Indigenous fashion show returns to Montreal

Backstage at the McCord Stewart Museum, it’s quiet but not with stillness. A model adjusts her footing. A hairstylist perfects a braid. Someone laughs over a smudged lipstick that’s carefully reapplied with the same focus as beadwork.

Just beyond the curtain, the room hums with anticipation, hundreds wait, not for spectacle, but for something far more personal: a return, a reclaiming, a redefinition of presence sewn into every stitch.

On the evening of September 26, the McCord Stewart Museum in Montreal transformed into a vibrant showcase of Indigenous design, identity, and resurgence. The Indigenous Fashion Collective - 2nd Edition, part of Montreal Fashion Week, featured eight designers under Collectif Autochtone, an Indigenous-led initiative bringing together creators, models, stylists, and storytellers.

Karoniénhawe Diabo of She Holds the Sky Designs presented a striking collection originally created for Santa Fe Fashion Week, inspired by the meeting of the sun and moon.

“This isn’t just about what we wear, it’s about how we remember,” she said. “Each piece has a meaning. I hope people recognize symbols or colours and think, ‘I understand why she used that.’ I’m not just throwing things together and calling it fashion. It’s about educating people, raising awareness and showing that we’re still here.”

Her design journey began not from ambition, but survival.

“I was a new mom of two. I had the option to return to my corporate job or stay home. I chose to stay home, so I started sewing. I try to use sustainable or upcycled materials, deer hide, leather, earth tones,” she said. “Montreal has always been a gathering place, and now it’s where our fashion is being seen.”

Behind the scenes, Joanne Iewisenhawi Jacobs directed the show’s production while also representing her own historic milestone founding the first Haudenosaunee modelling agency, Mother Indigenous Model Management, in Kahnawake.

“When I stepped back onto the modelling scene, I realized there was a need for proper representation of our First Nations,” Jacobs explained. “So, I came up with the complete concept, got the licensing, and opened my doors in March 2025.”

Jacobs was responsible for selecting and coordinating models, choreographing the show, and assembling the glam teams.

“My whole mission is to bring the designers’ art to life. That starts with preparing our mind, body, spirit to represent their vision and create an alignment with their mind, body and spirit”

For Jacobs, this work represents a shift from exclusion to empowerment.

“When I was a teen, there weren’t many First Nations people on runways. Now? The fashion scene includes all ages, all sizes. It celebrates who we are.”

On the runway, model Passion Diabo made her debut into something beyond music, open mics and acting.

“This is my first fashion show,” she said. “It’s so rewarding to represent Indigenous fashion, and I’m just grateful for the opportunity. I love colour, fur, beadwork especially earrings. This has pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way.”

Destiny Gabriel, a mother of four, a growing social media platform and seasoned model of eight years, has walked in New York, Toronto, and across the US, but this was her first Indigenous fashion show in Montreal.

“It feels really special,” she shared. “Even when I’m not creating the looks, I love helping bring the designer’s vision to life.”

Her journey began at 16, after a shoot with Tisha Thompson sparked a modelling career that evolved into advocacy.

Gabriel sees modelling as more than just walking the runway. “It’s about how you carry yourself, online and off. I’ve grown a lot.”

Valerie Labbe Flamand, walking for both She Holds the Sky and Machu Creations, brought her unique emo-diva flair to the event.

“In Indigenous fashion shows, I feel seen. I don’t have to explain myself, I just show up, and I’m welcomed,” she said. “One of my looks is a silky strapless burgundy set that catches the lights beautifully. The other is a corset and mesh top that’s more Gothic.”

Backstage, industry veterans and rising stars kept the creative energy flowing. Artists like Nathan Blacksmith and Raven Beauvais worked behind the curtain, translating creativity into detail.

Nathan Blacksmith, a Winnipeg-born makeup artist with 24 years of film and television experience, joined his first fashion show with calm confidence.

“It’s different but in a good way. More laid back, creative, fun. It’s like a film, just with different lighting and a catwalk,” he said. “It’s inspiring to see more Indigenous makeup artists and creatives growing in this space.”

Raven Beauvais, the show’s lead hairstylist from Kahnawake, graduated in late 2023 and already feels at home in the fast-paced world of fashion.

“My first show was for She Holds the Sky. I was still in school and terrified,” she laughed. “Now it’s show after show. I’m all in. I’ve grown so much. We’ve become like a big family.”

She emphasized how hair design is closely tied to garments.

“The outfit guides the hair, open backs, beadwork, hoods. We adapt to complement every detail.”

She credits her growth to working with different communities and designers. “We all come to one mind. Different Mohawk communities, different Indigenous nations when we come together, we work so well as a team.”

For Eve Bastien, consultant in Indigenous affairs and strategic production, the night embodied something revolutionary.

“It’s really amazing that this whole team is Indigenous directed, curated, and organized. All the designers, models, hair stylists, and makeup artists all Indigenous. It’s a beautiful thing to see.”

Among guests, the sense of connection and presence resonated deeply.

“I loved the room where there was a screen showing the entrance area,” said guest Carling Sioui, who is both Wendat and Armenian. “We were able to have that connection and be part of two spaces at once.”

Emmanuel Sala Nkanga, an attendee originally from Angola, left the event inspired.

“This fashion show was an amazing experience. It felt like a true celebration of creativity and community,” he shared. “What stood out to me most was how every designer brought their own story to life through their pieces and seeing that level of passion on stage was inspiring.”

As Karoniénhawe Diabo put it:

“This isn’t just fashion, it’s storytelling.”

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