Patricia Michaels Headlines Teen Design Event "Mentors and Makers" at National Museum of the American Indian

Reprinted with permission of ICMT

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center in New York hosted a daylong teen design program titled Mentors and Makers last Thursday, June 8, in conjunction with its newest exhibition, Native Fashion Now. World-renowned fashion and textile designer Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), CEO of the fashion label PM Waterlily, headlined the event and met with teens interested in fashion and design during a special mentoring session.

A panel of fashion experts addressed teens and young adults at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in New York during its "Mentors and Makers" program Thursday, June 8. Throughout the day the panelists offered hands-on labs and mentorship to participants interested in pursuing careers in fashion and design.

In addition to fashion designer Patricia Michaels at the event, other mentors included fashion designer Loren Aragon (Acoma Pueblo); textile conservator Dana Goodin (Comanche-Numunu); stylist Amy Farid (Osage); performance artist Maria Hupfield (Wasauksing First Nation); multi-disciplinary artist Courtney Leonard (Shinnecock Nation); fashion historian Regan Loggins (Choctaw); fashion designer Niio Perkins (Haudenosaunee); textile artist Isa Rodrigues; artist Jade Willoughby (Whitesand First Nation); and fashion designer Jared Yazzie (Diné [Navajo]).