Haida Fashion Designer Makes it Her Business to Share Cultural Identity

Couture clothing appliqued with original
Haida designs by Dorothy Grant
Photo: Paul Niemi

Haida artists have been in the forefront in the indigenous fine art scene for decades.  Their art and cultural icons, along with those of many of their First Nations counterparts, who live along the Northwest Coast of North America, are highly visible.  We see Northwest Coast art every time we turn on the television or laptop to watch ABC's "Grey's Anatomy."  If you spend time in Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, or Vancouver, B.C., these varied styles of art are part of our cultural Lexicon. We might not even realize it that the Seattle Seahawks logo is Coast Salish design.  Many products and services have logos appropriated from these Northwest indigenous designs.  The point is, these designs are part of the cultural landscape of the Northwest region, just as the Zia symbol or Kokopelli can be found in almost every corner of  the Southwest.

There is a very simple reason for the strong visibility of Haida iconography.  It has a lot to do with cultural pride and owning who you are. They are, in fact, a group that is extremely happy to be themselves.  They also love to share the beauty of their culture with others.  An icon herself, Haida artist and fashion designer Dorothy Grant  finds satisfaction in educating the public about Haida art and culture.  She says there are very specific rules about how everything should look in what is called "formline." It's a visual language with its own brand of grammar, and Grant says no one is certain when it really began.  Regardless, its beauty and appeal has held up over time and continues to permeate contemporary society. 

High-quality tailored and embroidered
men's shirt by Dorothy Grant
Photo: Paul Niemi

Grant, originally a traditional spruce root basket weaver, ensures that these images live on in her contemporary fashion designs that have become popular with fashionistas the world over. She has been designing since the late 1980s and has developed one of the most successful indigenous fashion design companies in North America. Her applique designs are clean, fashion-forward, elegant and allow those who wear them to feel a personal sense of empowerment, no matter their cultural background.  Grant creates a number of product lines from couture fashion to pret a porter and sportswear to satisfy the needs of a varied clientele.  Visit her online at www.dorothygrant.com.

She offered me the chance to interview her at the 2013 National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) Holiday Native Art Market in Lower Manhattan.  At big regional art shows, Grant is an infinitely busy woman, but this more intimate market made it the perfect time to speak to her and showcase her work and charming personality.  Watch my interview with Dorothy Grant HERE: