Uhm, what do we do when I go home? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Native American? The terms always change because people try to put us into a singular category. And the cover features her in this really stunning, Indigenous-themed ensemble. I did not know that it was going to be on the cover, the items were pulled by the stylists. Her colorful work celebrates her patrilineal Indigenous heritage from The Puyallup tribe while aligning art and design with education. With a strong focus on social and climate justice, Emmerich's artwork strives to expose and dismantle systems of oppression in the fashion industry and challenge colonial ways of thinking. more sizes, styles, and colors available! The intro and its fake red carpetwithfakereporters. Malan Breton - one of the most successful PR alumni, though the show had little to do with it. VOGUE A Decade Later, I've Returned to My High School ObsessionVests ELLE Magazine USA The Indigenous Fashion Designer Using Face Masks To Fight Injustice True Beauty Brooklyn Podcast Custom made-to-order. She is a social justice advocate who uses her work to fight against systemic oppression and is a proponent of the slow fashion movement. In this Her Stories interview with Korina Emmerich, the designer and activist describes her experience growing up as a Native person in a white society. Interior Secretary Haaland, An Extended Conversation With Indigenous Designer And Eugene Native, Korina Emmerich. It took me a few minutes for it to really sink in, that it was going to be the cover of the actual, physical magazine, it wasnt just an online story. ), An Indigenous fashion designer and Eugene native has hit the big time: the first Native American to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Interior will be, What follows is an extended interview between KLCC's Brian Bull and EMME Studio founder, manager, and designer Korina Emmerich, recorded via Zoom call on, New Wave Of Social Justice Finds Black And Indigenous Activists United, As Activists Mourn Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women, Hopes Follow New Developments, Eugenean Makes Big Splash In Fashion World With Dress Worn By U.S. Because InStyle magazine is featuring Interior Secretary Deb Haaland whos made history as the first Native American woman appointed to that position. They're 80 percent wool and 18 percent cotton, which "reduces harm to the environment and people, because its not produced using chemicals and will biodegrade after disposal," Emmerich says. We need to take care of each other like a family." - Korina Emmerich - Welcome to Episode 2 of The Solidarity Index! Bull: Is there anything else youd like to share with our KLCC listening audience? Having been interested in fashion since she was young, she created her line Emme in 2009 after moving to New York. The Hudsons Bay Company print is a symbol of genocide and colonialism for Indigenous people., All of Emme Studios materials are here in the room with us it serves as both living room and atelier, a small but bright space where Emmerich works with her one part-time employee. So that collection was all made entirely from organic cotton jerseys and knits, and so sustainability is something I focus on in my design, its the cornerstone of my design, its part of my design mission. Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission. 84% of Indigenous women in the U.S. say theyve experienced violence, and one in three Native women in the U.S. says theyve experienced rape or attempted rape. Story telling has a long tradition in Indigenous cultures as a way to teach history, Emmerich says, and masks are "often the center of these teachings, giving life to the stories." She serves on the Board of Directors for The Slow Factory Foundation and is a speaker and panelist at sustainable literacy events and global conferences discussing slow fashion, sustainability, dismantling white supremacy, environmental racism, Indigenous sovereignty, climate and social justice and combating systemic racism. Native American communities have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, with Navajo Nation in the Southwestern U.S. suffering worst of all. Just looking out the car window. And I just miss that more than anything. Bull: Korina, its been a real pleasure talking with you, and I wish you continued success with your fashion designs. Freelance Stylist, 1st Assistant 2009-present. Get reality TV news, reviews, and recommendations in your inbox every week. Others simply referred to it as the smallpox blanket.. Years ago, I met Korina at an annual Portland Fashion Show founded and run by Erin Cry (now a cohort of mine at the ELK Collective) and her friend Elizabeth Mollo, called Doom Town. Supplies are limited. Crying, she said, Its really difficult, you know, not only seeing what you guys saw but, like, I didnt fucking like who I was, and Im trying to apologize, and for somebodyto refuse my apology sucks., Friends make up Emmerich: Yeah, its been a whirlwind. But its very beautifully bright blue cover with a red background so its absolutely stunning. As a person who grew up in Eugene with long-term aspirations to work in fashion, design, and artdid you ever think youd see this day? Bull: How long had you known that Secretary Haaland would be wearing one of your creations? A dress of hers adorns Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in the upcoming August cover of InStyle Magazine. So now we just have to work even harder (laughs). They represent the sacred relationships between humans and animals, and