Vancouver-based outerwear brand Arc’teryx has introduced a new design platform, Walk Gently, which aims to honor and integrate Indigenous high-tech garment design into modern fashion.
The platform gives Indigenous artists and designers a voice, showcasing their contributions to high-performance clothing.
Indigenous Roots in Technical Design
Indigenous peoples across North America have a long history of creating advanced clothing from natural resources.
“We are technical designers in our own fashion,” Cole Sparrow-Crawford, an Indigenous artist who grew up in the Musqueam Nation in Vancouver told FastCompany.
“We took our resources and turned them into technical gear that kept us alive.”
Sparrow-Crawford’s collection for Arc’teryx includes gender-neutral apparel, shoes, accessories, and a blanket, combining traditional Musqueam elements with modern fabrics.
Elevating Indigenous Voices in Fashion
Arc’teryx’s initiative aims to collaborate closely with Indigenous communities.
The Walk Gently platform will embed Indigenous designers among Arc’teryx’s design team, ensuring their perspectives and craftsmanship are authentically represented.
Sparrow-Crawford’s designs include cargo shorts inspired by cedar canoes, a T-shirt featuring forest-inspired artwork, and moccasin-style sneakers with mountain-themed geometric designs.
An outdoor blanket in the collection reflects Coast Salish wool-weaving traditions.
The launch of Walk Gently also involves a comprehensive campaign crafted by Sparrow-Crawford’s sister, Faith Sparrow-Crawford.
The campaign includes videos and photoshoots featuring traditional activities such as fishing, harvesting, and canoeing, highlighting the cultural heritage of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Feature Image Credit: Arc’teryx
