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- By Kaili Berg
On Monday, September 15, the Decolonizing Wealth Project (DWP) and Relative Arts hosted their annual event Celebrating Indigeneity in Fashion, closing out the inaugural Indigenous New York Fashion Week (NYFW).
The event, held at JIMMY rooftop in SoHo, highlighted Indigenous excellence across design, art, and philanthropy, offering a rare space during NYFW dedicated entirely to Native talent.
Now in its fifth year, DWP’s NYFW event has become a central fixture for bringing together Indigenous designers, models, and creatives with industry funders and allies.
For years, it stood alone as the only space at NYFW devoted to Indigenous fashion. With the launch of Indigenous NYFW this season, the celebration marked both continuity and growth.
"This year’s event is especially important as we celebrate Relative Arts and the inaugural Indigenous New York Fashion Week,” Edgar Villanueva, Founder and CEO of the Decolonizing Wealth Project said in a press release. “ To see how this gathering has grown affirms so much of our work and is truly demonstrative of how powerful Native folks are when we stand behind one another and lift each other up.”
The evening drew a mix of designers, artists, and cultural voices, including actors, writers, and established Native creatives.
Among them were Erica Alexander, Phillip Bread, Lakeisha Marie, Christian Allaire, Gavi Stroemer, Hud Oberly, Mato Wayuhi, and Relative Arts founders Korina Emmerich, Nishina Loft, and Liana Shewey.
Designers Naiomi and Tyler Glasses, Vina Brown of Copper Canoe Woman, Kayla Smith Lookinghorse of K. Lookinghorse, and others showcased the range of Indigenous fashion talent on display.
Guests enjoyed music from DJ Leelander, food, and conversation, while also receiving gift bags featuring products from Lush Cosmetics.
The evening also marked the soft launch of a new DWP collaboration with Bridgeforth Cotton, a Black-owned family farm in Alabama operating since 1877. Together, they unveiled the “Healer” t-shirt, which will anchor DWP’s national collective care campaign in 2025.
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