Ashley Callingbull Covers Fashion Canada September 2021, Talking Indigenous Peoples

Ashley Callingbull, Indigenous model, pageant queen, and motivational speaker from Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta, covers the September 2021 issue of Fashion Magazine Canada. The activist wears a dress from Native American visual artist and California fashion designer Jamie Okuma on the cover, styled by Lucrezia Mancini.

Other brands in the shoot include 4Kinship, reimagined vintage and upcycled textiles; Evan Ducharme, made-to-order & custom clothing made on Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh territory; Lauren Good Day, North Dakota-MHA Nation;

Gabor Jurina [IG] photographs the fashion story with creative direction by George Antonopoulos./ Makeup by Colleen Stone; hair by Gianluca Mandelli

Read the interview ‘Ashley Callingbull on Turning Pain Into Power’, by David A. Robertson.

Researching Callingbull’s background, AOC discovered Supernaturals Modelling, the first “all-Indigenous modeling agency, new in 2021 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. In one of many negative experiences, co-founder Joleen Mitton recalls a time in the early 2000s when she was told to swim regularly in chlorine water, so she could become “more pale”, writes Vogue in May.

More recently, Supernaturals Modelling other co-founder, Indigenous model Talaysay Campo spoke of being photoshopped about five shades lighter than her actual skin tone. Instead of excitement over seeing her fashion images, Campo initially didn’t recognize herself.

“There’s so little representation [for Indigenous models], and they’re often taken advantage of,” says Shannon. “Traditionally, it has been a very hostile industry for Indigenous people. We're trying to set protocols of how to work with Indigenous models, and to make sure things are being done in a healthy, respectful way.”