Santa Fe Indian Market - Parasols on the Plaza

PLAYFUL    MAGICAL   UNEXPECTED

Photos by C. Whitney-Ward

Indeed, who would expect white-wigged maidens holding playful parasols - dressed in glorious designer frocks - to sashay out of La Fonda on the Plaza and wend their way through Indian Market? Well, Native American designer PATRICIA MICHAELS of Taos Pueblo, loves to delight and surprise, and she used the streets of Santa Fe as her runway to showcase her latest collection of contemporary fashions.

The Indian Market crowd was enchanted.

The wigs were amazing - sleek, braided, sassy...

And the fashions were exquisitely detailed and lavish.

The parasols like grand and exotic butterflies...

This year, this edgy, sophisticated designer made history by being the first Native designer to show her work at New York Fashion Week.

"Every garment that I make, the fabric and the cut, takes you to a special place. Native people can give back to the rest of the world by sharing their stories. I take the creative liberty to express my vision through my garments so you can feel the stories on your skin."

  

PATRICIA MICHAELS

pmwaterlily

www.pmwaterlily.com

Click HERE to see Patricia's Fashion Week Video

CLICK HERE for a video of Patricia's Indian Market Parasol Show

CLICK HERE TO GO TO CURRENT CHASING POST

Snapshots at the Santa Fe Indian Market

Photos by C. Whitney-Ward

The SWAIA SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET is 90-years old and is still vibrant and evolving and an enticing opportunity to see contemporary Native American art and personally meet more than a thousand artists representing 100 US tribes. A hundred thousand collectors and enthusiasts gathered in Santa Fe this weekend for this one-of-a-kind event and many were dressed to kill.  I decided to do a "Bill Cunningham" and capture the glam at the market with my camera Here goes...

And, if wishes came true, I'd be wearing this amazing cuff...

 by Navajo Jeweler - Edison Cummings

 (below)

See you all next year!

Casa Nova - A Vibrant Aesthetic

B O L D

B E A U T I  F U L  &

W O N D E  R F U  L L Y   E C L E C T I C

Photos by C. Whitney-Ward

Indeed, everything at  CASA NOVA  at the Railyard is a feast for the senses, hand-picked by owner Natalie Fitz-Gerald who has perfect pitch when

 it comes to aesthetics.

Her vision was to fill her dream space with everything that delighted her senses, and when you step inside, you know that Natalie delights in color, texture, old/new Africa, and bold, beautiful and eclectic designs from around the world.

And this wonderful, vibrant mix works. How does she do it? 

"I love taking things out of context - from so many cultures - and re-contexualizing it. I call it a fusion of art, culture and living."

Natalie's decorating advice? "If your decorating a room, build it around one piece that you love. Trust your instincts. If you do, each piece that you add to the room will work with all the others. You are the common denominator."

And, Casa Nova is committed to supporting and nurturing local African artists, craftspeople and designers, collaborating with artist cooperatives on design, product development and marketing. The goal is to assist with innovation while respecting the rich and diverse traditional cultures and techniques.  

 

CASA NOVA  by Natalie

At the Railyard

530 S. Guadalupe St.

Santa Fe, NM

505.983.8558

www.casanovagallery.com