'Reclaiming what is ours:' 1st Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week instils pride

It's an event that took years to plan, but Vancouver has debuted its first-ever Indigenous Fashion Week, showcasing the work of dozens ofdesigners who blendtraditionalFirst Nations imagery with high fashion.

The event opened with a splash on Wednesday, with all the allottedfree tickets quickly snapped up for the daily indoorrunway shows at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre including Saturday's closing event, although some standing-room tickets should be released.

That's proof enough for event creatorJoleen Mittonthat there's a demand for Indigenous fashion shows on the West Coast, despite that fact the idea came to her "totally by accident."

The 33-year-old former model had left the fashion industry behind and never expected to return, until she mentioned her modelling past to the young people in foster care whom she was counselingas part of Urban Butterflies and Mentor Me Aboriginal Day Camp programs seven years ago.

Mitton was surprised how much her past life struck a chord with the teenagers. Seeing that interest compelled her to plan VancouverIndigenous Fashion Week, which is featuringalmost exclusively models of Indigenous heritage, many who grew up in the province's foster care system.

"It gives them a sense of their own culture," Mittontold CBC News.

"You wear who you are and if you're wearing something from your territory, itbrings you a sense of self-awareness. It helps them know who they are, so they don't fall through the cracks of society."

• CBC Arts|Q&A with Joleen Mitton

Her goal? "I'm hoping these girls walk away with: a sense of pride in themselves and in their culture," she said.

'Really empowering'

Erika Trube,one of the models recruited through the Mentor Me program, grew up mainly in Vancouver away from her Indigenous roots:theSaik'uzFirst Nation inB.C.'s Central Interior. The 21-year old jumped at the chance to be involved in the fashion show.

"It makes me feel really inspired to be around these successful designers and models," Trube said.

"To see that kind of success in an area where we're not really represented is refreshing. It's nice."

Learning to walk down a runway was "really cool," Trubesaid, and it taught her "how to stand tall" and be proud, as did wearing original, contemporary designs interwoven with traditional touches.

"It's really empowering, honestly," she noted before the opening show.

Trube said there's something special about helping showcase haute couture created by someone Indigenous or with a deep understanding of the culture,adding that the experience has inspired her to become a fashion designer.

Countering cultural appropriation

Another major goal of the eventis to counter cultural appropriation and show that Indigenous fashion is more than just an aesthetic to be ripped off by high-profile labels and brands.

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"This is totally reclaiming what is ours," said Mitton. "[The event] isactivism in itself."

She also wants to make this fashion week an annual event to show the public existing options for when they go shopping.Some of the emerging and established designers taking part this year includeEvanDucharme,Sho ShoEsquiro,Tyler Alan Jacobsand Pam Baker.

"[The designs] are ondisplay.They're in the public eye," she said.

"So you don't have an excuse to say:'I don't know where to get that kind of aesthetic.' If you like Indigenous designs, go to the people who made it."

A pioneer of Canada's Aboriginal fashion scene, Bakeris thrilled to finally have a fashion showcreated by and dedicated to Indigenous artists.

"The message sent is that we are here, doing what we love," she said.

"I love educating andenjoy thereactions to my designs, where we work hard in representing our people."

Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, featuring work by32 designers, ends Saturday at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.