b. YELLOWTAIL IS LEADING THE CONVERSATION IN INDIGENOUS FASHION AND ACTIVISM
By: Hillary LeBlanc
Heightened awareness relating to mistreatment of Indigenous communities across North America has activated a growing spotlight for Indigenous businesses in the Fashion industry to share knowledge, culture and truth. These brands are not only showcasing traditional craftsmanship and sustainable practices but also reclaiming their cultural narratives through fashion. By incorporating ancestral techniques, natural materials, and storytelling elements into their designs, Indigenous entrepreneurs are educating consumers about their heritage while fostering economic empowerment within their communities. The owners of such businesses are more than people selling product – they have become leading voices, activists and champions of their peoples.
Bethany Yellowtail, founder of b. YELLOWTAIL is the perfect example of a fashion designer, turned founder, turned activist and leader. Yellowtail is a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and proudly hails from the Mighty Few District of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation. She graduated in 2009 from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and launched her business in 2015 upon leaving a career in corporate fashion.
Image Source: b. YELLOWTAIL website
While working in corporate fashion, Yellowtail worked with brands that often appropriated Indigenous designs which didn’t sit right with her. Her resume includes BCBG Max Azria Group, before becoming a pattern maker for private labels ahead of founding her own company to represent Native American Culture.
Through her career, Yellowtail has been awarded for her skill set and her leadership. In 2015, she was selected as a First Peoples Fund Artist in Business Leadership Fellow. Yellowtail started to receive recognition when she was featured in PBS Indie Lens Storycast as part of a series of short films called alter-NATIVE by Billy Luther.
In 2017, Yellowtail was proudly at the forefront of the Women's March on the National Mall in Washington D.C. She collaborated with fellow Montana artist John Isaiah Pepion to create a custom-designed scarf featuring Native American women, each wearing a War Bonnet. This was especially significant as within Crow Nation culture, women traditionally do not wear a full headdress, except for the special occasion of the Shoshone War Bonnet Dance, regarded as the highest honor for Crow women. Yellowtail chose the design to underscore female empowerment and respect. The scarf was worn by the many Indigenous women as part of the Indigenous Women Rise grassroots advocacy group’s first gathering at the Women's March.
Image Source: b. YELLOWTAIL website
In 2022, Yellowtail was awarded the "She's Next in Fashion" recognition by Visa, and celebrated at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards alongside fellow honorees Aurora James, Rashad Robinson and Tom Ford.
Yellowtail has furthered her advocacy and activism efforts by founding the Rez Girl Mentorship fund. In collaboration with the Native Wellness Institute, b. YELLOWTAIL has developed this program in hopes of providing opportunities for vulnerable Indigenous communities who have been affected by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) epidemic. This fund focuses on mentoring young indigenous girls to understand and believe in their ability to do anything.
The message ‘Rez Girls Can Do Anything’ is a message specifically created to inspire and connect to some of the most vulnerable in Indigenous communities. The program is centered around cultural values like love, care, honor and respect. The Native Wellness Institute is a non-profit providing culturally-responsive wellness and healing-related training and technical assistance to Native communities, tribes, and organizations throughout North America.
Image Source: b. YELLOWTAIL website
Through their partnership, the Rez Girls Mentorship Fund provides workshops, retreats and mentorship opportunities for young girls, women and two spirit relatives. The program also aims to provide tools and meaningful experiences that will help Rez Girls live better in balance while carrying the strength of their grandmother’s grandmothers.
The b. YELLOWTAIL brand is quite vocal about being accessible to anyone who wishes to wear the product, and is not to be purchased only by Indigenous people. Their brand is rooted in sharing culture, amplifying Indigenous voices and curating messaging through their products for people from any walk of life.
As a brand born out of increasing representation and putting an end to cultural appropriation, Yellowtail and her brand have quickly become a leading voice in the Indigenous Fashion community and American fashion space.