Victoria Kakuktinniq

Victoria Kakuktinniq
Modern women's parka by Victoria Kakuktinniq, 2021. The body is synthetic waterproof fabric, with silver fox fur trim on the hood and sealskin trim on the hem and cuffs. The curved hem is typical of the traditional amauti.
Born1989 (age 34–35)
Rankin Inlet

Victoria Kakuktinniq (born 1989) is a Canadian Inuk fashion designer from Nunavut.[1][2] Under her label Victoria's Arctic Fashion, Kakuktinniq hand-stitches clothing such as parkas, kamiit (winter boots), and other accessories.[3] Her work has been described as a major influence in contemporary Inuit fashion.[4][5][6] Kakuktinniq has described her work as a means of preserving Inuit traditional skills of sewing and clothing production, which has historically been a significant aspect of Inuit culture.[3][7][8] In particular, she advocates for handmade fur garments as sustainable fashion.[9]

Kakuktinniq works in a combination of modern and traditional materials, including leather, sealskin, and fox fur.[10][11] Her parkas incorporate elements of traditional Inuit clothing, drawing in particular from the amauti, a woman's overcoat with a curved hem and voluminous hood.[1][12] Modern elements include asymmetrical zippers, corset-style lacing, and colour-blocking.[11]

Kakuktinniq, who is from Rankin Inlet, began designing parkas in 2012 after completing Miqqut, a cultural literacy program from Ilitaqsiniq (Nunavut Literacy Council), in which Inuit elders teach sewing skills to younger participants.[1][12][13][14] She graduated from the fashion design program at MC College in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2013 and began selling designs at trade shows and using social media.[7][15] In 2015 her label was named Business of the Year at the Nunavut Trade Show & Conference.[16] She opened her first shop in Iqaluit in 2017.[13][17]

Kakuktinniq has showcased designs at numerous fashion shows in Canada and abroad. Her first major show was What to Wear in the Winter at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (2015).[18] She presented a Spring/Summer collection at International Indigenous Fashion Week, a feature event at Paris Fashion Week (2019). Kakuktinniq collaborated with other Inuit designers who provided jewellery, accessories, and footwear for her outfits.[5][19][20] Later that year, Kakuktinniq co-produced Upingaksaaq Fashion Show in Iqaluit, which featured Inuit designers.[21] In 2020, she presented a Fall/Winter collection at New York Fashion Week (NYFW).[20] She was one of five artists chosen to design a pair of mukuks for the Manitobah Mukluks 2021 Artist Series.[22]

In 2022, Kakuktinnniq partnered with winterwear brand Canada Goose on a capsule collection for the third iteration of Project Atigi, their collaboration line with national Inuit organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.[23] Kakuktinnniq had been invited to work on the original iteration, but declined to focus on her brick and mortar store in Iqaluit.[9] The advertising campaign for the collection featured Inuit women as models: throat singer Shina Novalinga, actress Marika Sila and model Willow Allen.[23] Parkas from this collection were displayed at Iqaluit Airport in July 2022 for an exhibit curated by the Culture and Heritage department of the Government of Nunavut.[24]

Kakuktinniq presented at NYFW in February 2024, and at the inaugural SWAIA Native Fashion Week, organized by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, in May 2024.[25][26]

  1. ^ a b c Vorano, Norman (November 22, 2017). "30 Artists to Know: Victoria Kakuktinniq". Inuit Art Foundation. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  2. ^ "10 Indigenous Fashion Designers to Know". Elle Canada. June 4, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Turner, Randy (December 16, 2016). "The WAG's Inuit Art Centre will be about people, not just things they create". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  4. ^ Rogers, Sarah (March 27, 2019). "Nunavut fashion and design come into their own". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  5. ^ a b MacInnis, Tara (April 10, 2019). "The creator of Toronto's Indigenous Fashion Week chooses 5 designers to watch". CBC. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  6. ^ Bowen, Dana (September–October 2022). "A New Era of High Fashion". Up Here. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Rogers, Sarah (February 3, 2014). "Northern Lights conference puts young designer's work in the limelight". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  8. ^ Kassam, Ashifa (May 11, 2017). "'It's our way of life': Inuit designers are reclaiming the tarnished sealskin trade". The Guardian. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Burnett, Stewart (January 28, 2022). "Kivalliq designer celebrates Inuit fashion with Canada Goose collaboration". Nunavut News. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  10. ^ Georgijevic, Anya (November 5, 2018). "Is fur falling out of fashion?". Elle Canada. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Folger, Napatsi (March 15, 2020). "The New Arctic Cool: 5 Designers to Watch". Inuit Art Quarterly. Retrieved December 1, 2021 – via PressReader.
  12. ^ a b Brown, Beth (February 28, 2018). "This Iqaluit-Based Designer Can Hand-Make a Luxe Parka in 2.5 Hours". Flare. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  13. ^ a b LeTourneau, Michele (April 25, 2019). "Designers Attagutsiak and Kakuktinniq bring it home". Nunavut News. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  14. ^ "Nunavut Literacy Council wins $20K award for Miqqut Project". CBC News. August 28, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  15. ^ Reynolds, Christina (January 2, 2014). "Elle World: Sewing, culture and traditions in Nunavut". Elle Canada. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  16. ^ Zerehi, Sima Sahar (September 19, 2016). "25th annual Nunavut trade show and conference opens in Iqaluit". CBC News. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  17. ^ Greer, Darrell (November 21, 2017). "A fashionable grand opening". Nunavut News. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  18. ^ Tamoto, Connie (September 19, 2015). "Fur, teeth and antlers hallmarks of Inuit fashion". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  19. ^ LeTourneau, Michele (February 14, 2019). "Around Nunavut: Victoria's Arctic Fashion hits the Paris runways". NNSL Media. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  20. ^ a b McKay, Jackie (January 8, 2020). "Victoria's Arctic Fashion gearing up for New York Fashion Week". CBC News. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Driscoll, Kent (April 23, 2019). "Nunavut fashion show in Iqaluit by Inuit, for Inuit". APTN News. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "Manitobah Mukluks Releases 2021 Artist Series". Native Max. December 14, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  23. ^ a b Cardin-Goyer, Camille (February 2022). "Reclaiming Their Culture". Elle Canada. p. 70.
  24. ^ Howitt, Madalyn (July 28, 2022). "New exhibit at Iqaluit airport celebrates Nunavut seamstresses". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  25. ^ "News Roundup: Inuit Designers Present Collections at New York Fashion Week". Inuit Art Foundation. February 23, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  26. ^ Allaire, Christian (May 2, 2024). "Five Artists to Know From the Inaugural SWAIA Native Fashion Week". Vogue. Retrieved June 19, 2024.