Below the Radar Transcript
Episode 29: Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week — with Joleen Mitton
Speakers: Melissa Roach, Maria Cecilia Saba, Jamie-Leigh Gonzales, Paige Smith, Am Johal, Joleen Mitton
[theme music]
Melissa Roach 0:06
You're listening to below the radar, a knowledge mobilization project recorded out of 312 main. This podcast is produced by SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement.
Maria Cecilia Saba 0:17
Below the Radar brings forward ideas to encourage meaningful exchanges across communities.
Jamie-Leigh 0:21
Each episode we interview guests on topics ranging from environmental and social justice, arts, culture, community building and urban issues. This podcast is recorded on the unseeded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
Paige Smith 0:40
Hello, listeners. I'm Paige Smith with SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement, and thank you for joining us on Below the Radar. In this episode, we chat with model, youth mentor and basketball fanatic Jolene Mitton to discuss her journey from young teenage model to founder of the Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. Our host Am Johal and Jolene chat about why she started the Fashion Week, mentioning the lack of representation of Indigenous people in the media and the mass production of Indigenous fashion. Joleen also talks about her previous collaborations with critically acclaimed Indigenous artist Beau Dick, and how he influences her current work.
Am Johal 1:23
Welcome to Below the Radar. We're delighted to have Jolene Mitton with us, the founder of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. Welcome Joleen.
Joleen Mitton 1:30
Hi, thanks for having me.
Am Johal 1:32
Joleen, you're I guess several years into the project but before you were involved in Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week and launching it you had a career as a, as a model.
Joleen Mitton 1:43
Yeah, I was a model way back before Top Model. In 1999. Start modeling was 14 but I left when I was like 15. So my first trip was to actually Taipei.
Am Johal 1:57
Is it true that you got, you were discovered at the PNE in a lineup?
Joleen Mitton 2:02
Yeah, I was in line for like a free smoothie. It wasn't even like a thing I was. Yeah, I was in line and this lady --
Am Johal 2:09
They had smoothies in 1999?
Joleen Mitton 2:11
Yeah, they had smoothies in 1999. Time warp. Yeah, I think it was like one of those like, the bullet like the new bullet that just came out or something. And so I was in line at the market at the PNE and this lady tapped me on my shoulder and asked to take a photo and that was kind of it. It wasn't like a decision. I was like, I'm glad I did it, but wasn't something that was in my repertoire of thought at all.
Am Johal 2:35
Right. So where did, where did... going from the PNE take you? Where did you travel?
Joleen Mitton 2:42
My first stop was Taiwan and Taipei. And then like all over Asia, like I went to Thailand and Hong Kong, China and Guam. I spent a lot of time in Thailand. They really liked me in Thailand. So it's like I did a lot of shampoo bottles, hair conditioning, commercials like Hello Kitty like me being Indigenous was always mistaken for Asian. So, super marketable in their, in their industry because I kind of look like I could be Asian, but I'm also like look like I'm something that no one can actually guess my race which was kind of the funny part but yeah.
Am Johal 3:22
And you eventually came back to Vancouver and you've continued to model for periods but there's also parts of that profession I sense that you were also kind of frustrated with as well.
Joleen Mitton 3:35
Oh yeah. Well just the fact I think my I think it was like my first or second job like I I was on set with this brand called Poon and they had a whole bunch Indigenous inspired clothing. I was like, oh, wow, at the time, this is like really cool. Like, I just represent something that I know. But knowing now it's like mass produce and someone Indigenous didn't make it. Those kind of things became really frustrating also not being allowed to eat for like a long periods of time and trying to fit certain things...
Am Johal 4:10
That would make me grumpy.
Joleen Mitton 4:11
Yeah, I was very hangry a lot. Also, being a teenager also like could you imagine being put into those kind of boxes where you trying to figure out who you are and then you're being pushed into all these different characters you have to be while you're modeling which was also good to like for me to like flex on my abilities but at the same time like it is kind of confusing when you're so young and you're just trying to figure yourself out modeling probably isn't the job for for someone so young. Yeah, so I tried like when when I I own a modeling agency now I don't really allow young models become part of my troop because I just think they should be kids.
