'm highlighting a First Nations artist on Etsy.

First up is Justin Rivard, a First Nations artist who has been engraving for nearly 20 years. Originally from Nanaimo, he now works in Vancouver. Rivard is represented by several art galleries in British Columbia and the United States, but he also enjoys selling his work directly through Etsy. His jewelry is clean and detailed, and he creates items such as earrings, moneyclips, bracelets, business card holders and cufflinks.

Starting at the 'lower end' (financially-speaking), these sleek, wearable dangle earrings are hand-carved by Rivard. They represent Eagle Feathers, and measure 1 1/2" x 3/8". $70.

These baby bracelets measure 3/8" x 4 1/2" and make for cute gifts for the lil ones in your life. There is also space on the back to have the bracelet engraved and personalized. These bracelets are hand-engraved by Rivard, and can be completed in symbols ranging from Hummingbirds to Orcas. Click here for more info. $125.

These distinctive and unique cufflinks are hand-carved by Rivard with symbols that represent family crest designs found in Northwest Coast Native cultures. Rivards states that these cufflinks make great gifts, especially for the men in your life who are difficult to buy for. They can be engraved with the Orca or Eagle design. $280.

Click here to see more from Rivard, and his shop, Art From Above.

Disa Tootoosis Reds

I'm loving these designs by Disa Tootoosis that incorporate lots of deep reds - beautiful colors for autumn! Photos taken at North Battleford, SK, Canada.

DeMontigny Designs for Haida Musician

Fashion designer Angela DeMontigny outfits Haida musician Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson for her latest CD.

DeMontigny says, "I am proud to announce the upcoming launch of Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson's newest cd....I am also proud to have her wearing some of my custom designs...especially the jacket on her stunning album cover."

With this CD, Williams-Davidson is striving to keep tradition alive by introducing something new. She has written: A responsibility of aboriginal artists, storytellers or singers is to keep the knowledge alive, and if need be, to change the ceremonies or bring new creations into the world so that the knowledge remains relevant to people. To remain static denies the creativity and genius that flows from the Creator.

(Williams-Davidson wearing a black leather trench with lime green mongolian lamb collar made by DeMontigny)

Star Dress by Danita Strawberry

Last fall, Cree and Saulteaux designer Danita Strawberry made this gown for Ashley Callingbull to be worn in the parade of nations at the Miss Friendship International pageant. The dress was inspired by star quilt designs.

In her article, "Morning Star Quilts," Tana Mundwiler writes, "For ages the star has been depicted in the Plains Indians' hide paintings, porcupine-quilled moccasins, leggings and clothing." Strawberry's dress brings the ancient star reference (and late-1800s star quilt design) into glamorous present-day couture.

Recently, the Alberta Museum selected Danita Strawberry as a featured Native artist, and they ordered a red version. Here's the dress she produced that will be on display at the Museum:

Video | From Culture to Couture Fashion Show

This video was shot during the 'From Culture to Couture' gala fashion show in Toronto.

Hosted by celebrated Native actors Adam Beach and Jennifer Podemski, the fashion gala featured work by preeminent Canadian designers Dorothy Grant, D’Arcy Moses, Angela DeMontigny, Pam Baker and Dene Fur Clouds, along with special guest designer Patricia Michaels from New Mexico. The gala event was held during the 2005 Toronto Aboriginal Festival.

The video has some great footage of the fashion designs on the runway as well as interesting interviews with the designers themselves:

CANAB Fashion 2010 Review, Round 3

For this final installment of my Canadian Aboriginal Festival fashion show review, I’d like to show pictures of garments by a variety of designers. Each year the CANAB show presents the clothing designs of several dozen designers and t-shirt companies. Here are some fashion designs seen on the CANAB runway:

CANAB Fashion 2010 Review, Round 2

Happy New Year everyone!

A couple of days ago, I wrote a brief review of the fashion show held at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival. For this post I'd like to focus on two of the designers - Bruno Henry and Ronald Green of Ronald Everett Design.

Bruno Henry:
Originally from Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, artist Bruno Henry brings his artistic visions to life through stone carvings, jewellery, photography and fashion design. Described as a self-taught artist, Henry is inspired by the traditional use of hide for clothing. He is known for creating classy clothing that blends animal hide adn ancient designs with chic modern styles. Most of his custom designs are made with traditional materials like moose and deer hide stitched together using leather stitch-work instead of thread or sinew.






Ronald Green of Ronald Everett Design:
Ronald Green, founder of Ronald Everett Design, is Tsimshian from Northern British Columbia. He studied at the International Academy of Design in Toronto, where he graduated at the head of his class with an award winning collection of Native Inspired designs. Images of Raven, Killer Whale, Moon and Eagle are just a few of the icons that he incorporates into his designs, which bring First Nations culture and images to the world of fashion.







