On ‘I Am Cait,’ a Wardrobe Tour Reveals Fashion’s Fixation on Caitlyn Jenner

The debut on Sunday night of Caitlyn Jenner’s new reality TV show, “I Am Cait,” was full of emotional moments, as well as Kardashians, as you might expect. But tucked away in the family revelations and inspiration was a pretty interesting moment between Kim Kardashian and Ms. Jenner, in, of all places, Ms. Jenner’s closet.
Ms. Kardashian had demanded a tour, and Ms. Jenner had obliged, pulling out garments with glee: dresses by Tom Ford, Diane von Furstenberg, and the like. According to Ms. Jenner, designers had been sending A LOT of stuff. She was excited.It emphasizes a post last week on Ms. Jenner’s blog, in which she explained the genesis of her Versace dress at the ESPY Awards: “Donatella Versacereached out to me and said, ‘I want to do the dress.’ I said, ‘I am SO in.’ We started with designs; they made the dress in Italy. Her head dressmaker came over, and we did two fittings to make sure we got it just absolutely perfect. It was like every fantasy of my life come true.”
Fashion, it seems, has a new favorite celebrity.
On the one hand, you could interpret this as simple generosity and designers being charmed by the idea of playing fairy godmother, waving their wands and helping someone feel beautiful. And I am sure that is part of it.
Brands love being involved in a Cinderella story, after all: It is part of the essential narrative of fashion. And Ms. Jenner embodies that transformation story more powerfully than perhaps any other public figure in many years.
But it’s hard not to think that Ms. Jenner’s 2.73 million Twitter followers and 3.2 million Instagram followers (as of Monday morning) also have something to do with it. Her potential marketing power is enormous — even more so given the television show. To be associated with that, as well as the supportive and individual value system Ms. Jenner has made it her mission to promote, is invaluable on many levels.
This year, Make Up for Ever became the first brand to sign a transgender model, Andreja Pejic, to a beauty contract. I wonder how many fashion brands have already approached Ms. Jenner? After all, as my colleague Mike Hale pointed out in his review of “I Am Cait,” Ms. Jenner is “a polished, effective pitchwoman.” Will we see her in the front row of shows come September and the next ready-to-wear season? I wouldn’t be surprised.
But despite the fact that the platform for getting her message across globally would be amplified by a brand ambassador contract — with all the glossy exposure that implies — and that the money involved could go to support a transgender support group, I hope she remains independent of the commercial machine.
In the long run, I think it would give her more power to be beholden to no single brand, but to be a friend to all.