Am Johal
And so where did the idea for Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week start? What was your sort of driving passion to to get this thing launched?
Joleen Mitton
Yeah, I was actually in school, I was in business school for a bit. I came back in 2008 feeling super disconnected. I started working for the Pacific Association First Nation women's, and started working with families and youth out of care. And I just saw a real lack of like representation for Indigenous people in the media, and I never like spoke on like my experience as a model because it is kind of I'm coming into the homes of these people that are what I would say like in distress and I still want to be like, "well, I was a model." I've had this like really other kind of life where it's kind of luxurious and I didn't want to bring that to the table. So yeah, I just was just kind of like was feeling my way around like reconnecting to my roots. My mom also grew up in care as well. So trying to feel what like really what my past was and like what my past trauma were because I kind of passed down through my mom and then I took business school and I was like, I want to actually to do like a magazine and Indigenous magazine and decide not to do that and decided to do a fashion week at that time. So that was like, must have been like nine years ago now and our first big show was at Trout Lake on an Aboriginal day. And I really knew I had something because all these little kids like ran to the stage when all the models came on and it was like this is when Tribe Called Red just first came out and it was like it was like the time so all the crowd kind of leaned in and like we had the most attendance so I really knew I had something there like I kind of like I don't know if people are would be into this or if it's something that my people would actually or my community would actually want but seeing that happen was kind of like a cement okay like okay we're doing this guys and then took a lot of girls from my Mentor Me program and Urban Butterfly program which we will later talk about, but brought them along. And we've had some of them since they were like seven and now they're like 19. So, yeah, it's just like, we're bringing the kids along and the community along and that was really awesome.
Am Johal
I know that you knew Beau Dick as well. And did you ever collaborate with him?
Joleen Mitton
Oh, yeah. We collaborated on Lalakenis at UBC and also on the 13 Cedarburg road project that was through the PFNW as well. It was kind of like random. I was also kind of trying to, I was at a UBC radio show trying to talk about the Cedar Cedarburg road capes, and he was like standing there I had no idea who he was. I was like, I just came back from like, traveling and just getting into the community and like I'm Cree as well, right. So, I'm not, I'm not West Coast like I obviously I know who Robert Davidson is and Bill Reid and like, but like Beau I've only heard of Beau. I've never actually met him. I didn't didn't know what he look like. And everyone was like, eyeing over this man. And I was just like, "Who is this guy?" I was going to ask him if he wants to come to this event that I'm having. And then he was super like awesome and nice and like really welcoming and and I was like, what would you come to the event that we're hosting at the PFNW and we're kind of trying to talk about, like, repatriation and matriarchal beauty and he said, "Sure." And then he actually came in he opened for us, which like kind of blew one of my mentors minds because she says, "how did you get Beau?" I was like, "I just asked him." He just like he just like came and ever since then, we kind of, we had a close relationship. We talked a lot on the phone and he became my mentor and he helped a lot with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week and how I move in the world now. It was a really special relationship for me and my development.
Am Johal 9:00
Yeah, yeah, I remember when he passed away there was a sort of public event ceremony at the Museum of Anthropology where you were involved with some people involved with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week.
Joleen Mitton 9:12
Yeah, we well, it was Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week and the Urban Butterflies program. So, if you don't know Beau, Beau is like this whimsical character, Gandalf-y kind of amazing man. And he's always had these like amazing hats that had like, the most interesting things on them. So the Urban Butterfly program, we made a bunch of little hats for all the little kids and we had a choir at the time. So the kids made hats with like all these skulls on it and feathers and they wore the, we also made some like button blankets for them to wear. And we sang some songs for for Beau and for his family. And that was really beautiful to see this love the work that the PFNW and what I was doing, so the best thing I could have done was honour him in that way.
