Top 10 Native Appropriations in Fashion for 2011

It's that time of year! When everyone posts their Top 10 of 2011 Lists, and here is my list of the top Native appropriations in fashion for 2011 (take THAT, Los Angeles Times!):

10. Forever 21's Cheap Knock-Offs: We can always count on Forever 21 to give us some great cheap options for any fashion trend. I even make my students go to F21 as part of a Tribal Trend Scavenger Hunt assignment. They never fail to bring in stellar images of some wacky fringed and feathered bodily ruckus.

9. Suzy Menkes and the S-Word: Fashion critic and writer Suzy Menkes selects the wrong choice of words, and her slur flies completely under the radar.

8. Pendleton's Collaboration with Those Hipster Companies: Oh, Pendleton. Our entangled epic relationship continues.

7. Spirit Hoods: I never blogged about these weird fluffy critters that hipsters love to wear on their heads while they're seeking vision quests at the latest music festival. But Adrienne Keene did over at Native Appropriations, and her interactions with the Spirit Hood Tribal Chief is hilarious.

6. Vogue's Indians: Vogue editors everywhere fell in love with the Indian and decided to do some fashion spreads in homage. The problem is that they chose to use non-Native designers, non-Native models, non-Native photographers, non-Native stylists and make-up artists, and non-Native consultants and editors.

5. Red-on-Red Art Crime: (Mis)Appropriation happens all across the board, and in every direction, and in this post from earlier in December, a Native artist/businessman steals a design from a well-known Metis artist to create accessories to sell on Zazzle.

4. The Callaloo Parade: Native-themed parades were all the rage this summer (remember when the Pride boys filled their float with Cowboys and Indians in Santa Fe?), but one in particular really stuck out for me. It was the Callaloo Caribana Parade held in Toronto, where 'sanctioned' hyper-sexualized costumes included the 'Native Apache' and the 'Sacrificial Mayan Virgin.' So, of course, I investigated the sexualization of Native women in fashion, from a critical perspective.

3. Proenza Schouler's Creepy Indians Video: Oh lawrd. When this one dropped I didn't know what to do. I think we all just scratched our heads. Some people tried to tell us that this video was 'clever,' but... I disagree.

2. White Women (and Men) and Headdresses: The headdress trend continues, despite being overtly disrespectful. Sigh. So I began researching the history of this annoying trend.

1. Urban Outfitters' Navajo Obsession: The short version: UO becomes obsessed with Navajos, Navajos send them a cease and desist letter, UO ignores, bloggers and writers wage digital war. Well, if it wasn't for this case, we wouldn't have this gem of a quote: "Don't claim Navajo, unless it's Navajo, and you ain't Navajo. So knock if off." Yea, knock it off.

BONUS: Genocide Chic Satire: Hilarity ensues when mock high fashion designer DW Diaz dips the old crusty past in some glitter!



Let's hope that none of these "top trends in Native appropriations in fashion" drag on into 2012!

Cheers to a new year~

Video | Jhane Myers Talks Powwow

Jhane Myers Noisecat, Matriarch of the Noisecat family, who will be participating dancers in the 2011 Gathering of the Nations Pow Wow this weekend, joins Nikki from KASA.com to talk about her heritage and family, and the 2011 Gathering of Nations Powwow. Her daughters Wakeah, Peshawn and son Fuji share their talent with a dance to the beat of a drum played by Roger DeWayne Tofpi, of both Kiowa and Ute Heritage.

Apache Chronicle

(Lynnette Haozous as Lozen in: "Apache Chronicle")

Need some mid-week badass inspiration? Check out this upcoming experimental documentary about the life and art of five strong Native women, who are also talented artists and skateboarders affiliated with Apache Skateboards. Starring Melissa Cody, Razelle Benally, Rebekah Miles, Lynnette Haozous, and Tasha Hastings, this doc is produced and directed By Nanna Dalunde in collaboration with Douglas Miles of Apache Skateboards. Here's the trailer:

Proenza Schouler's Creepy Indians Video

The ever-sassy website The Gloss gives Harmony Korine's new artsy video for Proenza Schouler a big thumbs down. I think I do too. Read all the way to the bottom to learn my reasons why.



