Last Saturday evening, the entrance to the historic Eldorado Hotel in downtown Santa Fe doubled as an eye-catching street style scene that could rival any major fashion capital. Decked-out guests, sporting their finest Indigenous-made designs and jewelry (including the most jaw-dropping turquoise squash-blossom necklaces you’ve ever seen), arrived in droves for the 2026 SWAIA Native Fashion Week gala and fashion show, which showcased the latest works of five contemporary Indigenous designers: Jamie Okuma, Pamela Baker, Patricia Michaels, Jontay Kahm, and Lauren Good Day.
It’s not the first time that the mythic New Mexico city has transformed into an exciting Native fashion hub, of course: Every August, the Santa Fe Indian Market gathers over one thousand Indigenous artists and designers from over 200 different tribal nations, all of whom take over the downtown plaza to display and sell their various works. This past weekend, however, that same style buzz was injected into one of Santa Fe’s slower months—bringing together a unique crowd of Indigenous trailblazers and innovators that instantly livened up the city. The mission of this weekend? To spotlight artists who are infusing traditional craftwork—from leatherwork to beadwork and beyond—with fresh, contemporary twists.
Before the Saturday evening fashion show was underway, the SWAIA Native fashion showcase weekend kicked off on Friday morning with a two-day Native Creatives Market—a shoppable pop-up bazaar housed inside the Eldorado. Guests could mingle at booths set up by a variety of Native artists, who presented their clothing, jewelry, textiles, beauty products, and much more.
Highlights from the market included hand-appliquéd vests by Penny Singer; striking gold and gemstone bracelets by Kenneth Johnson; vibrant beadwork by Jovanna Poblano and Cole Forrest; geometric-pattern jackets by Pacha Arts; and sterling-silver rings by Cody Sanderson, among many others. Many of these artists can be found in August during the main Indian Market weekend (which remains Santa Fe’s biggest tourism draw of the year), but the artisans produced special one-of-a-kind pieces for the intimate May offering.
On Saturday night, the gala and fashion show displayed the works of five leading contemporary designers who are at the forefront of where Native fashion is headed next. Jamie Okuma, Pamela Baker, Jontay Kahm, Patricia Michaels, and Lauren Good Day were each tasked with creating five looks each that represented their interpretations of handcraft and couture.
Kicking off the show was Jamie Okuma (of Luiseño/Shoshone-Bannock/Wailaki/Okinawan background), a 2025 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist and the first Native designer to be inducted into the CFDA. The designer presented pieces such as a draped plaid gown, a black-and-white silk dress with her signature geometric print, and a laced-up leather showstopper with hand-painted parfleche designs.
Jontay Kahm—a rising Plains Cree designer—brought the drama with his sculptural creations. The designer manipulated classic organza so that it resembled feathers, an ongoing motif in his work, which references the traditional dance regalia worn at powwows. Kahm used it to create voluminous dresses, some featuring peplum accents at the waist and others resembling full-on bustle derrières.
Veteran designer Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), a former Project Runway finalist, continued with her signature soft, brushstroke-like prints. The designer added them to long silk column dresses and separates like skirts and paired them with gauzy black tops. (Natural materials like corn also inspired some of her dotted patterns.)
Designer Pamela Baker (Squamish/Kwakiutl/Tlingit/Haida), meanwhile, brought West Coast flair to the mix with a gentle homage to British Columbia, Canada (where she hails from). Baker presented elegant gowns and ball skirts that referenced her region’s Northwest Coast formline design, often seen on totem poles; she also used traditional materials such as rabbit fur and hides.
Concluding the show? Prominent designer Lauren Good Day (Arikara/Hidatsa/Blackfeet/Plains Cree), a popular mainstay during Indian Market weekend. The artist presented a colorful array of her vibrant ribbon skirts, paired with beaded moccasins, studded belts, and dentalium-shell breastplates. Some of her models also carried striking cradleboards covered in quillwork or ledger art—representing not only the current generation of artists exemplifying Native excellence but the generations to come.
