On the deep meaning behind Indigenous ribbon work & fashion as a means to reclaim culture
In episode 247, Kestrel welcomes Christian Allaire, the Fashion and Style Writer at Vogue, to the show. Christian recently released his first book, titled The Power Of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used To Reclaim Cultures.
“I think of something like ribbon work in my culture — like every color of the ribbon means something, or maybe it represents someone in your life or like you said, intention is first and foremost. How it looks is important, but why it’s there is even more important. And so, I’m drawn to anyone who also approaches design that way.”
-Christian
As a fashion-obsessed teen, Christian grew up on the Nipissing First Nation reserve in Ontario, Canada, scouring magazines or movies for style inspiration.
Years later, he realized that so much of his personal aesthetic and attraction to fashion and dressing was influenced by his own community - being Indigenous Ojibwe. From the colors to the garment making process to the deep meaning that can be embedded in clothing, his love of fashion was largely shaped in his early years, and continues to inform his writing today.
One of the chapters of Christian’s new book — The Power Of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used To Reclaim Cultures — is focused on “Sewing Tradition”, and he explores some of the history and meaning behind ribbon work, a tradition connected to his own family’s roots. Throughout the conversation, we touch a great deal on his experience having his own ribbon shirt made as an adult, and the layers of meaning literally built into that design.
But in Christian’s new book, he also explores beyond his own heritage, highlighting and connecting with an array of communities who are all using fashion and beauty to reclaim their culture.
Quotes & links from the conversation:
“I really just kind of understood more so why cultural clothing or Indigenous design is so important to keep up — it's up to us to continue these traditions, because no one else will. And so, yes I got a beautiful shirt out of it, but I think it was about way more than that for me.” -Christian
Jamie Okuma, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Mobilize, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Tania Larsson, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Warren Steven Scott, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Keri Ataumbi, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Korina Emmerich, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
“5 Shoe Lovers on Where They Shop for Heels, and Why Wearing Them Is Empowering”, article by Christian for Vogue that is mentioned
Christian’s book Power Of Style How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used To Reclaim Cultures >
This week’s episode is brought to you by
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