SWAIA’s Native Fashion Week is on its way with runways from May 9 to May 11, 2025. We’re getting into the details of this weekend fashion show schedule which celebrates the creativity as well as the expression of native fashion around North America. Take a look below to plan out how you’ll be spending your time at Native Fashion Week.
SWAIA Native Fashion Week Schedule
Friday
Livia Manywounds (Dancing Storm Designs)
Livia Manywounds (Blackfoot Woman), a Tsuut’ina (Dene) and Siksika (Blackfoot) designer, is the founder of Dancing Storm Designs. She specializes in unique, custom formal wear that blends Indigenous traditions with contemporary fashion. Her designs incorporate Tsuu T’ina geometric and floral motifs, reflecting stories of strength, adaptation, and also cultural identity. With a deep respect for traditional artistry, Manywounds creates pieces that celebrate Indigenous heritage while pushing the boundaries of modern design.
April Allen (Stitched by April)
April Allen, an Inuk fashion designer from Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, merges cultural heritage with high-end style. Through her brand, Stitched by April, she incorporates natural elements into her work, using fashion to spark conversations about clean water access in Indigenous communities. Her designs, featured on major runways in New York, Milan, and Paris, showcase a refined balance between ancestral craftsmanship and modern aesthetics. Her latest collection, Arctic Elegance, reimagines the elements—air, water, fire, and earth—through innovative materials and techniques passed down through generations. Dedicated to both artistry and activism, April uses her platform to highlight environmental and cultural narratives while supporting Northern communities.
Tishna Marlowe (Dene Couture)
Tishna Marlowe’s brand, Dene Couture, fuses traditional Dene craftsmanship with upcycled textiles to create fashion that’s both modern and deeply rooted in heritage. With intricate embroidery and beadwork, every piece embodies elegance and cultural pride. Her designs celebrate exclusivity while honoring generations of artistry. Through Dene Couture, Tishna redefines tradition with a contemporary edge, proving that heritage and high fashion go hand in hand.
Sage Mountainflower
Sage Mountainflower, an Indigenous fashion designer and beadwork artist from Ohkay Owingeh, Taos Pueblo, and the Navajo Nation, brings a unique blend of cultural heritage and contemporary design to her creations. Her Taandi’ Collection captures the essence of spring’s gentle awakening, inspired by the natural beauty of mountain meadows and the soft transition from winter to vibrant life. Drawing from her Tewa heritage, the collection showcases delicate colors, natural textures, and the freedom of the landscape, embodying the spirit of Sage Mountainflower herself. Each design reflects a harmonious blend of traditional beadwork and contemporary fashion, celebrating the beauty of nature and also the artist’s cultural roots. From her early beginnings in creating attire for her children to her rise in Native fashion, Sage Mountain Flowers work is a testament to her passion for artistry and cultural expression.
Randi Nelson (Randi Nelson Designs)
Randi Nelson, a Secwépemc artist and fashion designer from St’uxwtéws First Nation, creates designs that honor Indigenous materials associated with wealth and resilience. Her Scwet̓mín̓ (Hide) Couture Collection 2025 celebrates the cultural significance of smoke-tanned hide, a material deeply connected to the land and passed down through generations of tradition. By blending traditional resources like smoked hides, quills, shells, and caribou hair with contemporary fashion, Randi transforms these materials into powerful symbols of Indigenous beauty. Her work, showcased at prestigious events such as the Oscars and Cannes Film Festival, highlights the skill of Indigenous tanners and knowledge holders, bringing sustainable, culturally rich fashion into the spotlight.
Lauren Good Day
Lauren Good Day is redefining Indigenous fashion with bold, trendsetting designs that honor her Arikara, Hidatsa, Blackfeet, and Plains Cree roots. From intricate quillwork to stunning ledger art, her work blends tradition with high fashion, making every piece a cultural statement. She’s been creating since she was six, and today, her award-winning designs light up runways and art shows across the country. Deeply connected to her heritage, she’s not just making fashion—she’s preserving history. Her latest collection is a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, and unstoppable innovation.
Saturday 2 p.m.
Alex Manitopyes (Sacrd Thndr)
SACRD THNDR, founded in 2023 by Alex Manitopyes, is a visionary fashion brand that fuses Indigenous heritage with contemporary edge. Drawing from their Muskowekwan and Peepeekisis First Nation roots, Alex creates designs that challenge norms and still celebrate identity. Their latest collection, ELECTRIC WARPAINT, is a fearless expression of strength, featuring statement accessories like illuminated leather bags, oversized earrings, and bold bolo ties. The clothing blends structured silhouettes with striking color contrasts, incorporating upcycled leather and custom prints. More than fashion, SACRD THNDR is a movement—empowering wearers to embody confidence, culture, and rebellion.
