An Indigenous fashion designer from Chilliwack will be in the spotlight on a national level this week.

Justin Louis, co-founder and creative director of clothing company Section 35, is one of 16 designers who will be featured at Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto Nov. 26 to 29.

He describes Section 35 as 鈥淚ndigenous street style鈥� clothing.

Louis has five 鈥渓ooks鈥� in the fashion show, and Section 35 will be one of five collections shown in the opening night runway film on Nov. 26.

The four-day long fashion week will showcase one film per day, each is water themed: Tu Gh鈥檈h Nah (Water Is Life on Nov. 26), Tu Cho (Lake - Nov. 27), Tu Gh鈥檈g Tl鈥檈鈥檛h (Streams - Nov. 28), and Tu Gh鈥檈l T鈥檌lhn (Water Carriers - Nov. 29).

Each look in his collection (called Miyo Pimatisiwin - The Good Life) has one 鈥渟tatement鈥� piece plus 鈥渟upporting鈥� pieces, Louis explains.

His work is inspired by sportswear, but also by his childhood.

鈥淎 lot of it鈥檚 inspired by my upbringing being Cree from back in Alberta. I鈥檝e made some patterns with syllabics [written characters representing syllables] that I thought turned out pretty cool.鈥�

The collection also includes custom-made varsity letterman jackets with syllabics and chenille patchwork, plus hand-dyed garments.

He was scheduled to take part in the biannual event two years ago in its inaugural year, but Louis had to pull out for personal reasons. This year they invited him back.

The fashion week was supposed to take place during the summer, but because of the pandemic it鈥檚 virtual this year. That meant Louis could not fly out there, rather he shipped the garments out to the crew in Toronto.

鈥淓veryone was really amped for this year and with the pandemic pushing everything back, I was really bummed that we couldn鈥檛 go out there.

鈥淲e did our best to curate them from a distance,鈥� Louis added. 鈥淚 trust the crew out there because I鈥檝e seen them and I鈥檝e worked closely with them before.鈥�

Section 35 started in late 2013 and is based in East Vancouver, but it didn鈥檛 go full bore until early 2016. The name refers to Section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982, which protects and recognizes Indigenous and treaty rights.

The company consists of 鈥渢wo and a half鈥� people and the clothing is made in East Van, while most of the designing takes place at Louis鈥檚 home office in Chilliwack.

Originally, Louis never anticipated doing fashion shows, but when they launched their first website in 2016 and began releasing multiple collections consistently throughout the year, runways became part of what they do.

Over the years, he鈥檚 shown in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Calgary.

The process to present his collection at Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto has been different than any other show. He hasn鈥檛 even seen the final runway video of his own work.

Louis did, however, see a sneak peek of the film and said it was 鈥渞eally well done.鈥� He figures he will see the final product on Nov. 26 when everyone else does.

鈥淯nless they send us a final version the day or two before,鈥� he added.

He鈥檚 hoping the exposure will bring new followers, a new audience and more business to Section 35.

鈥淏ut I also think it鈥檒l inspire me as well to keep creating, and doing what I do, and try and push the boundaries with what鈥檚 being done.鈥�

On Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. EST (4 p.m. PST) folks can watch the opening night runway film featuring the Section 35 collection 鈥楳iyo Pimatisiwin.鈥�

鈥淚 hope they like what they see. There鈥檚 a bunch of really talented people on the roster that have been doing it for a while or are up-and-coming. I鈥檓 excited for everybody to be there.鈥�

Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto includes runways, a pop-up marketplace, and panels. Incorporating fashion, film, theatre and dance, the filmed runway presentations offer an intimate view of each garment from the 16 designers.

To watch, go to . Admission is free.

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