Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto: Rich culture mixes with bold statements

Some of theworld's top Indigenousdesigners brought their latest styles to the catwalk and made bold cultural statements atIndigenous Fashion Week Toronto.

The four-day inaugural event showcased some of the most distinct and innovative workof 23 Indigenous artists and designers from Canada, the U.S. and Greenland.

A live runway event each night was inspired by the traditional seasons of the moon. The first in the series, New Moon, createda platform for emerging indigenous designers.

Berry Moon's designs were in celebration of summer and the pow wowseason.

Frost Moonfeatured Inuk street style from Nunavut and Greenland.

The final runway night, Harvest Moon,was aninter-generational event honouring of matriarchs, with designs thatrecognizedthe vitality of traditional stories and teachings that have beenpassed on through generations.

Here are some memorable moments and images fromIndigenous Fashion Week Toronto.

• WATCH: The National's feature on Indigenous Fashion Week

Opening night

Theevent was more than a fashion show. The opening night kicked off witha musical performance byCrisDerksen,a young classically trained Cree cellist.

Beyond fashion

Besides performances like Derksen's and the runway shows, Indigenous Fashion Week also featured a marketplace, workshops and panels.

Indigenous style

Crafted culture

The clothes and accessories incorporated and celebrated therich cultural craft traditions of Indigenous life as contemporary fashion.

Traditional art

This ensemble was designed by British Columbia-based Haida and Kwakwaka'wakwdesignerMeghann O'Brien.

She adopts traditional art forms used inbasket-weaving into her clothing designs.

Stories meetstyle

Making statements

Fashion was used as a medium to make statements on many Indigenous issues at the show.

In thiscase, the designer's inspiration was land sovereignty and the relationship between people and the environment.

Women as warriors

Saskatchewan-basedDenedesigner Catherine Blackburn used concepts of traditional bead work to create futuristic "armour."

"I see Indigenous women as warriors because of the constant battle it isto always prove something, to always try to break those stereotypical barriers that hold us back," she says.

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More from CBC:

Designers behind Toronto's first Indigenous Fashion Week

6 years ago

Duration 5:45

Designers behind Toronto's first Indigenous Fashion Week share their journey to the runway

Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto opens with 'New Moon' showcase

6 years ago

Duration 1:54

The inaugural Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto kicked off with a 'New Moon' runway showcase. On opening day, CBC Indigenous spoke with the artistic director and designers about what makes this event so special.