Cree/Métis Hamiltonian designer shows collection “Of The Stars”
- Jayson Koblun
- 30 Mar 2018
Hamiltonians love to support local talent of all kinds and Cree / Métis Designer Angela DeMontigny’s return from London Fashion Week is something to celebrate just the same.
DeMontigny is from Hamilton and was selected as one of nine Canadians to showcase her collection at London Fashion Week earlier this year. Following Fashion Week, her collection titled Of The Stars will be on display at Ryerson University.
Her collection is based off of the Anishinaabe story Daughters of the Seven Stars, referring to the Pleiades constellation. Her roots, language, and traditional storytelling inspire her when she designs.
“I’ve always set out to be a contemporary designer, I don’t ever want to do anything that’s deemed stereotypical because I want to show a different side, change people’s perceptions of what they think Indigenous people are about in North America,” DeMontigny told CBC.
All of the pieces in this collection draw inspiration from her roots in traditional storytelling. Like the blue leather jacket shown above that reads Of The Star in Cree on the back.
DeMontigny has been on the forefront on Indigenous fashion for years. Her designs have been selling since the mid ‘90s. She designs all types of fashion and accessories with a very modern spin while still incorporating traditional materials like beadwork, leathers, fur and more.
In many Indigenous cultures around the world, beadwork plays a very large role in fashion and clothing. DeMontigny owns a storefront on James Street North called DeMontigny where she sells her custom work and designs.
Her original collections showcase elegant examples of her Indigenous heritage made in leather and suede with unique metallic finished and details such as fringe, cutwork, hand beading and more. Her pieces are luxurious, functional and timeless. She also custom designs bridal and engagement/wedding rings along with her edgy leathers for men.
“A lot of people know about Greek mythology and so many other cultures way, way back. But nobody knows about our [Indigenous] stories and how we are connected to the stars and so many creation stories where we are of the stars, we are made up of the same matter of the stars.”
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