RECYCLED HERITAGE
EMBRACING NATIVE ART AND ARTIST IN COLLABORATION WITH NEW RECYCLED MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY.
INITIALLY INSPIRED BY BRIAN JUNGENS ‘VARIANT #1’ - IN WHICH THE CANADIAN FIRST NATIONS ARTIST UTILIZED AIR JORDANS TO CREATE NATIVE INSPIRED ARTWORK. THIS COLLECTION OF IDEAS, REFERENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES IS A GROWING PLATFORM.
BELOW, I HAVE PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON BOTH NATIVE/INDIGENOUS ARTISTS AND POTENTIAL CORRESPONDING RECYCLED MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY. THESE CONNECTIONS ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CORPORATION COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO ENGAGE.
NATIVE BEADWORK w/
OCEAN PLASTIC
AN OFTEN CELEBRATED NATIVE ARTFORM, BEADWORK ARTISTS AND STYLES CAN EASILY BE INCORPORATED AS DECORATIVE TRIM IN FOOTWEAR & ACCESSORIES. IN COORDINATION WITH AN OCEAN PLASTIC RAW MATERIALS SUPPLIER THIS COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE BOTH TECHNOLOGY AND TRADITION.
OCEANWORKS
A RELATIVELY NEWER OCEAN PLASTIC RAW MATERIAL SUPPLIER, OCEANWORKS IS A GREAT OPTION. THEY AVOID BEING THE TOO OFTEN SEEN ‘CHARITABLE OCEAN PLASTIC PROGRAMS’ THAT TURN INTO FOR PROFIT SCAMS.
RECYCLED LEATHER FOOTWEAR COLLABORATION
w/ NATIVE MOCCASIN DESIGNER
RATHER THAN CONTINUE THE TREND OF KNOCKING OFF INDIGENOUS DESIGNS, LET’S CELEBRATE THEIR WORK WITH A LARGE SCALE COLLABORATION. JAMIE GENTRY CONTINUES TO AMASS A GROWING FOLLOWING WITH HER HANDMADE CUSTOM PIECES. CHECK THE LINK BELOW TO EXPLORE MORE OF HER WORK.
NATIVE STREETWEAR COLLABORATION IN SPORTS
WITH THE LONG OVERDUE EFFORT TO REMOVE MASCOTS WITH NATIVE IMAGERY AND SLURS FROM PROFESSIONAL SPORTS, NOW IS THE TO TIME CELEBRATE NATIVE BRANDS. EXPANDING ON THE TREND OF STREETWEAR COLLABORATIONS w/ ATHLETES AND SPORT TEAMS.
LIMITED EDITION TEAM JERSEYS AND ACCESSORIES ARE NOW BUILT INTO SEASONAL ROSTERS. ENTIRE ARENAS CELEBRATE ‘THROWBACK’ AND ‘HERITAGE’ NIGHTS, WITH ADDITIONAL MERCHANDISE.
RECENTLY BRADEN HOLTBY - GOALIE, VANCOUVER CANUCKS - REVEALED THAT HE IS PARTNERING WITH AN INDIGENOUS ARTIST FOR HIS NEW MASK. THIS IN RESPONSE TO CALLS OF APPROPRIATION WITH A PREVIOUS INDIGENOUS SYMBOL USED.
VOGUE RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED SOME GREAT NATIVE OWNED STREETWEAR BRANDS THAT WOULD SURELY BE UP TO THE OPPORTUNITY.