Tammy Beauvais

Tammy Beauvais is an Indigenous fashion designer from Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec, Canada. She left Kahnawake in 1990 following the Oka Crisis. In 1999 Beauvais launched Tammy Beauvais Designs a North American Indigenous Fashion company which produces contemporary, authentically Indigenous made clothing that honors Indigenous spirituality and traditions.[1]

Tammy Beauvais
Born
of the Turtle Clan

Kahnawake, Mohawk Territory; Quebec
NationalityMohawk
Other namesTammy Beauvais Kanienkehaka
Alma materFirst Nation Technical Institute
OccupationFashion Designer, Fine Artist, Entrepreneur
EmployerSelf-employed by Tammy Beauvois Designs, her company since 1999
Known forFashion and design
TitleOwner, designer
Websitehttp://tammybeauvais.com/

Career

Beauvais has been designing since she was 13 years of age. Her company, Tammy Beauvais Designs, was founded in 1999 and designs contemporary and traditional indigenous clothing for both celebrations and everyday use. Their products include clothing and accessories such as wedding apparels, Pow-wow-opoly board game, apparel and sunglasses.[2]

Her work resides in the collections of the McCord Museum, Heard Museum and the Budeskunsthalle Museum.

A beaded cape created by Beauvais was gifted to Michelle Obama by the Canadian government.[3] In 2011, Beauvais created a new scarf for graduating Aboriginal students of McGill University that will be introduced into convocation ceremonial dress. The scarves acknowledge the importance of Aboriginal students and their ties to the University.[4]

Notable people who own or have worn Beauvais' work include Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau (winter white cape), Robert DeNiro (satin Tree of Peace Native Design vest), Pierce Brosnan, Pope John Paul II (satin Katri Tekakwitha Native Design Scarf), Lorne Cardinal, Waneek Horn Miller and actor Eric Roberts. Beauvais designed the "Sky Woman Capes" for Aline Chrétien, the former First Lady of Canada, that were given to all the First Ladies of the Americas, including Laura Bush.[5][6][7]

Personal life

Beauvais was born in Kahnawake Mohawk Territory but left in 1990 after the Oka Crisis. She went to live in Manitoba with the Metis, Cree and Ojibwe people and sought healing from the armed standoff through fasting, sweat lodges and sun dance ceremonies. In 2004 she married into the Navajo Nation of Steamboat, Arizona.[2]

References
  1. Curtis, Christopher (March 21, 2016). "Mohawk designer Tammy Beauvais: From Kahnawake to the White House". Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  2. "Tammy Beauvais Kanienkehaka". saymag.com. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  3. "Quebec Mohawk designer's beaded cape gifted to Michelle Obama". cbc.ca. March 10, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  4. "Ancient roots recognized in new First Nations graduation scarves : McGill Reporter". publications.mcgill.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-04.
  5. "Tammy Beauvais Kanienkehaka - SAY Magazine". saymag.com. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  6. "What the Trudeaus gave the Obamas". Macleans.ca. 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  7. "About". TammyBeauvais.com. 2015-02-17. Retrieved 2018-10-11.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.