Hundreds celebrate Kahnawake style

Karoniénhawe Diabo has earned a name for herself internationally for her brand She Holds the Sky Designs, but last weekend there was only one runway that mattered, and that was the one set up in Kahnawake’s Knights of Columbus Hall, where more than 300 guests gathered to take in the magic of the 2026 Kahnawake Fashion Exhibition.

“When I first came out to introduce the show, and I saw just how many people were in the crowd, I was taken aback,” said Diabo, the main organizer of the show. “It makes me so proud to see everybody happy, and proud to know that I’m in the right place, that my vision has come to life and that I’m bringing good things for our community.”

Last Saturday marked the fourth edition of the Kahnawake Fashion Exhibit, which was started to show the best that Kahnawake has to offer in all aspects of fashion, from design to hair and makeup.

This year, six designers worked with more than twenty models to show their latest collections, with an organizing committee ensuring everything backstage and on the runway went to plan.

“Everybody did so well working together. That was probably my favourite part of the show, just that it went so smoothly,” Diabo said. “Everybody had a great time making friends, and there was lots of laughter. It was a really great time even backstage.”

Konwaséti Mariah Kirby was a member of the organizing committee, as well as one of the models in the show. She walked for three designers – Tuscarora designer Kehala Smith, who owns Kreations by Kehala; Kahnawake’s own Robin Tekaiakenhtha Marquis, who owns MarquiStylez; and Kahnawake/Akwesasne duo Kendall Horn and Babes Thompson, who make up Showstopper Studios.

“This year was the best one yet,” Kirby said. “I love helping, I love the fashion world, I love the industry, and I love modelling.”

She was able to share the runway with her seven-year-old daughter Semsemíye, who wore a design by Diabo. She was joined by other children as part of a youth section of the show.

“It’s really heartwarming to see her out there being so confident and brave,” said Kirby, whose family also came out to support her and Semsemíye in the show.

“Having them in the crowd is kind of the best feeling,” she said.

Family was also at the heart of designer Konwahonwáwi Stacey’s work. The show marked Stacey’s first in Kahnawake as a designer with her business Turtle Clan Creations, and she debuted a number of looks inspired by the five generations of beadworkers that make up her family.

“It’s like breaking out of a shell for us, because as Onkwehón:we people, as Native people we’ve gone through a lot where we’ve had to make ourselves smaller, so to have that comfortability to now be able to do these things is really healing,” she said. “We’re all showing support for each other and cheering each other on, it’s just a really nice community to be a part of.”

Stacey had held onto a moose hide for years, waiting for the right moment to create something from it. She had crafted it into a woven skirt for the show, cutting it into strips and sewing it together, inspired by basket-weavers. The piece, worn by Brooke Rice on the runway, was embellished with shells on the bottom edge, which made a tinkling noise when walking.

“It’s such a nice sound, and it’s one of the main pieces that I really worked hard on and that I’m very proud of,” Stacey said.

Backstage, a team of hair and makeup artists worked hard to make sure all models were runway ready.

Raven Beauvais and Jacy Boots Francis were two of the team’s hairstylists, and worked on braids, updos, and more throughout the day.

“The biggest highlight is being able to see my work come to life when the models walk the runway,” said Beauvais, who was named lead hairstylist for the show, a title that she said was an honour.

“Looking at other hairstylists I see myself as a baby in the fashion industry,” she said. “Being named lead hairstylist may not be a big deal for others, but it is for me. It felt good, and I’m very grateful.”

Boots Francis came from Akwesasne for the show, and said she enjoyed bringing the designers’ visions to life in her hair styling.

“I really love being able to come to our sister communities, and I love the community fashion shows because for me, fashion is about showcasing our culture and our evolution as people,” she said. “This is my first year coming to Kahnawake and I loved finally being able to be here and experience it after so many years.”

Cyanne Côté was one of the makeup artists for the event, and she said that working on the show made her feel closer to her community in Kahnawake, especially as someone who lives outside of town.

“It really showed how tight-knit our community is, and I felt really welcomed in the space. I’ve done many other fashion shows, but this one just felt more personal, and there was that sense of community,” Côté said. “It’s such a big opportunity for everyone within our community and our sister opportunities to come together and show the world that we’re still alive, we’re still thriving, and we can all grow together.”

That collaborative feeling was shared by Robin Tekaiakenhtha Marquis, who not only showed her designs in the show, but also worked on the organizing committee. She was delighted to have her daughter, Jayla White, and niece, Kendall Horn, model her designs – White also joined her mother on the organizing committee.

“(Horn) is 10 years younger than me, and when she was little I used to always dress her up, put makeup on her, and play music, and she would model and we’d take pictures,” Marquis said. “It’s so nice to work with her because we used to do it when we were little.”

Marquis said that the success of the Kahnawake Fashion Exhibit shows just how much the community has to offer the fashion world.

“I’m so proud of everybody that’s involved. You have to be vulnerable to put yourself out there that way, it’s not only fashion, it’s our clothing, it’s our traditional styles,” she said. “We’re really paving the way for future designers and models.”

[email protected]