Indigenous Haute Couture – Creation & Embellishments 2025

Overview

This five-week hybrid residency, led by D’Arcy Moses, supports twelve Indigenous designers in advancing their personal design projects. 

The online portion equips designers to arrive on campus ready to create haute couture garments or accessories. Once on campus, they will focus on pattern development and embellishments while benefiting from full access to our Visual Arts facilities

Workshops on pattern drafting and embellishments will help designers achieve an haute couture aesthetic. There will also be sessions with cultural workers to explore beading, tufting, and quilling techniques. Participants will work in one of our Glyde Hall studios, with opportunities to showcase progress. 

Description

This hybrid residency is a balance of self-directed studio time, workshops, presentations and access to Visual Arts Studios. This residency is supported by faculty who will offer insight into their creative processes, as well as visual arts facilitators. Successful applicants will benefit from: 

• Self-directed time to work on personal project.
• 24/7 access to your own studio in Glyde Hall.
• Group workshops and presentations from faculty and artists, along with one-on-one sessions, and on-the-land engagement opportunities.
• Visual Arts Facilities including analogue and digital photography, sculpture, printmaking, paper-making, ceramics, digital media, video, and sound. 
• The visual art teams support to facilitate your projects and provide technical assistance.
• Opportunities to showcase works-in-progress at the Open Studio at the end of the program.

*Materials: Participants are expected to bring the necessary materials and embellishments for their personal design projects during the on-campus portion of the residency. All other workshop-related materials will be provided by the program.

Requirements

This program is open to individual Indigenous fashion makers, designers, and design companies, including those working with a collaborator from regional, national, and global locations. Participants should have:

• A background in fashion or garment design.
• Basic knowledge of pattern making.
• Experience in garment construction, sewing, and using a sewing machine.
• An ability to incorporate traditional and/or contemporary embellishment techniques.

Collaborative groups are welcome to apply. Groups no larger than two people will be considered.

Scholarships

We are pleased to offer scholarships to support participants in our program. Below are details regarding the scholarship amount and how they are applied.

• 100% Scholarship covers tuition, meals, and accommodation costs

   

Learn more about Indigenous Arts at Banff Centre.

Shaina Stephens, Indigenous Haute Couture residency, 2024. Photo by Rita Taylor.