Tierra Alysia Tapuro (VIVIDUS by Tierra Alysia)
Tierra Alysia Tapuro, the creative force behind VIVIDUS, brings bold energy and cultural pride to luxury sports apparel. Rooted in Kashia Pomo and Filipino heritage, her latest collection, MAKALACHALUW (THUNDER ARRIVES), merges traditional influences with modern silhouettes, creating pieces that command attention. VIVIDUS isn’t just about fashion—it’s a lifestyle for those who thrive under pressure, embrace individuality, and refuse to blend in. Built on the philosophy that looking good fuels confidence and then success, the brand champions inclusivity, ensuring everyone feels empowered in their skin. More than apparel, VIVIDUS is a movement dedicated to living boldly and unapologetically.
Wabanoonkwe x Jennifer Younger
Wabanoonkwe isn’t just making fashion—she’s making history. At just 17, she launched Dinawo, a bold brand that’s all about amplifying Indigenous artistry and turning tradition into high-impact style. Her latest collection, WATER STORIES, is a fierce and fearless statement on the illegal mercury contamination affecting First Nations communities. Each piece is more than just fashion—it’s a call to action, a conversation starter, and a symbol of resilience. Get ready for a collection that’s as powerful as it is unforgettable!
Fennell, a Yellowknife Métis designer, blends her love for traditional style with innovative designs using sealskin—a material that connects her to her roots. After returning to the Arctic and learning from Inuit friends, she discovered the magic of creating designs from within, not just following trends. Her collection is all about vibrancy, storytelling, and cultural rediscovery. Fennell’s work brings together past and present, offering a fresh take on tradition through her unique creations.
Saturday 5 p.m.
Peshawn Bread (House of Sutai)
House of Sutai is making waves by blending Indigenous heritage with bold queer expression. Founded by Peshawn Bread, a nonbinary Comanche/Kiowa/Cherokee designer, this luxury brand debuted in 2023 with a stunning range of jewelry and accessories, quickly expanding into fashion. House of Sutai also shines a spotlight on Indigenous and LGBTQ2S+ voices, creating a space for queer Native peoples in high fashion. The Sutai Classics collection is a vibrant tribute to queer Indigenous storytelling, with designs that celebrate both Afro-Indigenous and Native cultures, all while honoring the rich history of the community with a modern twist.
Lesley Hampton
Lesley Hampton is an Anishinaabe artist and fashion designer who integrates contemporary fashion with an Indigenous perspective, emphasizing mental wellness and body neutrality. As a member of Temagami First Nation and a self-described “Third Culture Kid”, her diverse upbringing shapes her designs, using fashion as a medium for dialogue, exploration, and community engagement. Lesley’s collections feature striking silhouettes, bold patterns, and rich colors, often incorporating feathers and then pleats to create garments that exude luxury from head to toe. Through her work, she redefines Indigenous representation in fashion while championing inclusivity and empowerment.
Pam Baker (TOC Legends)
T.O.C. Legends House of Design, founded in 1988 by Himikalas Pam Baker, is a leading force in Indigenous fashion. With Squamish, Musgamakw Dzawada’enuxw, Tlingit, and Haida heritage, Himikalas blends intricate First Nations designs with modern, sculptural elements, sleek silhouettes, and minimalist colors to create luxury, high-end fashion. Her work brings traditional patterns to life through a contemporary lens, offering a sophisticated and powerful visual aesthetic. Beyond her design prowess, Himikalas has built a brand that empowers First Nations people by prioritizing employment while uplifting Indigenous communities. T.O.C. Legends continues to set trends in the fashion world while staying deeply connected to cultural roots and values.
Alyssia Sutherland (Ally’s Ribbons)
Ojibwe designer Alyssia Sutherland is redefining the ribbon skirt with a high-fashion twist. Starting at just 14, she transformed this traditional garment into an everyday statement piece. Ribbon skirts have long been symbols of power and tradition, but Alyssia’s designs bring them to the streets with bold, modern flair. Through Ally’s Ribbons, she blends heritage with couture, proving that tradition and trendsetting can go hand in hand. Her creations aren’t just skirts—they’re a celebration of culture, confidence, and also style.
Sunday 1 p.m.
Loren Aragon (Towering Stone)
Loren Aragon draws inspiration from his family’s pottery, jewelry, and textiles, infusing these traditions into his luxury menswear brand, Towering Stone. Founded in 2023, the brand blends Acoma Pueblo artistry with modern techniques, creating wearable pieces that embody strength and resilience. Before launching Towering Stone, Aragon co-founded ACONAV in Phoenix, where his designs earned him the title of 2018 Phoenix Fashion Week Couture Designer of the Year. His work honors Indigenous craftsmanship while redefining contemporary fashion with cultural storytelling at its core.