If you'd like to learn more about Ronald Everett Designs, check out this video:



Stay tuned for the final round of images from the Turtle Concepts CANAB fashion show

Chantal Rondeau's Year in Review

Check out First Nations journalism student Chantal Rondeau's Year in Review on her blog, Life and Times of a Modern Day NDN Princess. Her 2010 review includes some nods to First Nations fashion designers (Alano Edzerdza and Sho Sho Esquiro) and some Native fashion models.

Click here to read the full post.

Canadian Aboriginal Festival Fashion 2010 Review, Round 1

Each year during the annual Canadian Aboriginal Festival in Ontario, Turtle Concepts hosts a fashion show to highlight First Nations fashion designers.

I attended the latest event, held November 26-28, 2010 in Hamilton. The show featured various local designers and t-shirt companies (who also had booths where they sold their gear during the festival).

Headed up by Dave Jones of the Garden River First Nation, Turtle Concepts has hosted the Fashion Pavilion at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival for over a decade. Through his company, Jones seeks to bring a healthier image to the runway by introducing different standards to the model industry – standards that are centered on confidence-building and boosting self-esteem.

The Turtle Concepts show, titled “Confidence Meets Fashion,” presents models of all shapes and in various shades of brown wearing garments made by top First Nations fashion designers. To date, over 700 Aboriginal youth have modeled at the Festival.

For the Aboriginal teenagers participating, Jones explains, this is not about fashion; it is about opportunities, gaining confidence and demonstrating it publicly, and experiencing expanded options for life.

I didn’t catch all of the designers’ names – but I did get a ton of images. Here's the first round of designs made by Dave Jones and his brother Dan Jones:

(Turtle Concepts models strut in front of a packed house)

(Dave Jones' Bone Collection)

(The Bone Collection - a take on the sexy confident Aboriginal female)

(Even the lil ones are enjoying the show)

(Dan Jones' Jingle Collection)

(The Jingle Collection - A contemporary take on the traditional jingle dress)

Stay tuned for Round 2, featuring the designs of Bruno Henry and Ronald Everett.

Find Turtle Concepts on Facebook by clicking here.

November 2010: More Upcoming Native Fashion Events!

Add these to the upcoming shows in November!:



Ronald Everett and Tracy Toulouse in Toronto
The Thunderbird Aboriginal Arts, Culture and Entrepreneur Centre (Thunderbird) has gathered together a number of exceptional Aboriginal artists, crafts people and fashion designers for a holiday show and sale at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. The show and sale takes place from November 19 to 21, 2010 with an Opening Reception on Friday, November 19, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Dorothy Grant in Seattle
Dorothy Grant will present a Trunk show at the Hyatt Regency in Seattle on November 19th (2pm - 7pm) and November 20th (10am - 5pm), in conjunction with the Potlatch Fund 2010 Gala. She will also feature artist Sondra Simone Segundo. Sondra will be showing and selling her hand painted shoes.

Angela DeMontigny in Ontario
The WEAR house Presents....HEAD ON LUXE by Angela DeMontigny - An exclusive Trunk Show featuring fabulous Leather, Suede, Shearling fashions and premiering a gorgeous new line of luxury leather handbags, jewelled belts and accessories by the Authentically Canadian Designer, Angela DeMontigny. The opening is November 6, but meet the Designer in person on Saturday, November 21st from 11am to 3 pm.

Fashion Row at the SWAIA Winter Indian Market in Santa Fe
The SWAIA Winter Indian Market, formally known as the "SWAIA Winter Showcase," is a yearly Native arts sale held during Thanksgiving weekend, November 27-28 at the Santa Fe Convention Center. This year the Winter Indian Market includes 130 Native artists, eight artist demonstrators, silent auction, a holiday concert by Robert Mirabal and a "Fashion Row" featuring the work of Native fashion designers Patricia Michaels, Penny Singer, Dorothy Grant and Margaret Wheeler.

Canadian Aboriginal Festival Fashion Show in Hamilton, ON
Turtle Concepts has coordinated the Fashion Pavillion for the past several years and seeks to represents all shapes in all shades in modeling featuring top Aboriginal Designers. To date, over 750 Aboriginal Peoples have modeled at the Festival. This year, Turtle Concepts will host their fashion shows November 27-28.

Kim Picard's Designs at Ottawa Fashion Show

Check out the latest fashion designs by First Nations fashion designer Kim Picard for Angie's Showcase from AMTI (Angie's Models & Talent International) at the War Museum of Ottawa, May 29, 2010.

Angie's Models & Talent International has helped countless young men and women succeed in the world of fashion, theatre and film.

Read more about Kim Picard by clicking here for my Designer Profile post on her.










Photos were taken by Alice Beaudoin, you can see more of her work at: www.beaudoinphotography.ca