Sask. Indigenous fashion designer to debut on New York runway

An Indigenous fashion designer from the GeorgeGordon First Nation in Saskatchewan is getting ready to display her designs in the Big Apple.

Becki Bitternose is preparing forNew York'sCouture Fashion Week takingplace at the beginning of September.

Shewas selected to attend in mid-spring, but said the news is still sinking in.The designernever imagined models would dress inher designs on a runway in New York.

"I was shocked, I didn't know what to think," she said. "It was just shock."

The first design

Four years ago, Bitternose didn't have any experience with clothing design and had never even considered it.

Shehad always admired the style and patterns ofPendleton jackets at local pow wows.

"I'd see these really beautifulPendletonjackets and I always wanted one," she said. "They're so beautiful, and I could never afford one."

In the winter of 2013, shewondered if she could make one herself while looking at the Pendleton blankets her children had been given.

"I thought you know what, I'm going to give it a shot."

Bitternoseused her daughter'swinter jacket for reference and sketched out a pattern on theblanket. Four hours later, her childhad a new coat.

That was thebeginning of what would become afashion career specialized inhigh-end Pendletonjackets.

"I never set out to do designing. I never set out to do fashion," she said.

"It was just something I wanted to try at home and just three years later I'm going to New York."

Bitternose now sells her designs to people across Canada.

Creativity inspired by her Kokums

The designer credits her two Kokumsfor inspiring her.

When she was young, she would sit outsideand watch her Kokums sew handmade blankets on thesteps.

"They would just sew and create such beautiful things,"Bitternosesaid.

"I'm so thankful for my Kokums."

She also paid homage to her family by namingher line PlayBuffalo, which is derived from herfamily's traditional name.

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New York'sCouture Fashion Week runs September 9 to 11. Bitternose andher family plan to driveto New York so they can see the sightsand cities along the way.