The Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW) is a yearly event showcasing contemporary designs by Indigenous designers. The Red Dress showcase, inspired by the REDress Project, focuses on the issue of Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2S) people in Canada. The red dresses symbolize remembrance and a call for justice. Indigenous designers use their creations to tell stories and bring attention to the ongoing epidemic of violence affecting their communities.
Our Proudly Indigenous Crafts & Designs artist Taalrumiq was featured on the Vogue magazine page. Taalrumiq, personally affected by the situation, viewed her creations as a powerful call to action. “It was crucial for me to share the story of Frank Gruben, my relative currently missing in our home territory of the Northwest Territories since May 2023,” she expressed. Taalrumiq crafted a traditional Inuvialuit design using sealskin and wolf fur. Her hope is that by sharing Frank’s story, it encourages someone to come forward with information that can help bring him home to his mom, family, and community.