Fusing Heritage & Fashion - B. Yellowtail
Norma Newton
Photo credit: B.Yellowtail
Bethany Yellowtail, a Native American designer based in Los Angeles, is making waves in the fashion world. Her creations incorporate native elements (think ancestral motifs and patterns) and contemporary designs. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Management, Yellowtail started her eponymous brand in 2014. Since then, the designer has developed a loyal following who crave her fresh take on native inspired products.
B.Yellowtail summer 2017 designs. (Cameron Mackey)
While it is still rare to find clothing designed by Native Americans in the mainstream fashion world, Yellowtail is working hard to shift this reality. The designer is achieving this goal by creating sought after clothing rooted in her heritage. Yellowtail takes another step toward changing the fashion landscape by giving back to her community. In an effort to support other native artists, she started the B.Yellowtail Collective which features heirloom quality work by Native American artisans. Changing an industry isn’t easy, but Yellowtail certainly seems up to the challenge.
The Indigenous Women Rise scarf by B.Yellowtail. (Hermosa Journal)
The purchase of a B.Yellowtail product is deeper than just consumption, it is a way to change the status quo and to celebrate a community. A designer with a mission to empower her community and killer designs? No wonder her recent Hollywood fashion show and pop-up were a total success. Interested in sporting her creations? Yellowtail releases a new design monthly and her 2017 summer collection is now available through her website.