Black tie event honors beauty, fashion industry

Hope Hall, president of Bosses in Beauty LLC, and Jazmine Allen, vice president of Bossess in Beauty, decided it was time for something unique and fresh for the beauty and fashion industry. To fill the void, they decided to host the inaugural Beauty and Fashion Industry Ball.
The event will take place Aug. 9 from 6 p.m. to midnight at The Crane Bay Event Center, 551 W. Merrill St.
Hall and Allen hopes all will come to the ball to enjoy a very special evening and help support their mission to create a night of enjoyment and beauty for those who help others feel beautiful inside and out.
Hall and Allen spoke with the Recorder about the burgeoning beauty and fashion industry in Central Indiana and the status of Midwest fashion.
Indianapolis Recorder: Why did you decide to host an event celebrating the beauty and fashion industry?
Hall: We wanted to bring a little bit of fun and interest to the beauty industry. I own Diamond Hair Salon and Jazmine is a hair stylist with a full roster of clients. We wanted to add fashion to this event because the two naturally fit together.
Allen: And when there is something going on, we’re usually the ones getting everyone ready. We don’t have a night where we can get glamorous and go out and enjoy ourselves and not have to work.
Why do you think Indianapolis is ready for an event like this?
Hall: There is a market here. This event encourages people to come together, network and get to know one another. (Indianapolis) isn’t known for beauty and fashion like places like Atlanta, Ga., but there’s no reason why we can’t be. We have talent here, but people don’t know about it.
How would you describe Indianapolis fashion?
Hall: There are two sides because we have a lot of people who are talented and up on current trends, then there are others who are really behind. In terms of beauty, we are a bit behind.
Does the Beauty and Fashion Industry Ball encourage Indianapolis to catch up with the times?
Allen: The goal is to embrace who we are, but we want people to be well informed. Even if women or men choose not to be up to date with their style, at least they know. I believe Indianapolis is behind because we are unaware.
What can people expect at the inaugural ball?
Hall: We have a true red carpet experience for our guests. There will be networking opportunities where people can meet and mingle with others in the beauty and fashion industry and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks. There will also be a fashion show and we are going to take time to honor four very important people in the beauty and fashion industry. After that, we’ll have a live DJ so people can turn up!
Is this event exclusive to people in the beauty and fashion industry?
Hall: No, anyone can attend. Whether you’re a personal trainer or a dentist, there are so many people who help bring out people’s inner beauty by helping their outer beauty.
You are asking guests to come in formal wear. What will you be wearing to the ball?
Hall: We are coming in Hollywood gown style! (laughs) We want the men to come in a tuxedo and the women to come in nice dresses.
Allen: Yes, we wanted this to be an opportunity to get dressed up.
What do you hope people ultimately understand about this event?
Hall: I hope people walk away wanting to experience more with the beauty and fashion industry. We want this to be a boost of confidence to let people in our industry know we can do more, we can come together, enjoy ourselves and create new opportunities. And, the more we bring to Indianapolis, the more people will want to come here. It would keep us current while also providing a place to live and work.

City gets high on fashion

odels walking the ramp barefoot, a last-minute showstopper, a bespectacled model, and live music on the runway.
The second edition of the Kingfisher ULTRA Pondicherry Fashion Week organised by the Storm Fashion Company last weekend, ticked quite a few boxes on trends ruling the fashion world.
Opening the show was Jules Idi Amin Vergis from Chennai with her ‘My Little Teapot’ collection. Killer heels, which are almost synonymous with the catwalk, were given a break in a segment of her collection which featured free-flowing maxis in shades of blues, pinks and greens. “I went ahead with the barefoot look as I wanted to show clothes for day time, brunch and mostly summer and resort wear. One does not walk in heels in these clothes,” said Ms. Vergis post her show. Inspired by blue pottery from across the world, the collection had Jaipur, Aztec and block prints, and Indian bead work, with crop tops, palazzo pants, A-line and pencil skirts. Actor Ishaara Nair was the showstopper in a break from the blues, in a deep red dress with silver work on the bodice.
Music on the runway
The day was revved up with some live music by Bengaluru band One Nite Stand during Bengaluru-based Manoviraj Khosla’s segment, which had the audience cheering on. High on glamour, his collection had Jodhpur trousers and velvet jackets for the men, and swimwear in pop colours paired with sequinned cover-ups for the women, apart from dresses and floral flared pants. A standout piece was a grey men’s jacket in synthetic suede featuring laser cut floral pattern in white. “Everyone loves good music and I have worked several times with One Nite Stand. I focused primarily on a collection of fun and life,” said Mr. Khosla about his show here. The designer was himself a symbol of all things fun in a pop pink blazer.
Delhi designer Jattinn Kochhar met singer-songwriter Erika Lernot from Paris on Saturday at the event, and decided she would be his showstopper. The singer even sang along a bit as she sashayed down the ramp in Mr. Kochhar’s signature ready-to-wear pleated sari with a fringed pallu. For his collection, ‘Karma Chameleon’, Mr. Kochhar used camouflage prints in fuchsia pink, orange and lime, apart from blacks for dresses, dhoti pants, kurtas and sleeveless shirts. “Camouflage is not generally seen in formal clothes and Indian wear,” he said. The designer, who swears by lycra, said he likes flexibility in his creations. This could be seen in the in-house neck chains which double up as belts.
Dreamy collection
Bringing up the finale was Hari Anand from Cochin with his collection, ‘Tomorrow’ featuring three showstoppers with former Miss India World Natasha Suri in a black cutwork gown, former Miss India Tourism Priyanka Shah in a midnight blue gown with silver embroidery and actor Nandita Swetha in a red and gold number. Mr. Anand’s collection spelt elegance and a dream-like quality with his gowns in net, chiffon and lace in pastel shades. Quite a few pieces also featured some clever embroidery like cutwork.
“I focused on simplicity and clothes which highlight the personality of the person,” said Mr. Anand.
The shirt dress also found its place with both Ms. Vergis and Mr. Anand showcasing their take on the summer staple. While the second edition raised the fashion quotient, the local touch seemed missing with Puducherry not finding representation among the designers or models, or as inspiration in the collections.
However, one of those associated with the event said that it would do much to boost Puducherry’s image as a fashion destination, while bringing in revenue for the town.

