Turquoise Soul's Feather Frenzie

Here's your sneak peek of Turquoise Soul's new collection of earrings and accessories. Dubbed Feather Frenzie, the new collection will pair feathers with hardware for some sassy Native-made jewelry. Turquoise Soul is headed up by Wabanoonkwe Cameron-Hernandez (Ojibwe), who did the photography and make-up for this shoot, which features model India Lowery Jones (Lumbee).

Event | Native Treasures: Indian Arts Festival

The seventh annual Native Treasures: Indian Arts Festival is set for Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 27 through Sunday, May 29, 2011 at the Santa Fe Convention Center. More than 200 museum-quality artists from over 40 tribes and pueblos will showcase and sell their pottery, jewelry, glass, painting, sculpture, carvings, textiles and other art.

This year's show includes fashion designers Dorothy Grant and Penny Singer, beadworkers Orlando Dugi, Craig Kelly, and Ken Williams, and 76 jewelry designers including Keri Ataumbi, Fritz Casuse, the Gaussoins, Pat Pruitt, and Cody Sanderson.



Penny Singer is a Dine (Navajo) fashion designer. She was one of the invited artists at the 2010 Native Treasures show in Santa Fe. Paul Niemi of Uncle Paulie's World had the opportunity to talk with Penny about her fashion and influences. For more information, visit www.pennysinger.com

Heard Indian Market 2011 - The Gaussoins

The Gaussoins: High Street Fashion Jewelry

As I was zipping around the booths at the Heard Indian Market, I came around the corner to see brothers Wayne Nez and David Gaussoin - two of Indian country's most avant-garde jewelry-makers.

The first thing out of my mouth was, "Where's the ribbons?!"

I was, of course, referring to the lack of blue ribbons (or any other color ribbons) on their table. I assumed they would have won something - an honorable mention at least. Come on.

David responded "We're too much for them Jessica! We're on the naughty list!"

But I'm biased. I've worked with the Gaussoins before (for MIAC's Native Couture II exhibit in Santa Fe). They were great to work with, and they know a surprisingly lot about the history of Native jewelry and fashion (I say 'surprisingly' because their jewelry seems so fresh - it departs greatly from the other Native jewelry that we have come to know - a.k.a. "Hello turquoise ring").

For my own selfish reasons, I hope they continue to show at the Heard Indian Market - I'm curious to see how many years it takes for the judges to catch up to them (Note: Excellence runs in the family - their mom is the amazing and award-wining jewelry-maker Connie Tsosie-Gaussoin).

The jewelry they brought with them to the Heard had a distinctive 'street vibe.' Not only did most of the pieces reference the street in some way, but they were also displayed on squares of black 'asphalt.' These guys are way ahead of the game. I mean, they totally just curated their booth space.

The piece they submitted to the jury for competition was an elaborate necklace made from the metal pieces that fall off of street-cleaners. You know those machines. They are loud and ugly, but the necklace is rather elegant and pretty, with long silver strips flowing away from the neck.

Other earrings, purse handles, and bracelets were cut from diamond plated steel. Another street reference, diamond plate is often used on stairs and catwalks in industrial settings (the added texture reduces the risk of slipping), but it is also used on the interior of ambulances and on the sides of firetrucks.

While they had many references to the street, their pieces are clearly high fashion - this stuff belongs on the runway.

Here are some images from their collection:







Check out their website at http://www.tsosie-gaussoin.com/.

Patricia Michaels at SWAIA/Legends Show

Changing the Face: Celebrated Female Fashion Designers and Textiles Artists

The fifth and final show of the collaboration between Legends Santa Fe and Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) featured celebrated female fashion designers and textile artists including Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo).

Michaels was the unanimous 2010 winner of the Santa Fe Indian Market's Textiles Classification. Competing against traditional Native textiles, her winning piece signals the ever-expanding possibilities of the ancient art of adornment.

Michaels explained, “Every garment that I make, the fabric and the cut of the garment tells a story. And that’s how I feel Native people can give back to the rest of the world… to share their stories with people in the outside world. Some people do it through pottery, or painting, or jewelry. For me, I just thought, well, somebody can wear it. They can feel [these stories] on their skin.”

