Native Nations Fashion Night is the largest showcase of its kind in the Upper Midwest, and this year, longtime supporter Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, will be one of the models.
The fourth-annual runway show and artisan market, taking place this Thursday at Quincy Hall in Minneapolis, is spearheaded by Delina White, the designer behind IamAnishinaabe, who dressed the state's most stylish politician for her 2023 inauguration.
White, a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, who lives on the reservation near Walker, Minn., will be showing her own contemporary looks, which are infused with Indigenous traditions, such as elaborate beadwork. Indigenous models will showcase everything from fur clothing by an Alaskan Native Tlingit designer to modern ribbon skirts by a Dakota dressmaker. All will riff on the theme of "Messengers, Protectors and Great Mysteries."
In addition to the fashion show, the evening will have a marketplace for shopping the wares of Native artists, including clothing, jewelry and beauty products. There will also be Indigenous foods and music by Native Son/DJ AO.
White created the event to showcase the talent of Indigenous fashion designers, models, hairstylists and makeup artists. It's intended to celebrate the community's creativity and skill and share it with a broader audience. (The date of the event was selected to coincide with "Native Nations Fashion Night" Day, a proclamation made last year by Flanagan, on behalf of Gov. Tim Walz.)
While White recently exhibited her work at the Textile Center as a McKnight Fiber Artist Fellow, she says clothing and accessories are best displayed on the runway. "It has to be worn," she said. "You have to see it in motion."
Native Nations Fashion Night: "Messengers, Protectors and Great Mysteries"
When: April 25, 5-10 p.m.
Where: Quincy Hall, 1325 Quincy St. NE., Mpls.
Tickets: $50 general admission, $150 VIP, nativenationsfashion.com