THUNDER BAY – An Indigenous fashion show packed a storefront at the Intercity mall over the weekend, drawing hundreds of people of all ages. The event, titled Ziigwan: Honour our stories through fashion, was part of Lakehead University’s Research and Innovation Week.
Denise Baxter, Lakehead’s Vice-Provost, Aboriginal Initiatives, said the impressive attendance Saturday reflected a growing demand for Indigenous representation in fashion.
“I think there’s a hunger for recognizing traditional fashion and Indigenous creativity and design,” she said. “It’s been many, many years in the making.”
The event, hosted in the former West 49 location, was organized by a group of Indigenous designers, models, and musicians, in conjunction with the university. That included Ellyn Jade, who served as MC for the show. Originally from Whitesand First Nation, the model and actress has a growing profile, appearing on shows like Frontier and Letterkenny in recent years. Baxter said her presence gave the event a definite boost.
“She’s certainly been a role model and an inspiration to the community,” she says.
The event also featured local artisans, and was attended by students from local schools. Some from Dennis Franklin Cromarty helped out with the event.
For Baxter, the event was an important chance for the Indigenous community to celebrate the creativity and vibrancy of artists from across the region.
“I think there’s a lot of pride here,” she said. “Collectively, we’re putting something pretty amazing together. We need to find those moments in our community where we can showcase that pride.”
