Fashion Heat: 2013

As I have matured and earned more disposable income, I have grown a fairly modest interest in fashion. Beyond designing and hand-making most of the costumes for my films throughout my life, I have attended a few fashion shows over the years, and have photographed models both in the studio and on the runway. 

I am not much of a seamstress or consumer of high priced fashion items, but I do enjoy the craft on an esthetic level and appreciate talent when I see it. I recently went to a show here in Santa Fe that I think could be a catalyst for bringing Native fashion to the forefront for people interested in fashion, not trend.  

This years Santa Fe Independent Film Festivals Fashion Heat: Native Fashion 2013 was a really amazing show. With Mercedes Benz fashion about 6 weeks behind us, I'd understand if people are in a bit of a fashion coma. But the designers who presented their work in this show are unlike anything you will ever see under the white tents of NYFW. 

The show was essentially a platform for Project Runway's season 11 runner up Patricia Michaels, but also highlighted talented artist/designers Rose Simpson, Wendy Red Star, Naomi Bebo, Lloyd Kiva New, and Kay Bennett. Most of you will have no idea who these people are, and that's ok. But these designers exemplify the fact that there is innovative, truly original work being done in unexpected places. These are people worth getting to know. 

The clear difference I see with Native fashion that separates it so distinctly from more popular forms of design is the infusion of culture, tradition, art and style. You could never accuse a single one of these designers of being one-dimensional, nor could you say you've seen work like this before.

(Wendy Red Star)

(Wendy Red Star)

(Rose Simpson)

(Rose Simpson)

(Wendy Red Star)

(Wendy Red Star)

(Patricia Michaels)

Above are my images of the fashion show. Being a guest I didn't bring my working camera. However, the cell phone pictures from my Galaxy S3 aren't terrible. So far, the official images have not been published anywhere I can find. Hopefully we'll see some soon.

The event was hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts and the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival.