My name is Lesley Hampton and I am a multi-disciplinary artist, designer, and creative director.
I am Anishinaabe Mohawk Scottish Canadian, a member of Temagami First Nation, located in northern Ontario and also have ties to Akwesasne, located on the border of Ontario, Quebec, and the United States. I grew up internationally and I use my fashion and art to reclaim my identity and culture while fighting for mental health awareness, body positivity, and authentic representation in fashion, film, and media.
Fashion, on this land that is now called North America, existed long before contact. From the fur trade to present-day appropriation, Euro-centric colonial fashion has always taken ideas from Indigenous cultures and present-day fashion is often always held to the misunderstanding that Euro-centric fashion and beauty should be of the utmost caliber.
From growing up hearing the Pocahontas song, “Savages”, to the many new stories of Indigenous people that alienate us, these colonial narratives are always defined by stereotypes and are often never authentically portrayed.
This hit home, after receiving a series of bigoted emails that attacked my identity, using derogatory phrases like, “You’re not native anymore”, that choosing fashion design as a career choice is practicing “White Trade”, and that I “Killed the natives”. Insight into the perception of how ignorant and uneducated people and brands can be, stemmed anger at questioning my place in society that reinforces false, derogatory representation of Indigenous people.
After sharing these emails with a close mentor, her advice was to share this experience as wide and as far as possible. Sharing these words and emotions will lead to healing, not only for me but to show the wrongful depiction in media and how hurtful it can be. Notions of misrepresentation with derogatory insinuations have been a staple in present-day media and film and this collection is my contribution to push for more authentication and true representation of how strong and powerful Indigenous people are.
On Tuesday, September 29th, the Indigenous-owned and body-positive fashion brand known for championing inclusivity and authentic representation, LESLEY HAMPTON, took over the King West venue, LAVELLE, to host a private media-preview of its much-anticipated Fall/Winter 2020 Collection, “The S Word”. “The S Word” is in reference to the derogatory use of the word, Sauvage, when related to Indigenous people but it also signifies the Strength needed to discover and define one’s identity.
The media-preview presentation, which followed all COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, was by appointment only and treated guests to signature cocktails, such as the “Diversitini Bellini” and an exclusive look into Hampton’s latest collection! The Fall/Winter 2020 collection was inspired by the reclamation of the words used to other Indigenous people, the materials that hold an unspoken history, the elements that lead to reflection, and the sharing of positive phrases for healing.
Some materials used in the collection were meant to inspire reflection of the self and society and also included materials such as, green textiles that represented the connection to the land and wools that were used during the confederation, that is now being used by Hampton to reclaim the textiles in a positive way. Throughout the day, attendees highlighted the inclusive looks and mannequins, as well as the standout pieces from the collection, including the Ceci Crop, which features the text, “Ceci N’est Pas Une Sauvage”, critiquing the falsifiable representation of Indigenous people in media and advertisements, Face Crop, which features a portrait of a young Lesley learning to define her indigeneity and a number of wool coats that reclaim classic outerwear designs.
The collection, which holds a deep significance for the designer and encompassed her personal growth over the last year, was largely created during quarantine from home and at the TORONTO FASHION INCUBATOR, where all health and safety protocols were followed. As a result, the amount of her signature evening wear pieces in the collection had to be reduced. However, Hampton was able to increase the range of styles and accessibility in the collection, by cohesively merging the standout creations she is known for with athleisure wear.
The LESLEY HAMPTON Fall/Winter 2020 Collection was supported by the Toronto Arts Council with funding from the City of Toronto. “The S Word” collection will be presented at INDIGENOUS FASHION WEEK TORONTO 2020 ONLINE FEST, November 26 – 29, 2020.