Adrian Stevens and Sean Snyder Are in Residence at the Denver Art Museum, And You Should Be There
Two-Spirit artists, activists, and beadwork visionaries Adrian Stevens and Sean Snyder are in residence at the Denver Art Museum through April 17, with Open Studio Hours running through this week. Known for their SWAIA-winning beaded “Birkin” bag and their runway presence at Indigenous fashion’s most celebrated stages, the couple now invites Denver audiences into their process — and their vision of bridging the past and future of moccasin design.
Korina Emmerich Is the 2026 Pratt Fashion Visionary, And It’s Exactly Right
Pratt Institute has named Korina Emmerich, New York-based Indigenous fashion designer and founder of EMME Studio, as the recipient of the 2026 Pratt Fashion Visionary Award. A longtime NativeMax favorite, Emmerich’s holistic, community-rooted approach to design has long been reshaping what fashion is capable of. The recognition from one of the country’s most prestigious design institutions feels, in a word, overdue.
Always in Fashion: Amber-Dawn Bear Robe’s Landmark Exhibition Rewrites the Rules of Indigenous Design
Curated by Siksika Nation’s Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, founder of Native Fashion Week, Always in Fashion opens May 1, 2026 at the Textile Museum of Canada. The exhibition brings together more than two dozen Indigenous designers to challenge colonial frameworks, reclaim cultural narratives, and affirm what the Indigenous fashion world has always known: they were the blueprint.
Aro Enter Tāwauwau: A Journey of Whānau, Wonder, and Imagination
The Te Tiriti-based duo step into a new creative realm shaped by life on the road, whānau, and the enduring power of Māori storytelling.
From Gallup to Hollywood: Navajo Makeup Artist Tierra Richards Is Creating Her Own Path
Navajo makeup artist Tierra Richards is building a powerful career behind the scenes of Hollywood’s biggest productions. With credits spanning Avengers: Endgame to Ryan Murphy’s Grotesquerie, her journey is now marked by major industry recognition—including an Emmy nomination and multiple guild honors.
El Techichi: An Inscription of Jewelry as Evocation, Home, & Accession
Jewelry designer Omar Monroy creates pieces that carry memory, land, and lineage. Through her practice, El Techichi, stones, shells, and pearls become stories—evoking family, migration, and the living geographies of Turtle Island and Abya Yala.
Story and Photography by Nat Armenta
Cherokee Social Takes the Stage in Denver for First Headliner Show
Denver-based Indigenous indie-pop duo Cherokee Social will take the stage at the historic Federal Theatre on March 14 for their first headliner show, marking a major milestone for the rising act known for blending dreamy indie-pop with powwow-inspired rhythms.
Peshawn Bread Collaborates with Manitobah on Bold, Story-Driven Dancer Tall Lace-Up Boot
Comanche, Kiowa, and Cherokee designer Peshawn Bread partners with Manitobah to create the Dancer Tall Lace-Up Boot—an elevated design featuring cedar medicine imagery, protective arrow symbolism, and a Turtle Sole by Cree artist Heather Endall.
Behind the Seams: Michaella Montana Reclaims Indigenous Fashion Through Film
Award-winning host and journalist Michaella Montana steps into a new role as creator and showrunner of Behind the Seams, an eight-episode documentary series spotlighting Indigenous fashion designers from around the world. Having premiered on January 20, 2026, the all-women-led production treats Indigenous fashion as high art, centering cultural sovereignty, craftsmanship, and the designers reshaping the global luxury landscape.
SWAIA Native Fashion Week Returns to Santa Fe with a Curated, Story-Driven Format for 2026
SWAIA Native Fashion Week returns May 8–9, 2026 in Santa Fe with a refined, single-venue format designed to elevate Native designers through deeper storytelling, immersive experiences, and a destination-style weekend at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa.
