September 27th, 2015 Last Updated on: September 27th, 2015
What's more “American Made” than Native-owned businesses? Martha Stewart and team have chosen to honor top “entrepreneurs, artisans, and small-business owners who are creating beautiful, inspiring, useful products; pioneering new industries; improving local communities; and changing the way we eat, shop, work, and live.” And guess what? Three of the finalists are names well known and respected throughout Indian Country: Beyond Buckskin, Bethany Yellowtail and Kristen Dorsey were chosen as finalists in the Style category.
Beyond Buckskin: If you've seen any of our gift guides, you can be sure a good chunk of the items came from this shop! They are constantly on the lookout for gorgeous jewelry, clothing and other awesome Native fashion. You can rest assured that what you're buying from them is indeed Indigenous made!
When asked how Beyond Buckskin stands out among other businesses: “A primary mission of Beyond Buckskin is to create a substantial movement of Native American representation in the fashion industry and to bring greater recognition to Native artists, cultures, and communities. Beyond Buckskin empowers artists and brings them together; when we work together we can accomplish more – by cost-sharing, event creation, and encouraging artistic synergy. ”
http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/126327/style/beyond-buckskin
Bethany Yellowtail: This Crow/Northern Cheyenne designer recently released her own brand of clothing. Native haute couture for women is the focus for now but she hopes to expand into Menswear, Home Decor, Shoes and beyond! When asked what inspires her she says, “I look to the mountains, valleys, and streams of my lands and the sacred elements of this earth that we revere. I look at the dance of the sun and the sky and infuse the meaning of those revolutions into my work. I turn to the ancestral knowledge in traditional elements, creating through images of family photos, re-imagining the treasures of heirloom beadwork…these are the sources, these are the guides of my dreams and inspiration. ”
http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/118010/style/byellowtail
Kristen Dorsey: This Chickasaw jewelry designer makes amazing one of a kind pieces. When asked about the materials used in her pieces she replied, “I use the same native copper sourced from the Great Lakes region that my Chickasaw ancestors traded for and used in their adornment. We also source ethically and environmentally friendly materials whenever possible like conflict-free diamonds and recycled shell.”
http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/136754/style/kristen-dorsey-designs
I would love to see any of these businesses win, but they need your votes! Can you click on the links above and help them out? Public voting ends ends on October 19, 2015 so hurry, hurry, hurry!
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