In episode 247, Kestrel welcomes Christian Allaire, the Fashion and Style Writer at Vogue, to the show. Christian recently released his first book, titled The Power Of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used To Reclaim Cultures.
“I think of something like ribbon work in my culture — like every color of the ribbon means something, or maybe it represents someone in your life or like you said, intention is first and foremost. How it looks is important, but why it’s there is even more important. And so, I’m drawn to anyone who also approaches design that way.”
-Christian
As a fashion-obsessed teen, Christian grew up on the Nipissing First Nation reserve in Ontario, Canada, scouring magazines or movies for style inspiration.
Years later, he realized that so much of his personal aesthetic and attraction to fashion and dressing was influenced by his own community - being Indigenous Ojibwe. From the colors to the garment making process to the deep meaning that can be embedded in clothing, his love of fashion was largely shaped in his early years, and continues to inform his writing today.
One of the chapters of Christian’s new book — The Power Of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used To Reclaim Cultures — is focused on “Sewing Tradition”, and he explores some of the history and meaning behind ribbon work, a tradition connected to his own family’s roots. Throughout the conversation, we touch a great deal on his experience having his own ribbon shirt made as an adult, and the layers of meaning literally built into that design.
But in Christian’s new book, he also explores beyond his own heritage, highlighting and connecting with an array of communities who are all using fashion and beauty to reclaim their culture.
Quotes & links from the conversation:
“I really just kind of understood more so why cultural clothing or Indigenous design is so important to keep up — it's up to us to continue these traditions, because no one else will. And so, yes I got a beautiful shirt out of it, but I think it was about way more than that for me.” -Christian
Jamie Okuma, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Mobilize, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Tania Larsson, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Warren Steven Scott, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Keri Ataumbi, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
Korina Emmerich, Indigenous designer Christian mentions
“5 Shoe Lovers on Where They Shop for Heels, and Why Wearing Them Is Empowering”, article by Christian for Vogue that is mentioned
Christian’s book Power Of Style How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used To Reclaim Cultures >
Follow Christian on Instagram >
This week's episode is brought to you by For Days — they call themselves the “first closed loop clothing brand” and are dedicated to building a better, waste-free future.
If you’re interested in checking out For Days, you can use code CHATTER15 to get 15% off.
Learn more and shop at For Days.com
S04 Episode 202 | SHAKAILA FORBES-BELL ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FASHION PSYCHOLOGY + BLACK LIVES MATTER
S04 Episode 201 | SAMATA, THE RED CARPET GREEN DRESS DESIGN CONTEST + HOW FASHION CAN BE MORE INTERSECTIONAL
S04 Episode 200 | SANAH SHARMA, HER PLANAR FLUX ZERO WASTE TECHNIQUE + BUILDING HUMAN KINETICS INTO DESIGN
S04 Episode 199 | BRIGHTLY, USING TECH FOR SOCIAL GOOD + BUILDING A VALUES-DRIVEN COMMUNITY AROUND CHANGE
S04 Episode 198 | VIN+OMI ON RESISTING THE TRADITIONAL FASHION SYSTEM + DOING YOUR OWN THING TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
S04 Episode 197 | BUILDING RESILIENT, EFFICIENT + SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS AMIDST AND BEYOND COVID-19
S04 Episode 196 | MATE THE LABEL, DRESS CLEAN + FASHION'S IMPACT ON WOMEN'S HEALTH
S04 Episode 195 | YATAY SNEAKERS + BIO-BASED VEGAN ALTERNATIVES TO LEATHER
S04 Episode 194 | SHAHIDHA BARI, A PHILOSOPHY OF CLOTHES + HOW SOCIAL DISTANCING IS TRANSFORMING FASHION
S04 Episode 193 | OUTLAND, THE MEGHAN MARKLE EFFECT + DENIM TO END POVERTY
S04 Episode 192 | BY HUMANKIND + REDUCING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC WASTE IN OUR PERSONAL CARE ROUTINES
S04 Episode 191 | EVERLANE ON RADICAL TRANSPARENCY AND GETTING VOCAL ABOUT THEIR SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES
S04 Episode 190 | CLADWELL, DISCOVERING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE + WEARING WHAT YOU ALREADY OWN
S04 Episode 189 | GREEN HEFFA FARMS, HEMP + REPRESENTATION IN FARMING
S04 Episode 188 | G-STAR RAW ON CIRCULARITY + THEIR 100% RECYCLABLE DENIM ICONS
S04 Episode 187 | DANA THOMAS + FASHIONOPOLIS: THE PRICE OF FAST FASHION AND THE FUTURE OF CLOTHES
S04 Episode 186 | OLIVIA LOPEZ OF LUST FOR LIFE ON VINTAGE, INFLUENCE + EXPERIENCE OVER THINGS
S04 Episode 185 | PANGAIA, FLWRDWN™ + BRINGING SCIENCE, TECH + DESIGN TOGETHER
S04 Episode 184 | THE ENDERY, DEADSTOCK ALPACA + BUILDING SYSTEMS AROUND LEFTOVERS
Episode 183 | SVN SPACE + HOW THE HEMP PLANT CAN FEED, HOUSE, CLOTHE AND HEAL YOU
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Greece Travel Secrets Podcast
That Park Life: a Disney World Podcast
Ghostlore of Hawaii: Paranormal Paradise
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL