"Fashion Heat" at Indian Market

As I've noted before, the annual Santa Fe Indian Market offers more than just fine Indian arts and crafts. It's becoming the Comic-Con of Indian culture. Everything from movies to skateboarding is available.

Here's a highlight from this year's affair:

Wes Studi welcomes huge crowd to “Fashion Heat” native fashion show

By Roscoe PondThe Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) is celebrating its’ 40th anniversary. They held events all day Friday Aug. 17, 2012, including the ‘Fashion Heat’ native fashion show from 6-7 p.m. A buffet table of vegetables, cake & candy-on-sticks nourished the sweet tooth of many individuals. It was all part of the Santa Fe Indian Market (SWAIA) 2012.

A red carpet, tent & chairs were set up at the MoCNA ‘Allan Houser Art Park.’ At 5:30 p.m. the place was packed with family, friends & fans of the Native American designers. They are, Connie, David & Wayne-Nez Gaussoin, Pilar Agoyo, Orlando Dugi, Consuelo Pascual, Dorothy Grant, Sun Rose Iron Shell, Jamie Okuma & Patricia Michaels. Music was performed by DJ Matt Carrasco-Trujillo.

Enthusiastic cheers greeted native actor, Wes Studi (Avatar) as he welcomed everybody to the show. A Navajo prayer & poems opened the fashion event. Many photographers were on hand as the first model set off the flash bulbs.

Native film directors were on hand, Chris Eyre (Hide Away) & Tim Ramos (California Indian). New Mexico casting director Angelique Midthunder & her daughter served as models. They walked the runway with style & attitude. Both of them worked on the A&E cable TV show ‘Longmire’ that was filmed in Santa Fe, N.M.Fashion Heat: The Sartorial Splendor of Native American Clothing Design

"As an unabashed fashion junkie, I was impressed with the attention to detail, color and compliance with tradition..."

By Greta Chapin McGillThe first segment focused on traditional Native dress. Buckskin-fringed garments embellished with traditional beading, were stunning. The details of these garments from the moccasins, belts, and hanging bags showed Native American tradition is still very much alive and certainly actively passed from generation to generation. These costumes were made to be worn for weddings and other special events in the lives of Native Americans today.

After a brief interlude featuring a Native American dancers, the show moved into contemporary designers. I was enthralled at the transition from past to present. The content glided effortlessly into beautiful couture evening, cocktail and separates. A sprinkling of junior dressing added some whimsy to the show. The point of view of these new Native American designers is obviously rooted in their cultural past. They paid homage to their culture in unique ways. Intricate and thoughtful use of accessories was one way the cultural traditions were obvious. Headpieces of feathers, earrings, cuffs and bracelets completed each garment. The shoes of the models were inspired works of art. Heels were wrapped in fabric and laced with eyelets or intricately painted and beaded to compliment the garments.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Innovations at Indian Market and Skateploitation! at Indian Market.