Am Johal 10:03
Yeah. Can you talk a little bit about the work that you do at PFNW?
Joleen Mitton 10:06
Yeah. So soon as I came back in 2008 I've been working there for like a while. So it's been like 12 years, I'm guessing now. And it's mainly around youth in care and out of care now, but when I when I first started working, I was like, heavy deep into like doulaing and community support works. So like families coming off reserve, women who are coming from an unsafe situation, just letting them know what their options are, and where they can get help on the Downtown Eastside and also like helping take care of like young mothers who had just had a baby. So, which was really cool and yeah, it was like totally like a one AD from living in like a like a mansion sort of like in Asia and then coming and like changing diapers but like it was a good like reality check for sure for me and yeah. So, that's kind of like where I started. And I started working with the Urban Butterflies program, which is ages four to 14. And they were super cute. I think that's kind of what I found, like my niche, like the family thing was awesome. And helping them out was amazing. But it is like really hard on your soul especially it's, yeah, if things don't change, if you don't see the families change or they're trying to change, it's just taking a while, you get burned out, and I was very burned out. So kids are awesome, and they're easy to deal with. I find so I like to work with kids. And so when the Urban Butterfly program came up for me, I was like, "that's like that's what I want to do. I want to work with kids." So, I was in that program for like a long time and we really built the program around, obviously that age group and then we would grab them all across like Vancouver because like sometimes you're the only Indigenous kid in your school. I remember feeling that school that was there was like four or five other Indigenous kids in school. And then you always kind of felt lonely. So we would grab all the kids in school or like all over the place and like bring them in on a Saturday and just teach them either beating or button blank because it was all a mix of all Indigenous right? It's like West Coast. It's from like some Cree like there's a bit of like a mixed bag of nuts there. But yeah, that's what basically what we did every Saturday for I guess like five years. And then those those kids grew up into the Mentor Me program and that's like 14 to 25 so like we kind of keep them so they have someone that they've kind of grew up with knowing that's kind of like the whole idea of the Urban Butterflies and Mentor Me program.
Am Johal 12:44
Now you've been a basketball player for a very long time it takes up a big chunk of your life and and not only as a fan, but you're involved with particularly leagues and other stuff with other Indigenous women. So where did, the how long you've been playing ball for?
Joleen Mitton 13:01
I think the first time went to All Native was 2005. I think it was like I because as I'm traveling, I come back for Christmas and like, I stay for a couple months, and then I go back out. So I think it was in 2005 I want to say was my first All Native, which is like the biggest Indigenous basketball tournament on the coast here in British Columbia. And yeah, so I think the teams kind of been around that long. Which is like, when I think about it's kind of crazy.
Am Johal 13:32
So there's teams up and down the West Coast but also throughout BC Western Canada?
Joleen Mitton 13:36
Yeah, like were considered a club team. Because we're from a city and, but like there's it's basically like, nation versus nation. Yeah. So you go up to the coast and like, you get to play the Nisgas in like Kincolith and all these like other really amazing teams up north. And yeah, so everyones kind of playing for the nation. We kind of play for Vancouver.
Am Johal 13:56
Yeah. What position do you play?
Joleen Mitton 13:58
I am forward.
Am Johal 13:59
You're a forward?
Joleen Mitton 13:59
Yeah.
Am Johal 13:59
You've got a crossover dribble you're a border you --
Joleen Mitton 14:00
I'm more like a Reggie Miller like super --
Am Johal 14:05
Oh! You're a streaky shooter. When you're on, you're on.
Joleen Mitton 14:08
Yeah, I'm kind of streaky like --
Am Johal 14:10
Mike Vinny the microwave oven.
Joleen Mitton 14:12
Yeah. I'm like, I'm very I was a cross country runner in school. I was very athletic. But like, I'm yeah, I'm more of like a skinny shooter person that runs around and plays really good defense and like, is kind of like awkward and yeah, that's kind of like my thing.
Am Johal 14:32
Nice, nice. You watch the Raptors, of course?
