Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Lookinghorse-Smith.
Hi Kayla, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I am the Creative Director and Founder of K.Lookinghorse. I’m proud to be a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and I was born and raised in Fort Yates, North Dakota. My contemporary work blends the past, present and dreaming of the future for a community-built fashion brand that is Inspired by the peoples’ stories. Creating fashion has been a dream in the making.
Enjoying a life rich in culture has been a blessing and drives my creativity. I am a full-blooded Hunkpapa Lakota/ Dakota woman owner of the brand based in Southampton, New York.
Founded in 2020 and officially launched in January of 2022.
The brand first launched on the Runway for New York Fashion Week in February 2022 and has since shown on numerous runways of indigenous featured shows to Phoenix Fashion Week in October 2023. The Timeless Collection Features Bespoke and ready-to-wear designs that aim to empower and bring authentic indigenous design to focus.
For more about the brand, visit klookinghorse.com
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The challenge for native representation within the fashion industry. Representation alone sometimes just isn’t enough because our stories and culture are so rich that we deserve to be in the light more as the original peoples of the land. With cultural appreciation being visible on huge platforms today, it’s becoming a transformative journey for designers like myself to bring our contemporary brands to the industry and stand out. As the CEO of K. Lookinghorse, I see a need for more visual storytelling in fashion with a message, not just aesthetics but a true testament to the remarkable ability of my ancestors’ resiliency. The industry seems to be missing that acknowledgment for indigenous design seen on major runways. I come from people of the land who wore adorned garments that today’s fashion reflect in some shape or form. For me, representation means to share, at the very basic, a reminder, a message, or a story that connects with the hearts of our communities, especially the fashion community.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My approach to design is staying true to what makes my work truly unique and that is who I am and where I come from. No one can create what I create, just the same as I cannot recreate others’ work. The energy I put toward making a garment comes from love, playful asymmetry, and a sense of fearlessness. What I’m most proud of is the iconic prints and signature jackets, which are the cornerstone for the brand.
Pricing:
- $180
- $2800
Contact Info:
- Website: Klookinghorse.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.lookinghorse?igsh=bHpzOWZxaXRwcHF3&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
Laura Bravo Mertz
Patrick Shannon
Taylor Harrington
LaRonn Katchia
Brandon Waller