Summer fashion trends include long skirts

Maxi dresses are an enduring summer trend, despite the fact that they are unflattering on just about everyone.
Honestly, I just don't think anyone cares that they look like a big balloon in Facebook photos. The trade-off is a chic, breezy and extremely comfortable summer ensemble, which allows one to put aside the obvious lack of shape that is part and parcel of most maxi dresses.
However, for a population that wears maxi dresses so enthusiastically, we rarely don maxi skirts, which are equally ubiquitous with "fashion people" this summer. They're one of those trends that just hasn't made it to the general population yet. Why?
For me, they are a reminder of the long, denim skirts with buttons down the front that my teachers used to wear when I was in, say, second grade. The early '90s weren't really fashion's best years, so I steer clear of this trend because the way I've seen it worn is much too "Little House on the Prairie" for my taste. (I also hated reading "farm books" in second grade, so I think it's safe to conclude that maxi skirts caused my first and only B grade in reading.)
It's a different time now, and I must say that the few maxi skirts I've encountered in real life have been pulled off swimmingly by their owners. They provide the same relaxed, "it's-summer-so-I-just-threw-this-on" look you get from maxi dresses, with a little more shape in the waist to make you look less like a blob.
Below are some things I'll look for in my first maxi skirt. Needless to say, denim is out of the question.
1. If an elastic waist is necessary, it must be subtle.
A lot of maxi skirts come with an elastic waist. There are two types I can get on board with: a paper bag waist and a drawstring waist. A paper bag waist has a slight ruffle atop the elastic, like a paper bag when you scrunch it together. This is very in right now, so it helps the whole issue of looking like you tucked a shirt into sweatpants. I like a drawstring waist because, unlike plain old elastic, it is adjustable. It gives you a better shot at hiding the stomach pooch that will inevitably show if you go with pure elastic.
2. Flowy fabric is ideal.
What is the point of wearing a long skirt if you can't twirl in it or wave it around? Jersey fabric is okay, but if you want a skirt that is snug all the way down, a midi skirt is the better choice for most body types. A maxi skirt, on the other hand, is great in a fabric like silk-chiffon, which can be voluminous without being bulky.
You may also want a look that's not as flowy, and for that I'd suggest a thicker fabric like linen or heavy cotton ... something that is not super tight but will keep its shape.
3. Make sure you can walk.
Your legs are not going to have a lot of wiggle room if the skirt isn't flowy or it has a constricting slip underneath. Side slits may be necessary as long as they're not too high.
4. Style with a casual top and possibly a belt.
Long skirts are inherently formal, especially in fabrics that are nicer than your average cotton. It's the perfect time to wear a chambray shirt, or even a plain, solid-colored T-shirt. All should be tucked in, lest you disguise your waist and end up as a blob despite all your extra work of finding the perfect maxi skirt. A belt is a nice accessory here, especially in the case of an elastic waist.
5. Be careful with heels.
Again, this can look too formal if you're not careful, so wedges or very chunky heels are the best choice if you need some elevation (which you likely will if you're short). Otherwise, a flat sandal is the way to go.

