Above: from the “Family Portraits” collection by Wendy Red Star. Image found here.
Bitch Magazine (interview by Sarah Margolis Pineo): You recently posted on Facebook: “I am so tired of all this ‘Native’ appropriation talk and fashion. It does not inform or inspire….I think we need to ask deeper questions and create works that challenge audiences beyond superficial constructs.” What did you mean by this?
Wendy Red Star: My comment was in reference to a Crow fashion designer, who created a line of tight spandex dresses based on geometric Crow designs made and worn by her grandmother. These traditional Crow designs are worn specifically for celebrations and other gatherings within the Crow Nation. They would be seen as our formal wear–not everyday clothing. The designs, colors [sic], and patterns, have very specific meanings to the Crow and, in some cases, only certain people have the right to make them.
There is a big push for Native-designed fashion supported largely by Native-run blogs and social media. When I saw the dresses online last year, I didn’t think much about it. To me, the collection was simply what it was: a way for the designer to market her uniqueness in an industry that is about trends. IN my mind, she failed to honor [sic] the deeply rooted connection to Crow culture when she made her line. When I look at her grandmother’s beaded leggings, belts, and bags, I see the strength of Apsáalooke women being handed down generation to generation. But the clothes went out into the world to be consumed and worn by women oblivious to the meaning emblazoned on their bodies.
As an artist, there has to be a conceptual framework supporting everything that I do. When working with culturally sensitive material, the responsible thing to do is to understand your intentions and meaning behind your work before you put it out in the world. Putting a geometric pattern on spandex to contribute to a trend-driven industry is not an appropriate platform. Dig deep- honor legacy and meaning when making work.
- Wendy Red Star, Crow artist in “Red Star Rising” by Sarah Margolis-Pineo in Bitch: The Blue Issue
