A family of three from Lower Brule, South Dakota, walked in New York City’s fashion week.
Seneca Skunk, Kansas Middletent and their daughter Lael Middletent traveled to New York to model as a family.
The opportunity came when Skunk’s friend reached out in search of people to showcase her collection. Jillian Waterman is an Indigenous fashion designer with the Global Fashion Collective.
“We got all dolled-up and we went to all these locations, and we have our own fashion shoot. And I loved that idea, I’m like, 'Yes, let’s do it!'” said Skunk “She got a lot of models - like, 20 - to come out for her and represent her collection. And I love that because everything went so smoothly, and it all worked out and it made me feel happy for her.”
Joy was not the only emotion they felt. The family said being on the national stage wearing the clothing pieces of an Indigenous designer was an empowering experience.
“I feel like we don’t have enough representation for our communities. And true representation is very important to me because we are the best representation for ourselves because we have the roots and we carry our history and out stories,” said Skunk.
She works as the Director of the Lower Brule Community Center. Skunk plans to help youth follow their dreams and uses her own experience as a model example.