Part-Time Jobs in Fashion to Watch Out For

It’s no secret that the fashion industry is a tough field to get into, no matter what angle you’re approaching it from. However, by getting a head start through part-time fashion-related jobs, you’re setting yourself up for success from the start.
So, to help you get your foot in the door in the fashion industry, here are part-time jobs in fashion you’ll want to watch out for.
1. Campus Publications
Believe it or not, writing about fashion is one of the best ways to get yourself noticed. Most campus publications have a fashion section, and some are even centered around fashion.
Even if journalism isn’t your dream job, working part-time in a fashion section of a publication may just be the thing that sets you apart from other applicants in the future.
Look into publications such as College Fashionista, Her Campus, Uloop and any other campus-specific publications with a fashion section for you to write for.
Whether it’s paid or unpaid, this is the perfect way to begin your work with the fashion industry, no matter where within it you want to end up.
2. Retail
It’s paid, it’s easy and it’s actually a good place to start. Most students just entering college aren’t exactly full of experience: that’s why you’re in college.
And really, everyone needs to start somewhere. So if your resume is completely barren of anything fashion related, apply to any retail stores in the area that sell clothing, makeup or anything similar.
The more you familiarize yourself with fashion, the better, and retail is a great way to do so, especially in getting a look at seasonal clothing, beauty products that are popular, etc.
My suggestions are to look at Victoria’s Secret, Ulta, Sephora, TJ Maxx and other similar clothing/makeup stores.
3. Organizations
Retail isn’t the only way to start working in this industry, as there are countless organizations that are fashion-forward and hiring part-time workers all the time.
For instance, one fairly popular organization is Rent the Runway, which offers internships in numerous fields, including (but not limited to) graphic design, marketing and journalism.
This organization opens up many doors for potential fashion employees, and there are countless others that are similar. My suggestion is to Google some of your favorite fashion organizations and get an idea as to what openings are out there.
You’ll never know until you research it for yourself.
4. Sales
Yes, sales has a terrible reputation. However, when going into fashion, this is a great asset to have on your side.
Working sales doesn’t necessarily mean you need to work in fashion, just working sales at any store/organization and developing those basic sales skills is enough for your resume.
The fashion industry is full of sales positions and opportunities, and working part-time as a sales associate at any chain near you is the place to start. Any experience is good experience, and despite its reputation, sales is another fantastic way to open doors in the future.
5. Photography
With graphic design openings almost everywhere you look, photography isn’t a bad place to start either.
Most college campuses offer photography classes, and most publications are always looking for part-time photographers to help put visuals to text.
Also, freelance photography is a great way to get started in this field, by building up your portfolio and building up a clientele from the get-go.
If photography is the route you want to go in the fashion world (as it’s a bit more pricey just to try to get an in), then this is the perfect part-time job to start with.
6. Modeling
And last, but certainly not least, fashion and modeling typically go hand in hand, and how else would you get your foot in the door of the fashion world than by modeling in your college career?
Whether you just pose for some pictures for a friend, apply to modeling gigs around campus or help out your local publications by doing some free modeling, any way that you can build up your portfolio is a good way to go.
Of course, this is yet again a much tougher way to get into the industry, but if you’re going to pursue this route, make sure you’re getting experience in any way you can. If a part-time modeling gig opens up: take it.
Like I said, all experience is good experience, so don’t turn down opportunities if they’re available for the taking.
Trying to differentiate yourself in such a tough industry isn’t easy, but beginning with any of these part-time jobs is a great way to show your initiative and passion for the industry, even in the most lowly of beginning jobs.
So don’t knock it ‘til you try it, because that part-time job at a nothing store might just land you that dream job in the fashion industry.