(All images below are of Patricia Michaels' fashion designs shot during the Legends/SWAIA event, and are courtesy of Jessica R. Metcalfe and Keith Grosbeck, with special thanks to Michaels and her models):






To read more about Patricia Michaels, check out my designer profile on her, and visit her website.

Also, if you're in the neighborhood, be sure to check out the upcoming Legends show featuring the jewelry of Colin Coonsis (Zuni/Navajo), which opens on November 26, 2010:

Designer Profile | Cody Harjo

Check out the awesome beadwork by my fellow Dartmouth pal Cody Harjo (Seminole/Otoe/Creek/Cherokee/Iowa).

Here's her bio from her Etsy page:

I am an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma with Otoe, Creek, Cherokee, and Iowa descent and a self-taught beadwork artist with almost 20 years of beadwork experience.

Growing up in Oklahoma, I was exposed to many beadwork traditions and always listened with an open heart and mind when other beadwork artists offered advice and guidance. My initial focus was on Otoe style beadwork, but now starting to explore traditional Southeastern designs. I am also a constant student for anyone who chooses to teach me about their tribe's traditional patterns and colors.

I consider myself a contemporary beadwork artist because I love to work with colors and designs that cross the boundaries of "traditional." I believe beadwork is an art form that should always evolve. After all our ancestors did not have access to glass beads until European arrival. Beadwork represents a tradition of adaptation in its highest form for our American Indian people.

Currently I'm busy working and going to grad school for media studies, so I am unable to attend art markets at this time. But this does not stop the beads... because beadwork is a part of who I am. It's like a daily exercise and meditation.







Harjo was also featured on Martha Stewart's show, and you can watch the clip by clicking here.

Profile | TSOUL Jewelry

I came across this jewelry and accessories company on NDN Circle. The Navajo-owned company is TSOUL by KLT, and is dedicated to creating jewelry or wearable art focused on sustainability and uniqueness.

Some of their creations use common materials such as bolts and lace, and even recycled washers from various appliances, to create wearable appealing jewelry.

The necklaces are strung on either a string or ball chain with a recycled metal piece as the staple and beaded around in Japanese Miyuki beads in different tribal patterns.

The newest staple to the collection are their bangles, which come in all sorts of colors (bone, daffodil and cobalt) and patterns (Tribal & Navajo) and stones (spiny oyster, jasper and turquoise).

The designer is going to have a sample sale today, Saturday (7/31/10), at Earls Restaurant in Gallup, New Mexico.

Below are some examples of recently hand-made creations. The first is a necklace made with recycled copper piping with a Navajo water blanket design:

Native-Made Jewelry Should Be the New "It" Jewelry

Hello folks, this is a repost from an article I found written about why Native-made jewelry should be the new 'it' thing. Check out what gallery director Bonnie McClung had to say about it:

(Charles Loloma lost wax cast gold sapphire ring, from the Martha Hopkins Struever Gallery website)

Fashion Editors Take Notice - Authentic American Indian Jewelry Should Be the New "It" Jewelry
By Bonnie McClung

Coming from Santa Fe, New Mexico and working in the American Indian art business, I've grown quite accustomed to seeing the coolest, edgiest, and most beautiful American Indian jewelry being worn on a daily basis. Flip through the latest issue of Vogue, Elle, or InStyle, though, and I dare you to find a model wearing a piece of true natural turquoise. To me, this is quite the fashion travesty, for good Native American jewelry worn the right way can make all the fashion difference in the world. Here are some reasons why quality Authentic American Indian jewelry should be the new "It" jewelry:

- Most authentic American Indian jewelry is hand-made rather than mass produced. What could be better than wearing a piece of fantastic jewelry that no one else has!

- If you're wearing authentic American Indian jewelry you're supporting true artists and an art form that has withstood the test of time while constantly evolving into new innovations as well.

