For centuries, Indigenous peoples have shaped the landscape of art, culture, and design across the Americas. Native Fashion Week Santa Fe (NFWSF), taking place May 8 – 11, 2025, is the largest Indigenous fashion event in North America. The event brings together over 30 Indigenous designers to showcase their distinctive blend of ancestral techniques and contemporary design.
NFWSF celebrates the artistry and craftsmanship of Native designers, who have long influenced the fashion world through their innovative use of textiles, beadwork, and sustainable practices. It plays a critical role in the global fashion industry by emphasizing Indigenous couture, sustainable fashion, and the land-centered design philosophy that honors the environment and traditional knowledge.
In a fashion landscape that has often looked to Indigenous artistry for inspiration — while failing to recognize its true origins — NFWSF stands as a powerful statement of cultural pride and resilience.
By focusing on Native design, the event offers a platform for Indigenous creators to lead the way in reshaping what luxury means. Native Fashion Week serves as a reminder that Indigenous peoples are not only the original stewards of this land but continue to shape the future of fashion, where legacy meets the avant-garde.
Event Details
Dates: May 8 – 11, 2025
Location: Santa Fe Railyard Arts District, 500 Market St, Santa Fe, NM
Native Fashion Week Santa Fe will feature over 30 groundbreaking Indigenous designers, including:
- Orlando Dugi
Dugi specializes in high-fashion eveningwear, blending intricate beadwork with contemporary silhouettes. - Lesley Hampton
Hampton is known for her body-positive, inclusive designs that celebrate diversity and highlight Native art forms. - Korina Emmerich
Emmerich focuses on innovative textile design, fusing traditional Native techniques with modern fashion aesthetics. - Lauren Good Day
Good Day creates elegant, contemporary designs using beadwork and quillwork, with a deep connection to Native American storytelling. - Nonamey
Nonamey combines bold, modern fashion with cultural significance, utilizing sustainable materials and Native design elements. - Apache Skateboards & Douglas Miles
Pioneers in blending skate culture with Native design, creating impactful, street-inspired fashion and art. - Products of My Environment x The Son of Picasso
These designers collaborate to bring Native storytelling into fashion, merging avant-garde design with traditional Indigenous art forms.
Event Highlights
Native Fashion Week Santa Fe presents a weekend of fashion, art, and dialogue centered on Indigenous creativity and design leadership. Here are the highlights to look forward to:
Runway Shows & Designer Showcases
Native Fashion Week Santa Fe will feature two full days of fashion showcases, spotlighting over 30 Indigenous designers and more than 100 models. A mix of established names and rising talent will demonstrate how traditional craftsmanship continues to inform and inspire contemporary design.
Each runway show offers a unique perspective, celebrating cultural heritage through fashion while honoring the past and looking ahead to the future of design.
This event highlights the lasting impact of Indigenous artistry on the global fashion scene, showing how this creative influence continues to redefine the industry.
Sky Railway Fashion Kickoff
Start off Native Fashion Week with an exclusive two-hour Runway on the Rails journey aboard the Sky Railway, departing from Santa Fe, and will experience a runway show featuring leading designers and models, offering a firsthand look at this year’s fashion trends.
The evening provides opportunities to connect with designers and industry professionals in a unique setting, all while traveling through New Mexico’s renowned landscape.
Runway on the Rails will take place on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The train will depart from Santa Fe and remain in motion for the duration of the event, with no stops along the route. Tickets are $129 per person and can be purchased through Sky Railway’s official website.
Fashion Panels & Industry Discussions
This segment of Native Fashion Week brings together influential thought leaders for engaging conversations on the intersection of fashion, culture, and design.
Featured speaker Christian Allaire, author of From The Rez To The Runway: Forging My Path In Fashion andThe Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures, will lead a discussion on cultural reclamation through design.
Panelists will explore the future of Indigenous design, textile innovation, and how these practices are shaping the global fashion landscape.
