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At New York Fashion Week last month, fashion designer Marjan Pejoski sent a model down the runway wearing a dress with the sacred Navajo Yei on the front. In Italy, fashion label Dsquare presented a line they called #Dsquaw. Both showcases sparked controversy and anger in Native America. There is a line between paying tribute to Indigenous people and being offensive. Who draws that line and where is it? Why do so many non-Native designers cross it? These questions are raised every time a designer creates a line of clothing inspired by Native fashion and art. Call in and tell us what you think.
Guests:
Dr. Jessica Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) – owner of Beyond Buckskin
Dr. Gavin Clarkson (Choctaw Nation) – professor of finance and business law at New Mexico State University
Orlando Dugi (Navajo) – fashion designer
Break Music: Plains Vs Coast, Pt 1 (song) Fawn Wood (artist) Iskwewak (album)
I’m very disgusted with this name! We are not squaws. I really wish someone would sue this designer for using our heritage designs.
Absolutely!! Really in this day n age! Shameful ! When are these crazy white people ever going to learn to respect us? So tired of their purposefully ignorant ways n continuous exploitation of our people.