Her Universe Fashion Show celebrates apparel for fangirls

The Joker, Sailor Moon and nerdy ladies were the big winners at the Her Universe Fashion Show last night.
It’s an event where strutting down the runway were women wearing a Greek goddess-esque dress version of Groot, an elegant winter coat modeled after the TARDIS, and a frock with a skirt shaped and detailed to look like the Death Star, among other high fashion takes on characters beloved by nerdy fans.
In its second year at San Diego Comic-Con, the fashion show crowned two winners from the 25 finalists who submitted “geek couture” designs to Her Universe, the sci-fi fashion apparel company behind the event.
The judging panel-selected winner was a design called “Joker’s New Look,” designed and modeled by Kelly Cercone. The attendee-voted top prize went to a “Sailor Moon” design called “Usagi’s Transformation,” which was designed by Leetal Platt and modeled by fan-favorite cosplayer Chloe Dykstra.
The two winners will get to design a new collection of clothing for Hot Topic with Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein. Hot Topic also partnered with Her Universe to host the fashion show. Last year’s winners designed the Marvel by Her Universe “Avengers” collection.
“It took us a while to get onstage cause we didn't expect it,” Platt told HitFix. “We were sitting in the back eating potato chips, which [Dykstra] shouldn't have been doing in her dress! I told her it was okay d'cause we were done.”
At the event to support Dykstra was her beau, Sam Witwer. The “Being Human” actor was also there to support Eckstein, who, along with Witwer, is in the voice cast of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels.”
“I love what [Eckstein] is doing for the community,” Witwer told HitFix before the start of the fashion show. “I just love how inclusive she is and how she's bringing everyone together under a banner of inclusion and fun and what we all love this stuff for.”
In the five years since its launch, Her Universe has provided women with stylish clothing that gives them the chance to “flaunt your world” — to wear feminine ensembles that celebrate shows like “Doctor Who” and movies like “Star Wars.”
“What some people thought was an oxymoron — ‘geek fashion’ — is more than a trend. It’s definitely here to stay,” Eckstein said while hosting the event. “Five years ago the odds were stacked against us when it came to providing fashion for fangirls… Now geek fashion is everywhere. It’s a recognized growing category, and everyone is talking about it.”
Before fashion for fangirls caught on, women who wanted to wear nerd shirts had to settle for ill-fitting T-shirts from the boys section, as Adria Sanchez-Chaidez, one of the show’s finalists, pointed out in her introduction video.
In addition to the in-competition geek couture designs that walked the runway, various Her Universe lines were on display, as women of all shapes and sizes showed off clothing inspired by “Star Trek,” Marvel movies and more. The event also unveiled the looks for “Spirited Away” dresses and tops that will join the Her Universe Studio Ghibli collection. Those long-awaited additions to the line based on the Japanese animation studio’s films will be available in Hot Topic stores this fall.
Another big Her Universe announcement from the event: The behind-the-scenes of the fashion show has been documented for a reality series called, simply, “Her Universe Fashion Show.” The series will be available will be on Lionsgate’s Comic-Con International streaming video-on-demand service next year.