- Natural American turquoise (the subject of an article to come) is truly rare. Some of the turquoise mines are no longer even producing that type of turquoise. If you're able to acquire a jewelry piece with natural turquoise, you've got a piece with a stone that's in quite limited supply.

- Antique or vintage American Indian jewelry pieces, like turquoise stones, are obviously limited in supply, so again, you won't have to worry about showing up at the Academy Awards wearing the same Leekya Deyuse fetish necklace as your on and off-screen rival.

- Don't like silver or turquoise? No problem, a lot of Native artists are taking their jewelry to new and incredible gold heights. Check out Maria Samora's work - she was the poster artist for the 2009 Santa Fe Indian Market.

- You want a jeweler's name to love, a Harry Winston of the Native jewelry world perhaps? Don't worry. There are true "stars" in the American Indian jewelry world, artists who have a cult-like following among collectors because of their innovative designs and expert craftsmanship.

- In our eco-conscious world, what could be more green than buying a NATIVE American made piece that's hand-fashioned out of natural materials?

I hope this little piece at least nudges you to do a little search of American Indian jewelry on your own. You'll be amazed at how wonderful it is. Who knows, maybe next time I'm traveling outside of Santa Fe, I'll see a really great pair of Mike Bird Romero earrings on someone, or maybe, just maybe I'll open up that issue of Vogue and see a model wearing a Charles Loloma pendant with her Marchesa gown.

(Bonnie McClung is the director of the Martha Hopkins Struever Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico)

(Maria Samora bracelet from the Kuem Boom collection, from her website)

(Maria Samora Lightning Bolt necklace, from her website)

(Mike Bird Romero bracelet with mother of pearl squares, from the Martha Hopkins Struever Gallery website)

(Charles Loloma gold lost wax cast ring from the Martha Hopkins Struever Gallery website)

Article | Angela DeMontigny Silver Diamond Gorget

Aboriginal designer Angela DeMontigny brings spectacular diamond & silver gorget to Fashion Week

Unique riff on Iroquoian regalia executed with flawless DeBeers Diamonds

March 2nd, 2010, Montreal: A silver/diamond gorget, UNIVERSAL UNITY, which debuted Saturday, February 13 at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, will be featured during Montreal Fashion Week. The Angela DeMontigny design was a sparkling addition to the Aboriginal Fashion Showcase held in Vancouver in conjunction with the winter games.

Crafted from three Canadian diamonds on loan from De Beers Canada, the gorget was inspired by DeMontigny’s Aboriginal spirituality but also expresses the concept of ‘Universal Unity’, by symbolizing the gathering of athletes from different races, cultures and beliefs for the Vancouver/Whistler Olympic Games.

The flower logo, comprised of four petals, represents the four races and cardinal directions. The outstretched blooms on the sides represent world youth growing up from Mother Earth and reaching upwards towards the mighty Sun. Seven hanging medals (also symbolizing Olympic medals) are inscribed with the Seven Sacred Fires or Grandfathers - Love, Wisdom, Courage, Respect, Truth, Honesty and Humility – the aspirations of all who wish to live a good life.

The design of gorget recalls the traditional, silver breastplates worn by Iroquoian Chiefs that were awarded for acts of bravery or honour and also as tokens of alliance with their allies during times of war. Breast plates were commonly worn by warriors of several First Nations prior to European immigration.

Derived from French "gorge," meaning throat, an historical gorget is a flat, platelike appendage of worked metal worn on the chest as a breastplate or pendant.

In the 17th, `18th and early 19th centuries this ornamental collar, often in the shape of a crescent and embossed with regimental arms, was worn on the upper chest and tied around the neck with a silk ribbon or leather strap. This item of military bling, fashionable among European infantrymen and officers, also became associated with some First Nations Generals and Colonels, such as the great Mohawk statesman, Joseph Brant, are depicted in the official portraits of the period.

