Angela DeMontigny is a native Canadian fashion designer of Cree- Métis heritage. She is known for her use of

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

and

suede Suede (pronounced ) is a type of leather with a fuzzy, napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, fabrics, purses, furniture, and other items. The term comes from the French , which literally means "gloves from Sweden". The term was firs ...

in her clothing and handbags, as well as cultural motifs from her background including fringe,

beadwork Beadwork is the art or craft of attaching beads to one another by stringing them onto a thread or thin wire with a sewing or beading needle or sewing them to cloth. Beads are produced in a diverse range of materials, shapes, and sizes, and vary b ...

and

cutwork Cutwork or cut work, also known as ''punto tagliato'' in Italian, is a needlework technique in which portions of a textile, typically cotton or linen, are cut away and the resulting "hole" is reinforced and filled with embroidery or needle lace. ...

in a style she describes as "indigenous luxury."

Early life

DeMontigny grew up in North Vancouver. In 1991, she moved to

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Career

DeMontigny first opened a storefront in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

at the age of 24. In 1993 DeMontigny received an Internship Award from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business in

that helped start her path in fashion. Inspired by fellow indigenous designers like Dorothy Grant, she began to bring more of her personal heritage into her work and launched her own line in 1995. That year, she moved to Six Nations of the Grand River reserve and started an apparel factory and industrial sewing training program, Spirit Ware and the Factory. DeMontigny also began working more with leather, saying, "I love leather; it's in my DNA. I'm from a line of trappers and furriers." In 2010, DeMontigny started the first Aboriginal Fashion Week during the

Vancouver Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gretz ...

. In 2014, she opened her flagship boutique on James Street North in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a Canada 2016 Census, population of 569,353, and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington, ...

. DeMontigny has exhibited her collections internationally, including at the 2017 South African fashion week and

London Fashion Week London Fashion Week (LFW) is a clothing trade show that takes place in London twice a year, in February and September. Showcasing over 250 designers to a global audience of influential media and retailers, it is one of the 'Big Four' fashion wee ...

2018. She was appointed the designer-in-residence at the Ryerson School of Fashion. She also speaks about and advocates for indigenous designers and models, producing shows of Aboriginal fashion and serving on the World Indigenous Fashion Council as the Head for North America. She currently runs a studio for her made-to-order clothing in

. Additionally, DeMontigny has worked in wardrobing for events like the Aboriginal Music Awards and Fashion Television.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:DeMontigny, Angela Canadian women fashion designers Cree people Canadian Métis people 21st-century First Nations people Beadworkers Leatherworkers First Nations women Indigenous fashion designers of the Americas Canadian fashion designers