These insightful discussions highlight the role of Indigenous design sovereignty in reshaping the fashion industry, providing a platform for Native voices to lead the way toward a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Trunk Shows & Brand Activations
Throughout the Santa Fe Railyard Arts District, Native Fashion Week offers an opportunity for buyers and designers to connect directly in an engaging, one-on-one setting.
Attendees will have access to exclusive Indigenous-designed fashion and accessories, with several collections available for purchase straight from the designer.
Limited edition Native-designed accessories and handcrafted luxury items will also be available, offering an authentic way to support Indigenous talent while adding unique pieces to your collection.
NFW Fashion Film Festival
The NFW Fashion Film Festival at Violet Crown Cinema brings a captivating selection of films that showcase Indigenous representation in fashion.
From thought-provoking documentaries to powerful visual storytelling, the festival celebrates Indigenous style and the cultural narratives woven into each design. Premiering on the big screen, these films delve into the deep roots of Native fashion, offering a closer look at the creativity and craftsmanship shaping the future of design.
Celebrity Appearances & Influencers
The event will welcome industry celebrities, influencers, tastemakers, and cultural leaders, all reflecting the rising impact of Indigenous fashion on the global stage.
Style icons Ashley Callingbull, Miss Universe Canada and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and Dakota Beavers, actor and musician, will bring their distinct presence to the event.
Indigenous fashion ambassadors and Native celebrities will highlight the strength and beauty of Native design throughout the weekend, with red carpet moments showcasing the talent and creativity that continue to shape the future of style.
About Native Fashion Week Santa Fe
Indigenous fashion stands as the original couture, influencing global design long before fashion capitals like Paris, Milan, or New York set the stage.
Native designers have long led the way in luxury craftsmanship, from intricate beadwork and quillwork to sustainable practices and high fashion. Major fashion houses are only beginning to catch up to the pioneering techniques these designers have been perfecting for generations.
Native Fashion Week Santa Fe challenges the fashion industry’s norms, positioning Santa Fe as a valuable player on the international fashion calendar. Through authentic Indigenous creative expression, the event is decolonizing the fashion world, bringing attention to the deep cultural significance embedded in each design.
At the core of this movement is sustainable fashion, grounded in traditional ecological knowledge and passed down through generations, creating luxury that is both ethical and timeless.
About the Curator
Native Fashion Week Santa Fe is curated by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, a visionary fashion curator from the Siksika Nation and the 2023 recipient of the Canadian Arts and Fashion Changemaker Award. Known for her work on transformative exhibits like Fashioning Indigenous Futurism at the Getty Museum, Bear Robe brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of fashion and Indigenous heritage.
As a pioneering force in Native fashion, her work continues to influence the global fashion landscape. Her innovative approach to fashion exhibition design showcases Indigenous creativity with depth and authenticity.
Partnership & Sponsorship Opportunities
Native Fashion Week Santa Fe offers unique opportunities for collaboration with leading media outlets, beauty brands, cultural institutions, and luxury hospitality partners. This includes KISWE, Violet Beast, Native Max Magazine, Matthew Morris Salon, Davines Beauty + Sustainability, NDN Collective, Santa Fe County Economic Development, The Santa Fe Tourism Board, and premier accommodations like The Mystic Santa Fe and El Rey Court.
Sponsorships and brand integrations provide a chance to align with authentic Indigenous fashion, supporting Native-owned enterprises while showcasing your brand in the Santa Fe’s arts district.
For more information on exclusive partnership opportunities, email the event organizers.
Attend Native Fashion Week Santa Fe 2025
Native Fashion Week Santa Fe offers an opportunity to experience the forefront of Indigenous design and creativity. With exclusive runway seating and VIP experiences, this event is an influential moment in redefining fashion through Native voices. Attend and be part of the celebration of Native artistry and innovation!
Get tickets when they are available!
Stay connected by following the journey on Instagram:
@nativefashionweeksantafe
@amberdawngold.
STORY SPONSORED BY NATIVE FASHION WEEK SANTA FE
