Manitoba Indigenous model, fashion designer heading to Paris Fashion Week

Fresh off the runway of a new pageant for Indigenous women in Canada, a Manitoba First Nations model is ready to take Paris Fashion Week by storm.

Even though Ocean Bruyere didn’t snag the inaugural Miss Indigenous Canada crown, she says she walked away with an unforgettable experience as the competition’s very first Sagkeeng First Nation delegate.

“Just being able to be one of the 26 contestants chosen out of 700 applicants, that was a historical moment for each of us that could contribute to the first-ever Miss Indigenous Canada,” Bruyere told CityNews.

“Just sharing each other’s gifts and stories and inspiration, it was super, super powerful.”

Bruyere didn’t leave empty-handed: she walked away with an award for public speaking.

And she certainly didn’t get there alone. Behind her was an entire team, including a coach and local designers.

Among them was Indigenous fashion designer Alyssia Sutherland, who created the looks featured in the pageant, which was held at Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario on July 27.

Bruyere and Sutherland, who is from Peguis First Nation, have been friends since their teen years.

“Aly’s really gifted and I’m really proud to be able to showcase her work,” Bruyere said.

“We really need that support, even if it’s from one person, it makes a difference,” Sutherland said of helping her friend. “So being that person for her while she was over there was, all I can do and the best I could do.”

Sutherland, whose designs have previously been seen at New York Fashion Week and The Cannes Film Festival, says “designing is everything” to her.

“Traditional clothing is, I don’t know, it just seems very powerful,” she said. “I’m taking back my identity one skirt at a time, it basically feels like.”

“It’s important to me to encourage as much Indigenous women and men and Two-Spirit people to wear a ribbon skirt or a ribbon shirt whenever they can.”

Now, the pair are gearing up for their next adventure: Bruyere is headlining Sutherland’s very first show at Paris Fashion Week.

“Hitting a bigger global stage, Paris Fashion Week overseas and bringing Indigenous people over there with me is so overwhelming,” Sutherland said.

“Going to Paris Fashion Week is just another triumph that I thought I would never get to,” added Bruyere, through tears. “To travel across the world and do it, like I never would have thought that I would go to these places and I’m so lucky that I have Alyssia to do that with.”

Both Bruyere and Sutherland are single mothers who have gone through major life changes together.

“I think it’s just important to example a healthy relationship between women, but also supporting each other,” Bruyere said.

“The more you love yourself, the more you nurture yourself, the more that beauty shines from within and flourishes out.”

Paris Fashion Week begins Sept. 23.