Article | Harmony Korine Directed A Really Creepy Video For Proenza Schouler
by Jamie Peck

What happens when a luxury brand gives a so-hip-it-hurts filmmaker a bunch of money to direct a short film featuring clothing from its fall collection? Snowballs happens, apparently. The Harmony Korine directed short premiered at Paris’ Club Silencio Tuesday night, a club which, fittingly enough, was designed by David Lynch.

Like much of Korine’s work, the five-minute-long head scratcher is set in a depressed corner of America, namely a rural tract of low-income housing, possibly a trailer park. To make matters worse, the film’s two main figures appear to be Native Americans, albeit creepy, gnome-like Native Americans wearing silicone masks and…Proenza Schouler, naturally. They sing a terrifying little song as they go about their business, which includes going to hang out with a white Deliverance type whose gas mask is reminiscent of the Dennis Hopper character in Blue Velvet. I don’t know about you, but I spent the entire length of the film waiting for some terrible violence to happen, and it never did. This resistance to any kind of narrative or dramatic payoff is one of the most divisive things about Korine’s work.

“It was a little disturbing. It was really uncomfortable and jarring and amazing,” socialite Lauren Santo Domingo told WWD. “I don’t know if anyone can make a crystal meth trailer park seem chic. I mean, there is something very avant-garde about it.”

After you’re done laughing at that person, can we talk about the cultural appropriation going on here? Making artsy films about disadvantaged communities you don’t belong to is one thing. Making artsy films about disadvantaged communities you don’t belong to for the purpose of selling thousand dollar couture? That’s kind of where I draw the line. Add in the element of race, and you are in way, way, way over your head. I know Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough joked that “it’s a sales deterrent, if anything,” but let’s get real. Proenza Schouler is not in the business of throwing money away just for the fuck of it. This is a storied fashion house, premiering a short film at an incredibly trendy and exclusive club, during Paris Fashion Week, for a room full of Important Fashion People. Sounds pretty promotional to me.

Way to like, totally sell out, Harmony Korine. It’s a good thing I didn’t like your films that much to begin with.

(Via The Gloss, Via Jezebel, who had this to say: The clip features clothing from Proenza Schouler's fall collection, which was inspired by a trip designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough took through the American West and Southwest. "We spent time in Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico exploring Native American history and their crafts and were inspired by Navajo textiles," explained Hernandez when he testified before Congress in support of a bill earlier this year. "When you look at our designs you won't see knockoffs of Navajo crafts. Instead you will see that we incorporated their feel and some of their elements to create our own originals."

NOW THE GOOD PART: That's right, Proenza Schouler can copy from Native artists, but he asks Congress to pass a bill that will help him "against copyists who prey on [his] ideas." His ideas? Tsk Tsk Proenza, quit perpetuating the idea that Native people don't have badass artists, designers, original ideas, or innovative designs, and don't deserve intellectual property rights. Efffff you.

Proenza Schouler should look to Siki Im, who was also inspired by Navajo textiles, but instead of trying to profit off of Navajo culture, Siki Im instead collaborated with Navajo textile artist Tahnibaa Naataanii. That's right, collaborate!, because cool artists exist, so stop trying to rip them off. Read it here.

Read the Testimoney of Lazaro Hernandez here, Fashion Designer & Co-Founder, Proenza Schouler, before the US House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet, Legislative Hearing on the Innovative Design protection and Piracy Prevention Act, July 15, 2011.

Beyond Buckskin September Links!

Lots happening in the Beyond Buckskin area of interests, so I thought I'd do a round up of some interesting articles and links - click away!

Native Elegance Hits Runway: A review of a Rapid City runway show featuring designs by Darlene Perkins, Mildred Carpenter, and Danita Strawberry. Models and designers from Indian country makin South Dakota look sexy!

