In Santa Fe, New Mexico, an exciting fashion event is unfolding as designers from across North America showcase creations inspired by their Indigenous roots, culture, and day-to-day experiences. This three-day runway show began on Friday and is held in a prime creative center known for its Indigenous art offerings.
This year, a noteworthy collaboration is taking place between a fashion show linked to the historic Santa Fe Indian Market and its counterpart from Vancouver, Canada. This partnership celebrates Indigenous unity and artistic expression. Additionally, a separate independent runway show at the city’s rail yard district has almost doubled the hustle of models, makeup artists, and final preparations.
Collections during Friday’s presentations by six Native designers displayed a wide array of elements, from silk parasols to quilted hoodies, knee-high fur boots, and long suede leather earrings. The catwalks of Santa Fe are graced by professional models, dancers, and notable Indigenous figures from the worlds of television and politics.
Clothing and accessories utilize materials like wool trade cloth and animal hides, adorned with traditional beadwork, ribbons, and jewelry. These are complemented by modern touches such as digitally created designs and Native American urban streetwear from Phoenix.
Taos Pueblo designer Patricia Michaels, who rose to fame on “Project Runway,” explains, “Native fashion tells a story about our understanding of who we are both as individuals and within our communities.” Designers from across North America have come together to share the inspiration drawn from their heritage and cultural backgrounds.
The Indigenous fashion showcase in Santa Fe has emerged recently, stemming from the haute couture displayed at the summer Santa Fe Indian Market, which attracts crowds eager to see the works of individual artists like sculptors, potters, jewelers, and painters.
Designer Sage Mountainflower, with roots in the 1980s Santa Fe Indian Market, initially pursued a career in environmental administration. However, a passion for fashion, kindled by sewing tribal regalia for her children, led her to international acclaim. At 50, Mountainflower presented her “Taandi” collection — a term meaning “Spring” in Tewa. Her work uses satin and chiffon, featuring embroidery that reflects her personal and family history from the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo in the Upper Rio Grande Valley.
“What excites me is a mix of trends and personal taste,” says Mountainflower, who emphasizes her connection to Taos Pueblo and the Navajo Nation. “This year’s focus is the evolving nature of spring, promising a colorful collection.” Over 20 designers are participating by invitation from the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts.
Fashion holds a key position in Santa Fe’s prestigious arts scene, with Native American vendors regularly displaying jewelry in the downtown plaza. Meanwhile, the Institute for American Indian Arts offers fashion-related degrees each May. The week includes a gala at the New Mexico governor’s mansion welcoming designers, alongside social gatherings in galleries and bookstores, and the prospect of pop-up stores to sell new runway designs.
A significant partnership with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week this year brings in a First Nations influence, with many Canadian designers making their way to Santa Fe. Randi Nelson, a Secwépemc artist and designer from Whitehorse, Yukon, presents collections made from fur and traditionally tanned hides — primarily elk and caribou — using skills and techniques handed down through generations.
“We all have unique styles,” notes Nelson, a member of the Bonaparte/St’uxwtéws First Nation, initially known for her work in jewelry crafted from quills, shells, and beads. “There isn’t a single pan-Indigenous theme or look. We draw from our individual nations, lessons from our families, and then reinterpret them in a fresh and modern way.”
Inuk designer April Allen, from Canada’s Labrador coast, showcases a dress made of blue mesh resembling water droplets. Her designs explore nature-related themes and advocate for clean drinking water. Vocal music accompanies her collection with primally moving sounds from Beatrice Deer, an Inuit and Mohawk artist and model.
Jeremy Donavan Arviso, a jeweler and designer from Phoenix, highlights the runway shows’ aim to broaden beyond the Southwest’s fashion styles, showcasing Native designs on a global platform. Discussions have pointed to the impact of tariffs and fashion supply prices and the clash between fast fashion and Indigenous values.
Arviso’s work, featured in showcases by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts and in a warehouse venue set up by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe of the Siksika Nation, embraces a contemporary street-smart vibe. “My approach is contemporary without heavy reliance on traditional or ancestral practices,” says Arviso, hailing from Diné, Hopi, Akimel O’odham, and Tohono O’odham communities. “I didn’t grow up with traditional methods — my upbringing was different.”
His fashion approach draws parallels to music sampling by early rap artists, integrating elements from prominent fashion labels and his cultural influences. He invited Toronto ballet dancer Madison Noon for an evocative introduction to his Vision Quest collection.
Former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland of Laguna Pueblo will be among the models on the Santa Fe runway, wearing Patricia Michaels’ clothing and jewelry by Zuni Pueblo silversmith Veronica Poblano.