Some of the best ideas come from the most unexpected places. For Lea McCormick, citizen of the Mvskoke Nation and founder of Heruse tos Handmade Handbags, it came from a post-surgery recovery room, phone in hand, notes app open, dreaming about a better future for Native fashion.
The idea is called Native Re-Market: a resale app built specifically for Native fashion lovers to buy and sell secondhand Indigenous designer clothing, accessories, and jewelry. Think Depop or Poshmark, but built by and for a community that understands that a Jamie Okuma dress or a B.Yellowtail skirt isn’t just an outfit; it’s art.
McCormick knows this world intimately. She’s a featured designer who has shown at New York Fashion Week three times and traveled to reservations across the country to present her handmade handbags and clothing. She’s been to Native markets everywhere. And like so many people in the Native fashion community, she’s watched pieces disappear into thrift stores, either wildly underpriced at 99 cents or priced so high out of ignorance that they sit unsold until they end up in a landfill either way.
“I found a few Native designs in thrift stores,” McCormick says. “Both scenarios, if a Native Fashion Lover doesn’t come to rescue it, it ends up in a landfill.”
She wants to change that. Native Re-Market will feature multiple categories with options for both new and used items, meaning it can also serve as a platform for emerging jewelry artists and designers who haven’t yet built a wide audience. Someone crafting in a small community on Turtle Island could set up a profile and reach buyers they’d never find at a local market. Someone sitting on a designer piece that no longer fits them, but is far too special to donate, finally has somewhere worthy to send it.
The economic angle matters too. With the cost of living putting pressure on everyone’s budget, McCormick points out that a secondhand Indigenous designer piece is often the most realistic way for fans to own something from their favorite artists. And for designers, seeing their work resold, loved, worn again, passed on with care, is its own kind of recognition.
McCormick is currently working through the funding phase, pursuing grants and loans to bring the app to life. But the vision is clear, the business plan is written, and the community need is real.
“I love my Mvskokulke, and I love being Native,” she says. “I love community, and I am hoping that Native Re-Market will be a great opportunity for us to be in a Native Fashion Lovers community together.”
Check out the app, join as a seller or buyer here.
We’ll be watching this one closely. Stay tuned to Native Max for updates as Native Re-Market develops, and if you’re a Native fashion lover who wants to see this happen, share this story.
