Indigenous fashion is much more than just fashion: it’s tradition, it’s culture, it’s life. To Bethany Yellowtail (she/her), founder of Native fashion + lifestyle brand B.Yellowtail, it’s also something she was destined to do. “When I was very young, my grandmother taught me how to sew,” she says. “I’m from the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Nations based here in southeastern Montana, where making things is strong in our tribal communities. Whether it’s household items, art, or clothing—utilizing our cultural creativity is and always will be prevalent.”

For our last Native Narratives feature, Bethany shares how her designer dreams became a reality with some help from her home-ec teacher, and why she uses her clothing company to not only create authentic, Indigenous pieces, but to uplift other Native women as well.

How did you get started as a designer?
I never thought of myself as a fashion designer, but when I started middle school or high school, my home-ec teacher was like, “You should pursue a career in fashion.” She saw that I was really good at sewing and making my own things, so she sparked that seed in me. I just believed her even though I was in rural Montana, Wyoming.

What goes into creating these collections?
I’m obviously very inspired by our ancestral designs, our homelands, our culture, but sometimes it could come from a fabric that reminds me of my grandmother. It’s hard to say what goes into it, too, because each inspiration strike is different in every season. Like next spring, I’m working on some textiles that are botanical florals of our medicines that grow here in Montana. So it’s not necessarily the typical geometric patterns you think of when you think of Native American tribes, but the medicines and botanicals that are tied to our culture and how we use them.

Would you say your design process is different from the norm?
I think about design pretty differently than your typical fashion brand because I do take care and consideration into what I am creating because our cultural designs are so distinct to who we are and from tribe to tribe. When you see “Native American inspired” designs, you just think of this blanket idea of who Native American people are. Traditionally in the northern plains, the tribes of Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas, our designs identified us to our homelands and tied us to our people. We still carry those ties within our families, and that’s what a lot of people aren’t aware of. So yes, I take a lot of consideration in what I’m creating on fabrics because they tell our stories.

Do you have a favorite piece you like to design?
I’m such a dress gal. I love to design beautiful dresses that people feel really good in.

You’ve been very vocal about using fashion to uplift Native women. Why is that?
I’m definitely vocal about it because the most important people in my life are Native women. I have really beautiful relationships with Native women all over the country from different tribes. And I was raised by Native women and Native people, who were and still are the backbones of our tribal communities. In my work, because I know how powerful imagery, visibility, and narrative is, I do my best to create something that is beautiful while also helping people learn more about us. Also, I have so many young women and children in my community who I want to see themselves in a positive light. I understand what it’s like to not see myself in fashion, as I had no one to look to when I was younger. Now, my own daughter has someone to look to.

And lastly, how can we support Indigenous communities year-round?
Know whose land you’re on, who the original inhabitants are, and who your Native neighbors are, because there are tribes all over the world. Tying the fashion component in, this is an extension of our ancestors. We’ve always utilized our creativity and art as a form of commerce and trade to sustain our families. So, invest directly in Native businesses and Native-led orgs that are doing the work in our communities. Plus, purchase and read books by Native authors. You’ll learn a lot about our reality and our narrative directly from us, along with some valuable things that our ancestors left with us to share that benefit all people, not just Native people.