CHEY DESIGNS – CRAFTING MEANINGFUL INDIGENOUS FASHION

Cheyenne Isaac-Gloade is originally from Listuguj and now resides in Millbrook, Nova Scotia. She always had a passion for Mi’kmaq art and fashion and her goal was to become a fashion designer. She could often be found sketching and drawing dresses, and studying various runway looks, but she quickly realized there wasn’t a lot of Indigenous fashion out there.

“Some of my earliest inspirations were mainstream fashion, but one of the things I noticed was there was no Indigenous presence there,” said Isaac-Gloade. She set out to change that.

She always appreciated traditional, Indigenous fashions, and it was important to keep ancestral symbols alive but to also modernize and evolve it. “My inspiration is I take kind of an older concept and combine it with a modern-day twist,” said Isaac-Gloade. And that leads us to Chey Designs.

Chey Designs is a way for Isaac-Gloade to express herself and create elegant garments that tell a story. The brand features Indigenous apparel, intricately beaded jewelry, and most recently, ribbon skirts. The debut collection, Wasuwegl Nigwegl was launched in August – which consisted of beautifully crafted, modernized ribbon skirts. Wasuwegl Nigwegl loosely translates to “growing flowers.” Her concept behind this collection is that every woman is a unique flower who is beautiful in their own way. “The sun shines on all flowers. There’s enough sun for all of us.” – said Isaac-Gloade.

The Wasuwegl Nigwegl skirt collection sold out in under five minutes on launch day. “I just felt like I was living my dream,” said Isaac-Gloade

Isaac-Gloade’s plan for the future is to continue to release meaningful Indigenous collections with Chey Designs with a powerful message. She would also love to collaborate with other Indigenous artists. Her long-term goal would be to have the opportunity to design for clients and have them wear her garments at red carpet events.

You can find more information on Cheyenne Isaac-Gloade and Chey Designs at cheydesigns.ca.

By Ann Marie Jacques

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