Lloyd Kiva New was a remarkable Native artist, designer, educator, and spokesperson for Indian culture. I was reminded of his importance again recently when visiting the Heard Museum North. In their permanent collection on display there, they show a red leather purse New designed in 1955. The bag is finished with a charming brass ornament created by Charles Loloma.
I don’t often think of the 1950s as a “fashion decade,” but this handbag was a timely reminder that the Native creative genius was already on the boil then, soon to erupt in the later 1960s and 1970s. We’re learning a lot about Native Style these days, but here we have an iconic example of the ties between Indian design and fashion.
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