Items in Osamuskwasis’s newest winter assortment—titled Wâsikonâskaw—embody printed turtleneck clothes, and pastel blue skirts with multicolored ribbons alongside the hemline. For the blokes, there’s printed spandex shirts, and athletic-style joggers. (She’s even had rising Native stars, corresponding to supermodel Quannah Chasinghorse and Prey star Amber Midthunder, mannequin them.) The designer sees her work as a fusion of conventional references with up to date finishes. “I take advantage of conventional artwork types and strategies corresponding to beadwork, quillwork, and portray,” says Roan. Her conventional design cues particularly shine by means of her references to nature and wildlife. “I prefer to relate my collections based mostly on our oral historical past, creation tales, the land, animals, nature, and Cree/Dene languages,” says Roan. “The landscapes that encompass me, such because the plains in Alberta, have essentially the most stunning wild flowers.
Even higher than her sprightly aesthetic, nevertheless, is what Roan hopes to attain together with her work. The designer—who has showcased on platforms corresponding to Vancouver Indigenous Style Week—sees style as a technique to empower Indigenous folks to embrace their cultural heritage. She additionally sees her collections as a educating device to introduce non-Indigenous folks to her folks’s design heritage. “I hope to supply training, storytelling, and authenticity,” says Roan. “It’s essential to take up area authentically in style, particularly since a number of non-Indigenous people are inclined to acceptable our designs and art work. I hope to carry recognition of my tribal and household designs in style, to coach by means of storytelling, and to let the folks know that we’re nonetheless right here and thriving.”
Photograph: Courtesy of @osamuskwasis