While they've been cited — alongside fellow young labels like Mansur Gavriel and Kara — as part of the minimalist, anti-"It"-bag movement, sisters Kimberly and Nancy Wu don’t consider their emerging accessories brand Building Block to be minimal.
“I struggle with that label," says Kimberly. "We don’t want to put excess product in the world, so we try to make sure everything we produce is wanted, needed, and has validity to be owned by someone, but to be labeled as a minimal brand would be surface-level." Instead, she prefers the term "considered accessory." Building Block takes an alternative approach to luxury and functionality — editing out the hardware and beautifying the bare bones. The handbags (and shoes, a recent addition) play with geometry while exposing features that aren’t usually considered luxe — rubber tubing, unfinished wooden objects, clear acrylic Lucite, and utility canvas. “Our bags speak to women who don’t traditionally like handbags,” Kimberly sums up.
Finding themselves bored with the "throwaway" fashion mentality and in search of a quality functional bag that wasn’t necessarily on-trend, the sisters started making their own bags four years ago. They both had design experience, but not in fashion: Kimberly was in Tokyo designing concept cars for Honda, and Nancy lived in Portland and designed shoes for Nike. The two exchanged sketches over Skype, while Kimberly found the materials, constructed the bags, and uploaded them to her blog. “It started off as 'some girl in Japan’s experimental bags,'" Kimberly recalls. "But when stores started becoming interested we started talking about doing this for real." They relocated to Los Angeles (where they grew up and went to school, at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena), found manufacturers in Taiwan, and opened a studio and concept-store space with their friends Kristin Dickson-Okuda and Shin Okuda of Iko Iko. Building Block is now sold at various concept stores and online boutiques — including Opening Ceremony,Net-a-Porter, and the MoMA store.
The Wus' shared background in industrial design underlies their approach to making handbags, which is a far cry from most designers'. No mood board, no trend reports — the designers are inspired by shapes, buildings, even product packaging, and create 3-D mock-ups in their studio to send out to their manufacturer. On their clean, simple e-commerce site, the accessories are simply listed under "products." They hope to expand to furniture, watches, and men’s accessories in the future. “With industrial design, you’re thinking about the way that this product will affect the person using it,” Kimberly said. “It’s a lot about ergonomics and usability. We approach [making handbags] that way versus ‘This is just a bag that will sell well for the time being.’"
The sisters answered our Taste Test to gauge some of their fashion, architecture, and car preferences.
Nike Huaraches or Nike Air Max 90s?
Nancy: Huaraches.
Kimberly: Neither.
Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao or Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum in New York City?
Nancy: New York City.
Kimberly: New York City.
Favorite thing to do while sitting in L.A. traffic?
Nancy: Listen to 93.5 KDay: old-school hip-hop.
Kimberly: Sing.
Favorite place to find inspiration in L.A.?
Nancy: Swimming in the ocean.
Kimberly: Alias Books in West L.A.
The colorful buildings in Havana or the modern architecture in Dubai?
Nancy: Cuba.
Kimberly: Cuba.
Square or cylinder?
Nancy: Cylinder.
Kimberly: Cylinder.
Legos or Jenga?
Nancy: Legos.
Kimberly: Legos.

Daisy Bevan Is The Spitting Image Of Her Mother Joely Richardson In Our August Issue Fashion Shoot

"When I was working as a waitress a few years ago, a customer came up and said, “Gosh you look exactly like Joely Richardson,”’ says actress Daisy Bevan. Daisy didn’t point out to the customer that Joely Richardson is actually her mum. ‘I just said “Oh, thanks” and walked away!’ she laughs.
But with that elegant swan-necked beauty and those crazily blue Redgrave eyes, the resemblance is so uncanny it’s almost spooky.
Daisy’s father is producer Tim Bevan (Four Weddings, Love Actually), so you could say her now-blossoming acting career was inevitable, though she has none of the thespy affectations you might expect from someone who grew up in green rooms and on film sets (her very first role was aged five in the Cate Blanchett film Elizabeth).
After Bedales in Hampshire – where she was classmates with Cara Delevingne – 23-year-old Daisy spent time studying drama in New York before moving back to London to kick-start her career. She’s since turned her hand to theatre in The Picture Of Dorian Gray and scored a cameo opposite Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac in 1960s-based thriller The Two Faces Of January.
Next up? A post-WWII adaptation of bestselling novel The Outcast for BBC One with a very British fellow cast that includes Greg Wise and Jessica Brown Findlay. Looks like those Redgrave acting genes are pretty strong...
Let’s talk fashion first. Are the clothes on the shoot today similar to your own?
‘Oh no, they’re much more bold and fashion-forward. I don’t know if I would ever have had the balls to wear these in real life. But it’s quite exciting on a shoot – the pieces are like artworks!’
What’s your normal style like?
‘I’m a big Patti Smith fan. I could go on about her for hours. I love her androgynous look too, so I’m wearing a lot of dark colours and tailoring at the moment.’
Do you remember much of your acting debut at the age of five?
‘I just remember I had to lie in a bed and stay super-still. But the funny thing is I think I was staring straight into the camera the whole time – not so subtle!’
You went to school with Cara Delevingne. What do you make of her move into acting?
‘She’s brilliant, Cara. To have gone through what she has and yet remained completely down-to-earth is incredible, really. Acting was always what she wanted to do at school, so I’m very happy for her.’
What was boarding school like?
‘Fun, because you get to live with your friends, and because you go when you’re 13 and leave when you’re 18 – it’s like forming another family. You get to know everyone in a very specific way.’
Did you visit your parents on set a lot growing up?
‘I did get to go on set a bit. They’re such exciting places to be. Now when I turn up on one for my own work I can’t quite believe it’s me working this time.’
How was making The Outcast? Did you enjoy doing TV?
‘I think because filming time with television shows is shorter, and there’s
so much to do, you really have to keep up a momentum. You’re also thrown together with the same people from 6am to 7pm every day, so you end up forming very close bonds.’
You look so like your mum – are your personalities similar too?
‘I think we have similarities and differences. It’s funny – neither of us actually think we look like each other. We’re very close, and she just gave me a dog for my birthday.’
What breed is it?
‘A Toy Poodle-Pomeranian cross, she’s a chocolatey ball of fluff called Zeppelin. I’ve never really had pets before, so I didn’t get what the big deal was, but now I have my own dog I totally understand. She’s changed my life!’

