Sep 9, 2022   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Indigenous Designer Stephanie Crowchild Debuts at RISE New York Fashion Week

Stephanie Eagletail Designs, a Canadian fashion label specializing in custom-made blanket coats based in the Indigenous heritage and traditions of its founder, announces its first-ever runway showcase in New York City. Designed and led by Stephanie Crowchild, from Tsuu T’ina in Treaty 7 Territory near Calgary, Alberta, the eponymous label will debut its 10-piece collection to a global audience at Studio Arte as part of RISE New York Fashion Week (RISE NYFW)—a dynamic platform designed to highlight the work of talented emerging designers.

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Photo courtesy of Stephanie Crowchild

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Crowchild

Each piece presented on the runway draws inspiration from Crowchild’s Indigenous culture and family including her Kokums and Chapans (grandmother and great grandmother in Crowchild’s traditional Cree language) and is crafted skillfully using upcycled wool materials, including HBC Multistripe Point Blankets—a thought-provoking material rooted in the complex history of Indigenous Peoples and colonizers in Canada.

“My late grandfather, Fred Eagletail, would often wear Hudson’s Bay blanket coats to events he would attend in Calgary, and when he passed, we uncovered his large collection of Hudson’s Bay blankets,” says Stephanie Crowchild. “It inspired me to create my own version as a way to honour him, and to decolonize an item that is so representative of HBC’s past with Indigenous Peoples. I feel deeply honoured that I can show my designs on this global platform and represent my community.”

“Showcasing in NYC during fashion week is an incredible accomplishment, and we want to congratulate Stephanie on this milestone moment in her journey,” says Tiffany Bourré, DVP, Communications and Heritage at The Bay. “Stephanie is carrying forward a tradition of her family, and of her community, and we look forward to building on our relationship and the work we are doing together.”

The Stephanie Eagletail Designs runway showcase begins at 1:30 PM EDT on Friday, September 9th. For tickets, please visit here. Behind the scenes and highlights from the show will be featured on Stephanie Crowchild’s and Hudson’s Bay’s Instagram.