BILLINGS — Montana is playing a huge role in the recent explosion of Indigenous fashion around the globe, and one Montana woman has made it her mission to lift others in the industry up.
Worldwide success on the runway from New York to Paris Fashion Week for many indigenous fashion designers can be traced back to to Cora Chandler, an Aaniiih and Cree entrepreneur, originally from Fort Belknap. She’s the founder and producer of Big Sky Indigifest in Billings.
“We want to provide a festival feel for our Indigenous people to come together and showcase their artwork, showcase their fine art,” says Chandler, who also owns Cora Kay Productions.
Much of the art is showcased on the runway on 150 models via handmade cultural couture and ready-to-wear fashion lines.
“I started three years ago at this particular show. This show was the opportunity to start and launch my business. Since this first show, it's been a pretty amazing journey,” says Angela Howe, designer/owner of Choke Cherry Creek.
The models come to Montana from all across the U.S. to hone their skills, and even break into the Indigenous fashion industry.
“We had a free modeling workshop that hosted over 80 models from all over Turtle Island,” says Chandler.
From the Native Max modeling workshop to the popular business symposium, it’s an event launching careers and changing lives.
“We have an 18-year-old gentleman, Devonte Whiteman is going to be launching his first line here at the show, and we also have senior designers, and so we're providing that mentorship type and really wanting to open the doors and showcase all the work that we can do in Indian Country,” says Chandler.
The opportunity Chandler has brought to Indian Country nationwide has not gone unnoticed, with her recent appointment to an important fashion collective based out of Los Angeles.
“I’m actually really thankful to be on theIndigenous Fashion Collective board. We offer the grassroots perspective because we're rural and I think it's important to bring our northern tribes to the table because we provide a lot of beadwork, a lot of our designs and different things like that with the ribbon skirt, it's gone viral,” says Chandler.
The collective is a central place for designers, models, photographers, makeup artists, even journalists to come together and collaborate.