About Angela DeMontigny:

Angela has established herself as a pioneer in the aboriginal fashion industry, and has used her extensive marketing and industry knowledge to produce international-quality fashion events to promote Canadian native designers within the mainstream industry. Her experience as a designer, manufacturer, wholesaler, exporter and retailer, along with her keen understanding and passion for this niche market give her the knowledge necessary to assist with establishing new markets for aboriginal culture products.

As the creative director for the premiere Fashion Nation showcase and a key member of the event committee, she accomplished twofold. First, she coordinated the first ever group showing of native designers during L'Oreal Fashion Week in 2004 to great acclaim and a flurry of media attention. Secondly, she also shared with native designers the opportunity to be included amongst Canada's design elite. Since that time, Angela has been instrumental in developing the Canadian Aboriginal Design Council, a national organization established to promote market and develop new markets for native designers, both nationally and internationally.

Angela continues to produce professional shows and events, which garner major, mainstream media attention. She recently sat as industry advisor for the Aboriginal Cultural Industries Advisory Group - a national initiative chaired by Heritage Canada, created in order to research, address and implement authenticity and protection measures for aboriginal cultural producers; is a voting member of Trade Team Canada, has been involved in aboriginal tourism marketing initiatives, and is a regular guest speaker on issues such as aboriginal business, marketing and exporting.

For more information, please contact:
Lee Arden Lewis
iKANADA Productions Inc.
Cell: 613.661.4078
Email: lee[at]ikanada.com

Click here for originial article from NationTalk.ca

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!

Review | UNRESERVED Alliance show

Check out this post from www.111BreakingNews.com and PaperMag.com about the UNRESERVED Alliance show at Bryant Park:

Vanna White

by Tariq

Though the thought of collaborating with their mothers might be enough to make some designers light headed, mother and son jewelry designers Dylan and Veronica Poblano, who were among five American Indian designers who had work on display at the UNRESERVED American Indian Fashion and Art Alliance fashion showcase in the Bryant Park Hotel Thursday, love working together. “He can be difficult, but I’ll do whatever he throws at me,” Veronica said. The New Mexico natives use fluid, Zuni inlays and carving techniques in their pieces. Veronica, who counts Vanna White among her clients, works with coral and turquoise in her designs, while Dylan favors monofilament silver to create Art-Deco star bursts and cascading necklaces. Most of the designers at the showcase have work that have connections to their mothers. Chickasaw/Creek bag designer Maya Stewart makes her hand-sewn, quilted and geometric clutches from lamb and pig’s skin with her mother, who has items from her early 70s fashion line, “The Fife Collection,” on display in the Smithsonian.Taos-based Designer Patricia Michaels, whose ready-to-wear line uses silk and charmeuse to evoke eagle feathers, learned how to sew from her gallery-owner mother. Michaels said her clothes are influenced by the narrative aspect of Native American ceremonial wear. “Each garment here has a story behind it, just like every traditional outfit has a story behind it. In a sense, it’s retold on your skin.” Jeweler Maria Samora, also a Taos native, works with two-tone metals to create cuffs, necklaces and earrings with geometric prints she says are inspired by the bold, clean lines of her home town. “I always test the pieces, that’s really important. ” she said. “Sometimes the earring’s too heavy and after an hour you just want to rip it off. Jewelry is such a personal thing. It’s not like a painting that just goes on your wall.”

Native Fashion Covered in New York Social Diary

Designer Patricia Michaels' (Taos Pueblo) Native American Couture.

Zuni Jewelry Designer Veronica Paoblano.

Filmmaker Anna Fischer, Founder UnReserved Gail Bruce, and Steve Goodman.

The Native NY fashion event was covered in the New York Social Diary.

The blogger had this to say:
Unreserved presented new Native American Fashion and Accessories. Of special note the exquisite jewelry by Veronica Poblano (Zuni) fabricating traditional iconography into new, colorful work and the beautiful first couture collection of Designer Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo).

The post was meant for those of us who are not in the fashion business (aka those of us who couldn't make it past the red ropes of NY Fashion Week). One of the goals of the UNRESERVED Alliance is to increase coverage of Native artists and designers in New York, the art and fashion mecca of the U.S.