Joleen Mitton 14:34
Of course. I was like Vancouver's, like super fan. Yeah, yeah. I was like on CBC Radio quite a bit. And it was like, it was the most hilarious thing. Yeah.
Am Johal 14:42
So, Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week is coming up in November. I know you have something also happening at the Museum of Vancouver but set this up for us in terms of what's gonna be happening this year.
Joleen Mitton 14:54
So November 18th, is our first day. It's the missing and murdered women Red Dress event at The Orpheum. That one is kind of uncharted territory, because we've done in 2017. We did it at the QE theatre. So, that's our first day. And our second day is actually the 19th. But it's more like a master class for Indigenous designers, knowing that there's like a renaissance now for Indigenous fashion. And like, what does that look like for us as a community? We're trying to figure that out, because there's been some situations where getting ready for market is really important. And also like, honoring traditions and slow fashion is also very important. So we're trying to teach a class and get people ready for these makers to get ready for whatever they want to do. Right. So that will be held at we said Groundswell, but we'll see because we were actually have a really large influx of people who want to participate in the masterclass. And then on the 20th it'll be at the QE theater. Our theme is Indigenous futurism. So they'll be in some interesting lights and stuff. And then also the 20th will be at the QE theater, and it'll be a break in between. and then there will be a show at the Museum of Vancouver on the 23rd.
Am Johal 16:12
Wow, sounds exciting. It seems to be getting bigger and bigger. And preparing each year for it, you come across different designers and artists who are making work and whose work I know you can't mention everybody, of course, but are there people who you think are doing really interesting work.
Joleen Mitton 16:28
Angela DeMontigny, who's a Cree-Métis designer coming from Toronto. I just love her work and it's a lot to do with leather. And she is, she's kind of like lead the way like she's actually was lived in Vancouver for a long time, but she moved to Toronto because we don't really have a fashion scene here yet. So, I'm really excited to see her work and her new stuff. Obviously, like Pam Baker, you gotta you gotta give the respect to Pam. She's been here been doing it on the coast almost the longest and she's actually Squamish. I'm really excited to see her new line that just premiered in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Obviously, Megan O'Brian, and ______ like just amazing Haida artist I'm really excited to see that their stuff. Yeah there's so there's so much going on. I'm so excited for everything.
Am Johal 17:23
So since you started Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, how has the reception been? And are there other cities where things are happening as well? Who's contacted you once they realize this was happening?
Joleen Mitton 17:35
Oh my god, like 2017 was ridiculous like my phone was like ringing off the hook and it's just the timing was super bad for me because I just going through some like personal like health stuff and emotional stuff. But the reception was obviously amazing. Like every, everyone wanted to either-- Like I was invited to every like potlatch up and down the coast. It was amazing, but, but like yeah, I guess there was like a really resurgence especially during our Canada 150 colonial situation that was happening around that time because it was during the celebrations with the Drum is Calling. So it's it's very timely. It was a very timely event and yeah, like a lot of things have come from it because it was the first i don't know I've done some research. I haven't seen another Indigenous fashion week here on Turtle Island that has been -- because that was five days long. Right. So it was the first one. So yeah, and then Toronto came in with their Fashion Week. And now Calgary has their Indigenous Fashion Week. We all kind of shared all the same designers and like, you know, contacts and stuff like that. So there's like this growing community of Indigenous Renaissance fashion, which is really awesome to see. So, yeah, it's just been it's just been crazy. Ever since 2017, it's been crazy for me.
Am Johal 19:00
Thank you so much for joining us on Below the Radar.
Joleen Mitton 19:03
No problem.
Paige Smith 19:07
Thank you again to Joleen Mitton for joining us on this episode of Below the Radar, click the link in the description below. If you'd like to learn more about the Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, as always, many thanks to our team that puts this podcast together, including myself, Paige Smith, Rachel Wong, and for Fiorella Pinillos. David Steele is the composer of our theme music and thank you for listening. We'll catch you next time on below the radar.