Sartorial Sovereignty

Overview

Moderator: Riley Kucheran 

Speakers: Justine Woods and Mandee McDonald  

Indigenous Nations worldwide have sustained complex governance systems to manage their citizens and territories since time immemorial. Today, many Indigenous systems are gaining greater prominence and expanding colonial processes and communications notions in many industries. For example, Indigenous fashion systems often contrast the mainstream industry with mutually productive practices working between the people, the land and the future. This panel will explore community-focused decision-making and leadership ideas, like land-based practices and traditional values and how they impact running a fashion business (including trade, intellectual property, business structures and manufacturing). It will also discuss how Indigenous fashion governance models are essential to local economies and communities.