An indigenous fashion designer who grew up on the shoreline of James Bay in northern Ontario, heads to New York Fashion Week in the new year.
For Scott Wabano, New York Fashion Week always seemed like a dream in the remote Moose Factory community.
“I’ve always dreamed of doing New York Fashion Week and I didn’t really know how to start that, or how you’re trying to put my name on it,” Wabano said.
“So the fact that they already knew my name was a bit crazy, a bit surreal.”
For a long time, sustainability has been part of indigenous fashion and part of the lives of indigenous peoples.-Scott Wabano
Wabano made a name for himself in the fashion industry with the genderless streetwear brand Wabano that focuses on empowering Indigiqueer and two-spirited people.
Indigenous representation in the fashion industry is important to Wabano.
“For a long time, the fashion industry has had a very damaging and very colonial perspective especially in terms of how a person looks, in terms of how sustainable clothing is,” they said.
“And you know, for a long time sustainability has been a part of indigenous fashion and a part of indigenous people’s lives.”
That focus on representation and sustainability has meant that Wabano has worked with indigenous models of all shapes, skin tones, and sizes.
“There’s such a damaging narrative going on right now and that really contributes to pan-indigenousness. But really, we all come in different shapes and sizes and colors and have different hair textures and different body types.”
The Globe and Mail named Wabano, who grew up in Moose Factory, Ontario, as one of the best-dressed people of 2022. (Supplied by Scott Wabano)
As for sustainability, they have made the use of recycled materials a priority. Some of their bomber jackets, for example, are made from recycled polyester.
While getting invited to New York Fashion Week was a big step, it took a community to help Wabano get the rest of the way.
“I was definitely under the impression that everything was covered for you. But I guess that’s not the case,” he said.
Hosting a fashion show includes expenses such as paying the models, makeup artists, and photographers, and covering the cost of the venue.
But Wabano did some crowdfunding and was able to get support from patrons and her community to hold a fashion show in New York.
Her New York Fashion Week show will take place in February.
Source: news.google.com