Oklahoma Artist Joins NIKE to Create Native Inspired Clothing: A cool write-up about Bunky Echo-Hawk's historic collaboration with Nike - an alliance that's proving to have positive impacts on inspiring Native youth. Follow your dreams, kids!

Crossing Generations: Blogger Miss Mondo highlights Maori fashion designers Keri Wanoa and Hemi Sundgren, the brains behind WHIRI fashion. Miss Mondo is basically the Maori version of Beyond Buckskin, so of course I am an avid reader/follower! (but not in a creepy way!)

The Ephemerals: An all-female Aboriginal collective of artists and curators, the Ephemerals critique the current Tribal Trend and encourage college students to take a deeper look at the cultural implications of Fall's most important trends.

The Racial Construction of Preppiness, part II: The fierce ladies over at Threadbared take a look at a group of young urban males who appropriate and re-mix (and re-fashion) the Americana image constructed by designer Ralph Lauren. That's right, 'Polo low lifes'. Not specifically Native-focused, but a good article on the construction and reconstruction of identity, culture, and class. Super sick.

Futurist Giorgio Sant' Angelo, An Hommage: A model's perspective on Giorgio Sant Angelo, a designer whose vibrant Indigenous-inspired couture was all the rage in the 1970s. He made the Tribal Trend très chic by garbing celebrities such as Zsa Zsa Gabor, Diana Ross, and the Jaggers. (the Jaggers!)

Colorful Rooster Feathers Being Used As Hair Accessories: A creepy article about how one salon is taking the Feather Extensions Trend "a step further" by adding Native hair to the feather look. Get this, "because it's so hard to get rooster feathers," they started incorporating American Indian hair ("because of its strength"). Yikes! Using American Indian hair, they say, offers a more animal-friendly alternative. Scalps anyone?

Style Show Highlights Traditional Dress: The Cherokee Phoenix online news source reviewed a recent Southeastern-Indian fashion show held in Tahlequah. Models of all ages wore clothing from a period ranging from 900 A.D. to the present. Photo highlights include a full-length turkey-feather cape and this pretty Seminole style skirt (pictured above).



NDNs From All Directions from Bear Witness on Vimeo.

And finally, A Tribe Called Red Production video featuring the NDNs From All Directions ultimate remix. Fricka fricka.

Genocide Chic

Mock high fashion designer DW Diaz dips the old crusty past in some glitter!

Miss Mondo Covers Maori Fashion

Miss Mondo has the latest dish on the Miromoda show held at the beginning of June.

One recent post is about Maori design collective Dmonic Intent, who debuted their winning collection.

A debut for DMONIC INTENT at ANZFW 2011

Dmonic Intent made up of three sisters Maxine Wooldridge, Samara Wooldridge and Khris Leach earned first place in the Couture section of the 2011 Miromoda Fashion Design Awards held over the long weekend in Wellington with their collection entitled Black Sheep, they were also named runners-up in the Established section for their collection The Alchemist.

This family affair are three years into the fashion game and have gained a cult like following for their brand DMONIC INTENT. This year at ANZFW 2011 will be their debut with a quirky spin on sustainable garments and ultra cool jewellery. As designers Dmonic Intent are inspired by mystery, darkness and punk icons from the 80's and 90's — a little bit rock and most definitely playful describes their jewellery line mixed with Zips recycled into bracelets, belts and headbands while the zip stoppers are used to create linkable necklaces and cuffs.

Each season they seem to push themselves further to create and experiment with the beautiful, dark, and edgy. Their individuality will see this up and coming label be one of New Zealand's Hottest showcases at ANZFW 2011.



(From The Black Sheep Collection)

Click here to read other reviews by Miss Mondo about Adrienne Whitewood's Indigenous Fashion Statement and the Miromoda Awards competition.

Video | Miromoda 2011

The 2011 Miromoda fashion awards competition just wrapped up, and videos from the Maori fashion event are slowly being posted.

Here's one showing Maori fashion designer Johnson Witehira explaining the concept behind one of his designs in the T-Shirt category of the Miromoda Fashion Awards Design.



