By SOFIA MOHAMED and LYDIA OCHIENG

When you see a red dress, what does it mean to you? For Indigenous designers in Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, the colour red is in honour of the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples.  

Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week features accomplished Indigenous artists from across North America. Their opening night is the Red Dress Event, meant to highlight the resilience of Indigenous communities, while offering reflection on the need for change.

Our reporter Sofia Mohamed speaks to chief Janice George and Taalrumiq about the importance of the colour red to Indigenous communities and their process in creating pieces for fashion week.  

Meanwhile, Lydia Ochieng speaks with Yolonda Skelton, from the Gitxsan First Nations, whose art will be gracing the runway this weekend. Skelton speaks about the impact of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. 

Lastly, we speak with Georgina Martin, a Langara College instructor for the department of aboriginal studies, about her new book about Drumming Our Way Home which covers identity, culture and language loss.  

Podcast hosted by MEHARWAAN KAUR MANAK