Kayla Lookinghorse (K. LOOKINGHORSE)
K. LOOKINGHORSE, the Indigenous fashion label founded by Kayla Lookinghorse, blends bold contemporary design with the rich heritage of the Lakota and Dakota peoples. Her latest collection, Painted Skies, continues the narrative of her previous work, Written in the Stars, by expanding into Ready-to-Wear and then Streetwear. Crafted from ethically sourced materials, each piece in Painted Skies features intricate embroidery that reflects the beauty as well as stories of Lakota culture. The collection embodies the philosophy that the earth and stars are intertwined, bringing ancient wisdom into modern fashion while celebrating identity and sustainability.
Yolonda Skelton (SugIit Lukxs Designs)
Yolonda Skelton is a fashion and costume designer from the Gitxsan First Nations, renowned for blending her cultural heritage with modern fashion. Her latest collection, “The Ties That Bind”, features unisex neckties and other pieces that serve as symbols of environmental stewardship, with intricate designs inspired by North Coast culture. Each piece tells a story of interconnectedness with the Earth, using crests and also patterns to honor the land, water, and wildlife. Through her work, Yolonda continues to champion sustainability while celebrating the richness of her Gitxsan heritage.
Vina Brown (Copper Canoe Woman)
Designer Vina Brown of Nuučaan̓uɫ and HaíłzaqvI heritage, creates modern Indigenous jewelry that blends coastal culture with contemporary style. Her brand, Copper Canoe Woman, draws inspiration from the natural world, with designs that reflect a deep connection to ancestral strength, elegance, and the beauty of her family’s traditions of weaving and beading. Vina’s pieces are bold and statement-making, designed to honor the Earth and celebrate her cultural identity. Each creation is a wearable tribute to her heritage, weaving timeless Indigenous stories in every piece.
Kaylyn Baker (Kaylyn Baker Designs)
Northern Tuchone and Tlingit designer Kaylyn Baker uses vibrant colors to breathe new life into her jewelry and accessories. Through her line, Kaylyn Baker Designs, she draws on the principles of visual art, using an array of materials and textiles to create unique designs. Baker weaves traditional beadwork featured on garments such as mukluks, moccasins, and purses, with bold colors, gems, quillwork, and tufting. Beading allows her to connect with her ancestors as well as with her peers and children. Kaylyn Baker Designs celebrates cultural craftsmanship while integrating contemporary elements.
Sunday 4 p.m.
Jeremy Donavan Arviso (RVSO78)
RVSO78 is a creative lifestyle brand that blends culture and innovation through artisanal jewelry and streetwear. Founded by Jeremy Donavan Arviso (Diné, Hopi, Akimel O’odham, Tohono O’odham), the brand reinterprets Indigenous heritage with contemporary fashion, featuring vibrant colors, bold graphics, and innovative patterns infused with traditional Native symbolism. Committed to sustainability and intentional design, RVSO78 celebrates individuality while fostering community connections. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, this Indigenous-owned brand embodies a balance of heritage as well as modern expression, pushing the boundaries of technical fashion.
Adrian Stevens & Sean Snyder (Stevens & Snyder)
Adrian Matthias Stevens (Ute-Shoshone Bannock-San Carlos Apache) and Sean Querino Snyder (Navajo-Ute) are redefining menswear with their debut collection at Santa Fe Fashion Week, bringing bold cultural expression to the forefront of high fashion. Known for their intricate beadwork and dedication to advocacy, the duo seamlessly blends tradition with contemporary style. This collection features impeccably tailored pieces then accented with embroidered details, exuding sophistication and craftsmanship. Paired with their signature jewelry, each look is sleek, refined, and undeniably powerful. With every stitch and embellishment, Stevens and Snyder continue to celebrate Indigenous artistry while pushing the boundaries of modern fashion.
Patricia Michaels (PM Waterlily)
Patricia Michaels has spent over 20 years creating haute couture that merges tradition with modern design. Growing up in Santa Fe and deeply connected to Taos Pueblo, she learned from both nature and her elders, shaping her artistic vision. Her work reflects a global perspective, blending hand-painted fabrics, woven textures, and fluid silhouettes. With Weaving Through Time, she brings a unique expression of Native resilience, drawing inspiration from both current and past events through abstract draping and painted textiles. Always evolving, Patricia’s designs embody a commitment to pushing Native fashion forward while honoring her heritage.
Robyn McLeod
Robyn’s Dene Futurism collection reimagines traditional clothing with a modern twist, blending ancestral knowledge with contemporary style. Each piece reflects the strength and resilience of the Dene people, while envisioning a future where culture continues to thrive. Through her designs, Robyn also honors her heritage and creates a space for Indigenous expression in fashion. Dene Futurism is about imagining a future where the past and present unite to tell a story of self-determination and resistance.
Story by Natassja Santistevan
Photos courtesy of the artists
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