Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel in Highland, California, east of Los Angeles, hosted two days of collection presentations by Native American designers April 20 and 21.

Produced by fashion publicist, bestselling writer and TV personality Kelly Cutrone, the event featured a runway show by Jamie Okuma, the primary Native American designer to be admitted to the Council of Fashion Designers of America, alongside shows from Indigenous creators Jennifer Younger, Orlando Dugi and Section35.

Freak City L.A., Custo Barcelona and others also showcased collections, with models walking across the resort pool and guests seated on either side.

Paris Jackson, “Prey” star Amber Midthunder and TV host/stylist Jeannie Mai were among the many guests who got here out for Yaamava’ Fashion Daze, which the property hopes to make an annual event.

“For me, it’s very essential that more people get a likelihood to get their work shown, and that’s not only for fashion, it’s for all art…the more diverse the higher,” said Jackson, wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier “naked” dress, and taking in Okuma’s collection.

Known for her silk dresses and robes in bead, floral and ribbon motif prints, Okuma went more graphic and streamlined for this collection with stretchy minidresses and matching leggings mixed in along with her more breezy styles.

“The black and nude is something I like, it’s based off our parfleche designs on our luggage and carrying cases. There’s an actual specific aesthetic to it, very daring and graphic,” she said backstage of the artistic inspiration she dropped at her pieces.

On becoming a latest CFDA member, the primary Native American designer to achieve this, she said the rule change to permit applications from those that sell only via e-commerce helped pave the way in which. Next up, she’s showing one other latest collection in August on the annual Santa Fe Indian Market Fashion Show. A Recent York runway show can also be on her wish list.

“I beaded these myself. It’s something my dad taught me after I was 8 years old,” said Freak City L.A. cofounder Valerie Campbell, showing off an alien-shaped beaded necklace from the spirited Y2K-looking collection, which featured Barbie pink “Real” and “Fake” slogan track suits, graffiti and “I Love L.A.” graphics. “After which we did the Minnetonka moccasins with crystals because I also grew up wearing Minnetonkas,” the mixed Japanese and Comanche designer said of bringing her heritage to the runway.

Tlingit artist Jennifer Younger, who got here in from southwest Alaska, showed her armor-like jewelry and shields. “I used to be envisioning empowering women, showing protection…and I wanted to include Formline design, which is a BNorthwest coast type of art,” she said of her inspiration.

Representation was the theme of a panel discussion through the event hosted by Ojibwe writer and Vogue magazine contributor Christian Alliare with the actress Amber Midthunder, Okuma and others.

“I had a stylist I didn’t like in any respect and she or he’s gone now,” Midthunder said of getting to persuade her team to combine Native American designers with luxury brands during her press tour for the “Prey” film. “It’s about having people understand although it’s something that hasn’t been seen rather a lot, it must be accessible. Possibly I wear Prada to 1 event after which I wear Jamie’s dress to a different. They must be on the identical level because they’re. The more individuals who wear it the more people understand it’s on the market.”