At the Getty Museum, Indigenous Futurism Was Brought to the Forefront

Perched up high on a hilltop overlooking the Los Angeles skyline, the Getty Museum served as the dramatic backdrop for a new Fashioning Indigenous Futurism runway show held last night. As guests filtered in wearing their best Native American couture—including VIPs such as actor Tantoo Cardinal in her Patricia Michaels gown—they proceeded to take in the new collections of five contemporary designers who are redefining Indigenous fashion: Jason Baerg, Orlando Dugi, Jontay Kahm, Caroline Monnet, and Jamie Okuma. (Artist Virgil Ortiz, meanwhile, also displayed special AR art activation on-site.

) The special showcase was presented in collaboration with the Autry Museum of the American West, and was organized by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, who also curates the annual Santa Fe Indian Market fashion show in New Mexico. The catwalk presentation was held to coincide with the Autry’s new exhibition, Future Imaginaries: Indigenous Art, Fashion, Technology , on view now; It features approximately 58 works from artists such as Wendy Red Star, Virgil Ortiz, and Andy Everson—all of whom display pieces that use contemporary Native technologies to envision a more inclusive and sustainable future. The runway showcase, however, put emphasis on the best of today's Indigenous couture—displaying how a crop of fashion designers are carrying forward their traditional craftwork in new, unexpected ways.

“The fashion show at the Getty was a groundbreaking event, elevating Indigenous fashion on a g.