‘Revitalization on the Runway’ puts Indigenous creativity in the spotlight

by Troy Dumont, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

(ANNews) – MacEwan University’s Allard Hall will become a runway for Indigenous fashion on June 5.

Revitalization on the Runway: An Indigenous Fashion Experience is being presented by kihêw waciston Indigenous Centre, and the Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity. The event will feature six Indigenous designers, performers, vendors, and Indigenous models in a showcase celebrating the beauty, growth, and presence of Indigenous fashion.

For event and fashion coordinator Danielle Lapatack, the night is about more than clothing on a runway. It is about creating space where Indigenous designers, models, performers, and community members can see themselves represented.

Lapatack said Indigenous fashion has not always been visible in mainstream media, but that has changed in recent years. For her, Indigenous fashion is tied to story, tradition, and identity. Designs can carry teachings forward while still making room for new forms of expression. They may reference tradition, but they also show how Indigenous fashion continues to move, shift, and exist in the present.

“We can carry our stories on,” Lapatack said.

Lapatack’s own connection to fashion began in 2019, when she attended an Indigenous business panel in Edmonton and was introduced to modelling almost by chance. Since then, she has modelled in Santa Fe, New York, and Paris, and has helped with other fashion shows, including recently, at the University of Alberta.

Although the event celebrates Indigenous strength and culture, Lapatack said she did not want the show to be framed only through survival. The word “revitalization” became central because she wanted the event to focus on renewal, creativity, and contemporary Indigenous expression.

“When you think of resilience, it’s often hardship, survival,” Lapatack said. “Revitalization just looks more towards renewal.”

The showcase will include six designers from across Turtle Island, most from Treaty 6 territory. One of the designers, Cheyenne Legrande, is a MacEwan alum, making her presence on the runway a visible example for Indigenous students who may see themselves in her path. Her involvement shows that Indigenous creativity can grow from campus spaces and reach professional stages.

The evening will also feature a range of performers and vendors, including Pheromone Killz, Edmonton’s 2022 Alberta’s Next Drag Superstar winner. Pheromone Killz is a 2S Métis Cree queen known for high-energy performances. The lineup will also include country singers, vendors, and a DJ. Lapatack said organizers wanted the event to reflect a wide range of Indigenous talent, backgrounds, and creative expression.

“We wanted to have a diverse kind of set of backgrounds, talent, creativity expressed throughout the night,” she said.

The event takes place at the beginning of both National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month, and intentional choice for the hosts. Bringing people together in June was a way to begin both months, in a good way, making it a celebration.

For guests who have never attended a fashion show before, the event is meant to feel welcoming. It is open to all ages, and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous guests are invited to attend. There is no strict dress code, but guests are encouraged to have fun with what they wear.

“Come as you are,” Lapatack said. “Dress your best. Get extra with it.”

The show will take place in the atrium of Allard Hall. Paid seated tickets are available through Eventbrite, and free-standing room will be available on the second floor to help make the event more accessible.

Lapatack said she hopes people leave the show feeling connected, inspired, and reminded that there is room for Indigenous creativity to be seen.

“But there’s space out there for us, even if we have to create it ourselves.”

Revitalization on the Runway: An Indigenous Fashion Experience takes place Friday, June 5, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Allard Hall, MacEwan University. Doors open at 5 p.m. Click here for tickets through Eventbrite.