Dene designer reflects on Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week

Vashti Etzel, a designer from Ross River, Yukon, shared her experiences from Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, describing it as exciting, emotional, and inspiring. She highlighted the innovative use of traditional materials and new fabrics in contemporary fashion, emphasizing the limitless potential of indigenous fashion.

Vashti, who initially aspired to be an artist, was motivated to learn traditional sewing skills to create regalia for her children. Traveling with her 60-year-old Elder mother added significance to the event, as her mother witnessed the evolution of traditional garments Vashti also cherished the positive energy, vendor interactions, and the success of her friend’s collection

Here she is, in conversation with Cassandra Blondin Burt:

Vashti Etzel at VIFW 2025 wearing shawl made by Yukon Dene youth designer Cohen Quash. (Photo: Submitted)

“You’re listening to CKLB, 101.9 FM. I’m your host, Cassandra Blondin Burt and this is Medicine Stories. Tonight, we’ll be joined by Vashti Etzel, a Dene designer from Ross River. Vashti, thank you so much for joining us. Tell us, what was it like for you being able to participate this year with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week?

Vashti Etzel: “It was like, it was very exciting, it was very emotional and just inspiring and just really good medicine to be around people who, you know, do the same thing as you do. And being a part of that, even as a spectator, was very just an amazing feeling. You know, growing up as a child, many of us had our grandparents, our mothers, our aunties sew for us and make our clothing and our traditional garments, and today, seeing it represent, being represented in new ways and contemporary ways, and really pushing the boundary of how innovative and how resourceful we still are to this day, while we still incorporate those raw materials from from the land and and even like incorporating new fabrics and using those in traditional garments, it just shows how limitless our dreams and our goals can be in fashion.

‘And there’s when I was growing up, I had no dream of becoming a fashion designer. I did dream of becoming a well-known artist. So yeah, I knew I had love and passion for art that was a way for me to express myself, and something I over time I forgot about because I was told that I would never make it as an artist, and I took that to heart, of course, but you know, later on, as I became a mother, I wanted my kids to have the things that I grew up with, like the traditional regalia that my grandma made, and not having her today. To make those things for my kids, I took on the initiative to just learn how to do those things on my own. And you know, it’s called blood memory, something that I was able to do, and it led to me today, making wearable art. And no statement jewelry, but seeing where fashion is going today, like indigenous fashion, it’s really inspiring. It’s amazing. I really love watching my friends and celebrating them and cheering them on and seeing what they’re going to do next.

Cassandra Blondin Burt: “Oh, so you mentioned that your one of your highlights of the trip was actually being able to travel with your mom. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Vashti Etzel: “She’s 60 years old now she’s, she’s an Elder. Now, this was our first fashion event together. And just, you know, it just elevated the whole experience even more. And she got to witness, you know, the. The new heights, the new levels of where people and where fashion is taking it to stay and you know she, she grew up with all the garments that Irma made, and she’s seeing things being made in different ways, but also like respectfully incorporating that traditional element to those contemporary pieces.

“And yeah, it was really cool to be there with her and share those moments with her. Being there with my mom is number one, and then like number two is just stepping into that space and just feeling all the good energy and seeing all the vendors at the marketplace, and seeing my friends there who are vending, and like doing so good with their sales, and, you know, being recognized from so many people. And it was that was just so fun. It was amazing. And of course, you know, seeing my friends debuted their collections and celebrating with them. And I do have a memory of the night before of one of my friend’s runway I was helping her sew until almost midnight.

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Cassandra Blondin Burt: “And those are like precious memories, too. Mashi cho to Vashti for joining us here tonight on Medicine Stories.”