Canadian Metis artist collaborates with fashion powerhouse Valentino for 2016 collection

Canadian Metis visual artist Christi Belcourt can now add fashion to her list of achievements.
One of the world’s top fashion designers has partnered with Belcourt in their 2016 Resort collection.
The Italian-based Valentino collection revealed two weeks ago features stunning flowery, elegant pieces based upon Belcourt’s ‘Water Song’ painting found in the National Gallery of Canada.
“It was a very good experience,” said Belcourt. “It’s just been wonderful to work with them all around. They were extremely respectful.”
Valentino representatives contacted her via email a couple of months ago saying they had saw her art and were interested in working with her. However, Belcourt wanted to be sure she did some research before jumping on board.
In recent years the mainstream fashion industry has appropriated Native cultural designs which has caused offense to some artists and nations whose artistic designs were replicated without permission.
Belcourt was happy they approached her to collaborate but was more impressed to learn that Valentino is eco-conscious.
“The number one thing to me is always, not only how we’re treated as Indigenous peoples, but how is the environment treated. I was really pleased and surprised that Valentino is ranked number one by Greenpeace for all top fashion designers. They have built into their company environmentally and socially conscious steps and they’ve also committed to eliminate all hazardous materials by the year 2020.”
The “Water Song” piece is an “ode to water,” said Belcourt, who believes that water is the most pressing issue of modern times.
“I think we all have an obligation and responsibility to protect the waters of the earth,” she said.
Using her art to create awareness on social issues also intertwines with her work advocating for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. She is involved with the Walking With Our Sisters travelling exhibit and says the fashion designs help to portray women in a broader light.
“There’s a correlation between the environment and the way that Indigenous people are treated and how the aggression to our lands parallels to our bodies as Indigenous women. So, it’s all linked together,” she said. “For me it’s certainly not about a high profile or any type of career. I don’t see it as that…only if we can produce beautiful things that remind people of our responsibilities as human beings to the environment and to each other.”
The collection titled, The Resort, features 80 pieces of which Belcourt’s designs are used in numbers 2 through 10.
The couture designs feature floor length dresses, jackets and two piece ensembles. They are feminine, soft and enchanting featuring silky, lace, sheer and other amalgamated fabrics with classic Metis flower art patterns reminiscent of beadwork.
“They’re just gorgeous, contemporary pieces. They’re not, however trying to replicate traditional regalia or anything like that.”
It’s a dream come true for the artist, who is originally from Lac Ste. Anne, Alta., and now lives near the shores of Lake Huron, Ont.