shed light on the threat of big oil to tribal lands. I produce everything locally. Learn more. And I think thats something thats really important when people enter these industries, and think they need to fit in. Korina Emmerich PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK SHANNON Brand: Emme Studio Background: Designer Korina Emmerich, based in Brooklyn, N.Y., brings vibrant colour and design to everything from berets to vests. And I am Puyallup from Coast Salish territory. (laughs). Bull: Obviously this dress design for Secretary Haaland is a big deal, and perhaps this is the onebut is there a specific garment or creation youve done that youre especially proud of, and best represents your talents as a fashion designer? So its kind of a whirlwind for the two of us. I think of writing about television as the start of a conversation, and I value your contributions to that conversation. And I am Puyallup from Coast Salish territory. In the Yupik tribe of Alaska, for example, driftwood masks are worn during ceremonies to depict relationships among humans, animals, and the spirit world. Growing up, she said she and her family were forced to assimilate to white culture. Plus, Emmerich explains, wool is both easy to clean (she recommends sanitizing them in boiling water, or with dish soap and vinegar) and super cozy. But there are people who have been doing couture for a lot longer than I have, celebrated elders in our community, she says, naming Orlando Dugi, Jamie Okuma, and Patricia Michaels as just a handful among many. Where do you see Native American culture in the fashion world today? So its a pretty huge deal, Im still kinda resonating in it (laughs) but its pretty exciting. One of the biggest points I like to make as a designer is to talk about how to use Indigenous references in your work without being culturally appropriating, she said. Stealing something that for us was illegal and profiting off of it its a disgusting exploitation of our culture, says Emmerich. Rose is a Senior Editor at ELLE overseeing features and projects about women's issues. And we do have limited quantifies because Im just really cautious of not overproducing. And I think a big part of that is our access to social media, and our way to have our own voice and to be able to hold people accountable for cultural appropriation, hold big brands accountable for it. Emmerich: I have not, yet. As I often do in a time of distress, I look toward my homelands in the Coast Salish Territories, in the Pacific Northwest. Emmerich also balances her site sales with gathering donations for the Indigenous Kinship Collective, an Indigenous group supporting tribal communities and elders during the coronavirus crisis. One Reddit user disclosed an unpopular opinion, stating, "For S13, I think that Korina was treated pretty unfairly. Emmerich: Yeah so, you know its interesting. I knew it was going to be for InStyle magazine, but I had no idea it was going to be the cover until the day the stylist sent me a screenshot and said, We got the cover, and I was just shocked. My hand-crafted newsletter is sent most Fridays, and is free! (laughs) Instagrams been really good to you, though. You'll also find other people's insightful takes on reality TV in these pages, too. Even Tim Gunn piled on: Im not hearing from the designers any real justification for how youre feeling. Haaland is the first Native American woman to hold the position, and Emmerich is also Native. Adding to her unease is the fact that her design sits right alongside another ensemble that evokes the Hudsons Bay print, but without the aspect of reclamation inherent to Emmerichs. Which justthe colors together look so beautiful together, and a few other designers who did the handbag thats on the cover, as well as the jewelry. Her colorful work celebrates her patrilineal Indigenous heritage from The Puyallup tribe while aligning art and design with education. So yeah its been a while, but were taking it slow and making sure were making the right moves instead of growing quickly and feeling like we dont know what were doing. Relative Arts. Korina Emmerich has built her Brooklyn NY based brand, EMME, on the backbone of Expression, Art and Culture. Im really mindful fabrics we use, the production practices that we use, we take into consideration and take gratitude for every step that is taken to make the final pieces that we have. The past week has been really interesting, and Im finally starting to see all of this work and effort that Ive put into building this clothing line really come to fruition and its really exciting. Bull: I also understand you dont do large quantities of your designs, but small limited amounts, so that you always sell out. Welcome! Korina Emmerich, a designer and sustainable fashion advocate is reclaiming Indigenous culture and empowering her Native sisters on the runway. Its an enormous amount of work, she says, and while shes committed to sustainability and slow fashion, she often worries about her business model in an industry driven by cheap labor and materials. Puyallup Based in: Brooklyn, New York. My relationship with being a clothing designer is uneasy, Emmerich admits, and I still wonder what the point of creating more stuff to put in the world is., Emmerich lost her bartending job at the beginning of the pandemic, and describes a year spent floating along, creating to survive. It was a difficult time, and so it was no small thing when she heard from the Met to have one of her designs in the museum meant a kind of visibility shed never had access to before now.