Jessica Metcalfe talks ‘Native American’ fashion includes Patricia Michaels

“Native American fashion from the 1940s to the present & into the future” is a lecture presented by Jessica R. Metcalfe who is of ‘Turtle Mountain Chippewa’ tribal Indian descent. The lecture will be on Thursday Mar. 21, 2013 at 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the ‘New Mexico History Museum’ auditorium at Santa Fe, N.M. The lecture is free to members of the ‘School for Advanced Research’ (SAR). $10 for non-members. Tickets are given on a first-come & first-serve basis at the front door. For more details please call; 505-954-7230. The presentation is sponsored by the ‘School for Advanced Research.’ Jessica will cover the extraordinary native fashion designs of Lloyd Kiva New - Wendy Ponca - Patricia Michaels - Virgil Ortiz.

Jessica R. Metcalfe LectureJessica R. Metcalfe Lecture

Patricia Michaels has been receiving huge publicity lately for her appearance on the cable TV fashion competition show “Project Runway.” She has made it through to the 9th round episode which will air Thursday night Mar. 21, 2013 on the ‘Lifetime’ network 9/8 p.m. (Check your local listings). This TV season “Project Runway” created a team competition where each fashion contestant has to work together to meet their weekly design challenges. Patricia has been doing a wonderful job trying to keep pace with all the other designers. Each design contestant has had a bad week throughout including Patricia who has been praised by the judges as being different & original. One of her fashion dresses was bought in a bidding war at the “Project Runway Auction” webpage.

According to the SAR official website the synopsis of Jessica’s lecture presentation is right here - “Since the 1940s - Native American fashion designers have used clothing as a way to continue age-old clothing practices - deconstruct stereotypes and subvert the mainstream fashion industry. The artists seek to re-claim the label “Native American” in the fashion world and create new opportunities for Native artists.”

Jessica R. Metcalfe runs a popular ‘blog’ called “Beyond Buckskin: About Native American Fashion” where she writes about, promotes & sells Native American designs (Shop the Boutique) from today’s top native fashion designers. The ‘blog’ mission statement is right here - “Beyond Buckskin empowers Native American artists and designers - advancing the quality of Native American fashion through education while providing an in depth podium for societal participation. Inspired by relevant historical and contemporary Native American clothing design and art - Beyond Buckskin promotes cultural appreciation - social relationships - authenticity and creativity.”