This year has presented opportunities for Native American designers to showcase exceptional work. In New Mexico, fashion designers displayed their talents at Native Fashion Week Santa Fe (NFWSW). This event happened in May 2025. In September 2025, New York was a wonderful place to see Native American design innovation. Both New York Fashion Week (NYFW) and Indigenous NYFW happened in September. The events featured a variety of design concepts and techniques. Designers, for instance, incorporated images and/or words into clothing.
Native American Designer Focus at New York Fashion Week
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The September 2025 New York Fashion Week (NYFW) featured Native American designers in multiple settings. Vogue states: “Native American designers have long influenced the broader fashion landscape.” Areas of fashion influence have included weaving and beadwork. However, the impact these designers have made has not always been thoughtfully noted. According to Vogue, “this season, change was clearly afoot.” Intriguing designers showcased beautiful and intricate clothing and jewelry.
This year also marked the debut of Indigenous NYFW. Indigenous NYFW happened alongside the CFDA programming. Relative Arts put on this three-day event series. At the Grace Exhibition Space, Native American designers presented their work. The exhibit was located in New York’s East Village. One memorable presentation featured jewelry designs.
Jamie Okuma
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) creates the NYFW schedule of events. At the recent NYFW, the CFDA showcased Jamie Okuma’s designs. Okuma is a Native American designer of Shoshone-Bannock and Luiseño origins. In a digital presentation, the designer displayed caftans and dresses incorporating prints. She creates prints herself to use in her designs. Butterflies and flowers are two items that appear in her prints. Okuma describes to Vogue her relationship with flowers, in particular. Okuma said, “Flowers are like a diary for me.” She creates images of flowers as she travels or explores the space around her.
Joe Big Mountain
At the Indigenous NYFW, Joe Big Mountain showcased colorful jewelry that incorporates porcupine quills into jewelry construction. His jewelry design brand is called Ironhorse Quillwork. Joe Big Mountain is of Cree, Mohawk, and Comanche origin. Quilling (working with porcupine quills) has been his focus since childhood. As a child, he was creatively inspired by family encouragement. Joe Big Mountain describes wanting to encourage a new generation of Native American designers. The Ironhorse Quillwork site states: “He hopes to continue this art and keep traditions alive.”
Naiomi and Tyler Glasses
From the Navajo Nation, a pair of designers also made a splash at Indigenous NYFW. This pair consists of the Glasses siblings. The Glasses siblings presented wonderful woven designs. The American Dakota website presents a biography of Tyler Glasses. In this biography, Glasses recommends: “Weave when you have good thoughts.” This is advice provided by the Glasses’ grandmother. The siblings are artistically versatile. They create a variety of designs, from jewelry to textiles for home adornment. On her website, Naomi Glasses emphasizes “bringing attention to the beauty of her culture.” Along with being a designer, Naiomi Glasses is also a skateboarder.
Designers from Native Fashion Week Santa Fe
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Another event that happened for the first time was Native Fashion Week Santa Fe (NFWSF). Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, a fashion curator, originated the concept for NFWSF. This set of fashion events took place between May 8 and May 11, 2025. The events were held in the Santa Fe Railyard Arts District. The event schedule featured a terrific assortment of Native American designers.
Original Landlords
Original Landlords was a featured brand at Native Fashion Week Santa Fe. This brand also appeared at Indigenous NYFW. Original Landlords creates accessories and clothing. The designs of Original Landlords work with words and graphics, carefully chosen to prompt reflection. Native American themes are central to the design concepts of the brand. Table Magazine states: “The brand’s mission is to challenge the status quo of dominant culture.”
Penny Singer
NFWSF also featured the work of Penny Singer. Singer is a designer of Navajo origins who attended the Institute of American Indian Arts. Singer’s mother has had a big influence on her as a designer. This influence has come in the form of detailed sewing instruction. Singer’s fabrics feature Navajo geometric prints. Singer also uses photo transfers in her design work. Table Magazine states that Singer strives to “fuse fashion with cultural reclamation.”
Apache Skateboards
This fashion event also showcased Apache Skateboards. This brand has been in existence for twenty years. It was founded by Douglas Miles, an artist working in multiple media. His artistic interests include photography, painting, and printmaking. He lives in Arizona. Miles also created the Apache Skate Team. According to Table Magazine, this team “ignited a skateboard movement.” Miles is of San Carlos Apache and White Mountain Apache heritage. Additionally, Miles is of Akimel O’odham origin.
Overview of Native American Designers
This year is a great time to learn about Native American designers. In 2025, fashion events have showcased the work of Native American designers. Jamie Okuma, for instance, presented her designs in September at New York Fashion Week. Additionally, Indigenous NYFW happened at the same time as New York Fashion Week. This fashion presentation series featured the work of designers such as Joe Big Mountain. The brand Original Landlords showcased work at Indigenous NYFW. This brand also presented at Native Fashion Week Santa Fe in May. Get to know the Native American designers innovating in a variety of exciting design formats. You will be glad you did.