Podcast | Tsosie-Gaussoin Studio

(Image: Postmodern Boa by brothers Wayne Nez and David Gaussoin)

(Image: Jewelry and fashion by teh Tsosie-Gaussoin family)

Check out this wonderful podcast featuring a presentation by the artists of the Tsosie-Gaussoin Studio!

UNRESERVED Alliance Launches Designer Collective: New York Fashion Week Showcase

(Images: all from NYFW, February 2009)

As I blogged earlier, UNRESERVED is a newly formed collective founded to empower and encourage artistic expression by Native artists.

Their latest announcement describes the establishment of a Designer Collective, which will launch a fashion installation during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in just a few weeks. The event will feature accessory and ready-to-wear designers from various tribal backgrounds at the Bryant Park Hotel Loft in Manhattan on Thursday, February 11th from 4pm to 5:30pm.

The artists include purse-maker Maya Stewart (Chickasaw/Creek), fashion designer Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), jewelry-maker Kenneth Johnson (Seminole), mother and son jewelers Dylan and Veronica Poblano (Zuni), and jeweler Maria Samora (Taos).

Last February, UNRESERVED co-founders Gail Bruce and Michael Chapman hosted a similar event at Ramscale Penthouse Studio, in which three Native American fashion designers showcased their work during the New York Fashion Week, February 2009. These three designers, Dorothy Grant, Patricia Michaels, and Virgil Ortiz, marked a historical moment – this was the first time in history that Native designers participated in an event in Manhattan during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. However, they did not show at the elite and hard-to-get-into Bryant Park. Physically, Ramscale is on the outer limits of the fashion week events, located on West Street, which is a few blocks away from Bryant Park. The upcoming event, however, will be held at the Bryant Park Hotel, which regularly hosts several important events during fashion week. Once again, it is not Bryant Park, [the tents at Bryant Park are fashion central for the week] but the hotel is literally right across the street and it is most definitely the next best thing, and it's very exciting to witness this movement. I’m booking my plane ticket now... see you in New York!

Event | Thunder Run Fashion Show

Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, teaming with the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, will be hosting a rail fashion show Saturday, January 23 from 6-8 p.m. The Casino, in its effort to support Native arts, is presenting this opportunity to view the hottest in Native fashion.

The fashion show, titled Thunder Run, will feature designs by Pilar Agoyo, Michelle Tapia Browning, Jerry Ingram, Patricia Michaels, and Penny Singer. These couture garments will be worn by all New Mexico models. I’ve had the great pleasure of viewing fashion shows featuring the edgy vinyl garments by Agoyo and the ephemeral clothing by Michaels, and this show will definitely be a crowd pleaser. Tapia Browning works in a variety of media, including photography, but she also designs clothing for family and friends, including the Pueblo of Pojoaque Governor George Rivera. She also designed the uniforms worn by most Buffalo Thunder hotel personnel. Ingram is known for replicating historic beadwork created by Plains and Plateau Indians during the late 1800s, and Singer’s chic jackets are always quick to sell. Augusta Meyers, former news anchor, will emcee the event.

Thunder Run is an opportunity for New Mexicans to enjoy chic Native fashion and great food and spirits all while benefiting a worthy cause: although the event is free and open to the public, donations will be collected for the Northern New Mexico Boys & Girls Clubs. Fashion for a cause!

Many of these designers are featured in the new Thunder Magazine, which was published this month. Thunder Magazine is an in-room publication of Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino designed for resort guests, and is distributed at the property and other Pojoaque Pueblo locations. This publication will be available to all fashion show guests, who will also enjoy savory hors d’œuvres and a goodie bag packed with gifts, including Medicine Mountain body lotion, a signature offering of Buffalo Thunder Resort’s luxurious Wo’P’in Spa.

Details:
WHAT: Thunder Run Fashion Show
WHERE: Tewa Grand Ballroom at the Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, 30 Buffalo Thunder Trail, Santa Fe, NM. Highway 84/285.
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 23, 6–8 p.m.
COST: Free. Open to the public
INFO: 877-848-6337