The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) has revealed the return of SWAIA Native Fashion Week May 7 to May 11, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. And it is seeking a fashion show producer.
Following the template of last year’s inaugural event, SNFW will present runway shows, activations and pop-up shops showcasing Indigenous design, as well as fashion panels amplifying Indigenous voices.
The 2024 SNFW hosted 17 Indigenous designers from the U.S. and Canada including Himikalas Pamela Baker, Jason Baerg and Patricia Michaels.
SNFW is an offshoot of the wildly popular SWAIA runway event at Santa Fe Indian Market, which has been held annually since 2014, and attracted such well-known designers as Jamie Okuma, Lauren Good Day and Jontay Kahm.
Both the Indian Market event and SNFW were established by Siksika curator and art historian Amber-Dawn Bear Robe.
“I’d love for this to be the global place for people to experience and to work with Native designers and models,” she told WWD last year. “In Santa Fe, all the ingredients are here — the artists, designers and talent coming from across Canada and the U.S., and the collectors of Indigenous art. It’s also the place the Native community comes in terms of film and television.”
This year’s Native Fashion Week is seeking a fashion producer to work with staff on the event, from concept development to post-event evaluation. Interested and qualified applicants can submit their proposals by Dec. 20 at swaianativefashion.org/RFP.