MIROMODA - The Indigenous Māori Fashion Apparel Board (IMFAB) was founded in 2008, as a non-profit organisation, instituted to advance the quality status of Māori fashion design and to raise its artistic and professional standards. Miromoda also aims to define a code of ethical practices of mutual benefit in public and trade relations and, to promote appreciation of the fashion arts through leadership in high quality, authenticity and aesthetic discernment.

Mission Miromoda is committed to nurturing the development of the Māori fashion industry’s future designers

"Miro" is the technical term for twining muka fibres in traditional Māori weaving. "Moda" is Italian for Fashion.

Video | Colin Coonsis

Zuni inlay jewelry artist Colin Coonsis, the son of well known jewelry makers from Zuni Pueblo is continuing a family legacy and making a name for himself with his new "Shattered" style, a contemporary take on traditional inlay. Last fall, Coonsis was part of an opening at Legends Gallery Santa Fe, NM (www.legendssantafe.com). Here is a promotional video featuring new pieces from his "Shattered" Collection.



For more information visit www.colincoonsis.com. (Video produced by Paul Niemi www.paulniemi.com)

Video | Louie Gong

Below is a fantastic video featuring Custom Shoe artist Louie Gong, who discusses the importance of putting Northwest Coast designs on shoes - his business goes beyond aesthetics and is an extension of his activism around racial identity. This 'artist profile' was filmed during the American Indian Film Festival by Northwest Indian News. It begins with wonderful comments by Tracy Rector of Longhouse Media.

Video | Disa Tootoosis Photo Shoot

Here's a short video clip of a photo shoot with photographer Tyson Anderson and model Lisa Muswagon of Native Model Studio Canada wearing a dress by First Nations designer Disa Tootoosis.

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

Video | Rhymes and Runways

Here's the vid from the Rhymes & Runways Fashion Show held during Gathering of Nations 2011. The fashion show featured designers Sho Sho Esquiro, Tracy Toulouse, Alano Edzerza, Penny Singer, Wavanoonkwe Cameron-Hernandez, and Jolene Chee.

Video | Angela DeMontigny on ThatChannel.com

Check out this interview with Metis fashion designer Angela De Montigny, who talks about the state of arts and culture in the Aboriginal community and her work during the Vancouver Olympics and the upcoming Calgary Stampede (skip ahead to around 1:16:00):

Video | Dorothy Grant at REZ 2011

Check out these videos of Dorothy Grant's fashion show held during the annual Reservation Economic Summit, aka REZ 2011.

Grant shows off her latest designs, which include many samples from her menswear:





And here's a feature video that Grant Studios just uploaded, which gives a behind the scenes look at her studio space and design process.

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:

Video | 2010 Buffalo Thunder Fashion Show

An oldie, but a goodie - this video clip is from the 2010 Buffalo Thunder Fashion Show held last January at the Pojoaque Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino. In collaboration with the new Rail Runner, the fashion show featured top Native designers from the Santa Fe region, including Jerry Ingram, Michelle Tapia Browning, Penny Singer, Pilar Agoyo and Patricia Michaels.

www.SantaFeTVShow.com, Episode #3, Buffalo Thunder FASHION SHOW from DHP Multimedia on Vimeo.

Video | Miss Representation - Women in Media

Writer/Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom brings together some of America's most influential women in politics, news, and entertainment to give us an inside look at the media's message. Miss Representation explores women's under-representation in positions of power by challenging the limited and often disparaging portrayal of women in the media. As one of the most persuasive and pervasive forces in our culture, media is educating yet another generation that women's primary value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality—not in their capacity as leaders. Through the riveting perspectives of youth and the critical analysis of top scholars, Miss Representation will change the way you see media.

To learn more, visit www.missrepresentation.org.

Video | My Presentation on Native Fashion

In case you missed, here is a video of my presentation last week at the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe on Native Designers of High Fashion -

Video | Original Leather Fashions by Angela DeMontigny

An oldie but a goodie -
check out this video featuring the fashion designs of Angela DeMontigny: