Indigenous fashion of the Americas

Indigenous fashion of the Americas is the design and creation of high-fashion clothing and fashion accessories by Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Indigenous designers frequently incorporate motifs and customary materials into their wearable artworks, providing a basis for creating items for the couture and international fashion markets. Their designs may result from techniques such as beadwork, quillwork, leather, and textile arts, such as weaving, twining, and tufting. In some cases, however, they choose not to include any materials associated with Indigenous cultures.

Controversy has emerged over the cultural misappropriation or inappropriate use of cultural heritage and intellectual property by non-Native designers. Respectful use of imagery by mainstream designers who are not Indigenous can help expand appreciation of Native cultures, but plagiarism of design or malapropos use reinforces negative stereotypes and spurs controversy. Similarly, utilizing artisan craftwork can expand awareness if designers are fairly compensated for their work and given credit for their contributions. Contemporary controversies have spurred both crowd-sourced and legislative action to protect the designs and cultural heritage of Indigenous designers.