Balmain to participate in Sante Fe’s indigenous fashion event

French fashion label Balmain is set to embark on a new adventure as it prepares to participate in this year’s Indigenous Fashion Week event hosted by Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) Native Fashion.

During the occasion, which will take place simultaneous to the 102nd edition of Santa Fe’s Native Indian Market, Balmain Paris will offer a sneak peek of its autumn 2024 collection worn by a selection of handpicked SWAIA models.

SWAIA said the partnership would provide SNF models with “international fashion exposure while exposing Indigenous designers to a broader audience”, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to “elevating Indigenous fashion within the global fashion conversation”.

While Santa Fe’s Indian Market is scheduled to run August 17 and 18, SWAIA’s Indigenous Fashion Show will take place on the latter day at the Convention Centre. Here, selected designers Jamie Okuma, ASEP Designs/Adrian Standing Elk Pinnecoose, Lauren Good Day, Caroline Monnet and Jontay Kahm will be taking part in the event.

Artist Kent Monkman will be on hand to launch the fashion show with an ‘Art & Fashion’ presentation alongside Kahm, displaying “provocative art that challenges colonial narratives and highlights Indigenous experiences”, as stated by SWAIA Native Fashion producer Amber-Dawn Bear Robe.

In addition to this, Black-Eyed Peas member Taboo will open the show, bringing his “celebrity influence to this summer’s runway”.

For this edition of the event, there had been 1,300 artist submissions and over 1,000 Indigenous North American artists juried for the market itself, showing a “significant growth year-over-year”, noted SWAIA executive director, Jamie Schulze.

A notable first will be the hosting of the annual fundraising gala at the newly opened Vladem Contemporary Museum, where SWAIA looks to continue building up funds to support its educational and advocacy efforts.