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1955

Dorothy Grant is born

Dorothy Grant was born into the Raven Clan in 1955 in Hydaburg Alaska, a settlement in the state's southeastern panhandle formed from three ancient Haida villages consolidated in 1911.

An international boundary severed Alaska's Haida from those on the Queen Charlotte Islands, now known as Haida Gwaii. But arbitrary politics didn't cut family, tribal or cultural connections. She was raised in Ketchikan She is part of the Kaigani Haida of the Raven Clan from Brown Bear House of Howkan. Her Family Crests are Two-Finned Killer whale, Shark, Berry Picker in the Moon and Brown Bear Grant is a fashion designer and traditional Haida artist. Her garments, ceremonial button blankets and spruce-root hats are treasured by Haida people as expressions of Living culture.

A sense of Haida identity is the creative force behind her fashion labels Feastwear and Dorothy Grant. Her work stems from "Yaagudaang" a Haida word for "respect of one's self'', especially her Feast Wear & Dorothy Grant Fashion Labels. Yagudaag, is a Haida word and concept, which means to "have respect for yourself and for all those you encounter". It is a concept of daily living. It's where Haida children were intuitively taught and raised with this concept. An ancient artwork that the artist have kept alive and adhere to the rules of formalize design.

Art and Fashion moves, with time and sometimes comes full circle. Her main goal or vision for the past 37 years is to honour Haida art and my ancestors. Haida art is quite complex, on so many levels, It is its own language. The artist have kept it alive from one generation to another. What I offer to see it thru a fashion lens and my clothing line.

1968

Dorothy Learn How to sew clothes

When she was 13, Grant began sewing clothes for her younger sisters. Later, she worked with Haida Gwaii elder and knowledge-keeper Florence Edenshaw Davidson, a maternal grandmother from Masset. It took five years for her to learn the exacting discipline of weaving traditional headware and baskets from spruce roots.

Using ancient methods of assembly and applique, she made robes for traditional performers and for ceremonies.

1981

Dorothy Starts Making Hats & Basketry

In 1981, Grant trained with her maternal grandmother, Florence Edenshaw Davidson, to weave spruce root hats and basketry while making regalia for Haida dance groups.
1983

Dorothy Began Sketching Haida Artwork on Clothing

In 1983, she began to sketch Haida art onto clothing (e.g. garments). It was a way to reclaim the Haida culture being appropriated by non-indigenous designers. Her vision is to merge art with fashion to forge a link between ancient custom and modern society through the creation of timeless wearable art. She was the first to innovate a new style in the northwest coast native fashion design… melding artistic talent with couture. She was motivated by non-native designers who incorporated northwest coast native art symbols into their clothing collections. She took her knowledge of Haida art that she learned while making regalia for her community and combined formlined design with high fashion, as a way to express Haida social and artistic vitality. Her fashion house quickly garnered international attention and acclaim and been embraced by local and international fashion circles.

She took her knowledge of Haida art that she learned while making regalia for her community and combined formlined design with high fashion, as a way to express Haida social and artistic vitality. Her fashion house quickly garnered international attention and acclaim and been embraced by local and international fashion circles.

1986

Dorothy Launches her first outfit at the 1986 Vancouver Expo

Dorothy launches her first outfit at the 1986 Vancouver Expo Dorothy's outfit the Raven Creation Tunic, debut at a potlatch at the "Big House Haida Feast" at Expo 1986 Vancouver BC. This piece was acquired by National History Museum of Canada.
1988

Dorothy Graduates from Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design

In 1988, she graduated from Helen Le’Feaux School of Fashion Design and immediately started her first collection. In that same year Grant became the first to merge Haida art and fashion utilizing her formal training at the Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design. FUN FACT: The image showcases a sketch of her EAGLE BOLERO (with T-Form) dress that she drew while in the Fashion Design School that she would later go on to bring to life in 1989 as shown in the accompanying image to the right!

FUN FACT:
The image showcases a sketch of her EAGLE BOLERO (with T-Form) dress that she drew while in the Fashion Design School that she would later go on to bring to life in 1989 as shown in the accompanying image to the right!

1989

Dorothy's first collection wasdebuted featuring 55 pieces

Nobody was doing it at the time in 1989. List Tant said she was “the first aboriginal designer to combine traditional haida ceremonial dress with contemporary fashion” (for example by using tapering lines of the haida ceremonial copper t-ridge). In 1989 launched the Feastwear label – Premier fashion show Hotel Vancouver. Here you will find a sneak peak at a 50 piece collection of FEASTWEAR and Dorothy Grant garments that are exhibition ready such as the Raven Creation Tunic which tells the graphic story of how Raven Created Mankind out of the giant clam shell, that washed up on the beaches of Rosepit. FUN FACT: The image shows the SOUTHEAST WIND AND FOAM WOMAN DRESS made of wool suiting and silk. She only made 5 dresses with this artwork, and all sold at her debut show in 1989.

FUN FACT:
The image shows the SOUTHEAST WIND AND FOAM WOMAN DRESS made of wool suiting and silk. She only made 5 dresses with this artwork, and all sold at her debut show in 1989.

1990

Dorothy's Work Continues To Get Featuredin More News Paper & Press

In 1988, she graduated from Helen Le'Feaux School of Fashion Design and immediately started her first collection. In that same year Grant became the first to merge Haida art and fashion utilizing her formal training at the Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design.

FUN FACT:
The image showcases a sketch of her EAGLE BOLERO (with T-Form) dress that she drew while in the Fashion Design School that she would later go on to bring to life in 1989 as shown in the accompanying image to the right!

1991

Dorothy Is Part Of Panache: 200 YearsOf The Fashionable Women

Her "Raven Greatcoat" was prominent as the final piece and was later purchased by the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology. Following this presentation, Grant's designs were exhibited in several art galleries across North America including The Meridian Gallery in San Francisco, for the show "Haida Ritual Art: The Insistent Present." She was featured in a book written by the Vancouver Museum in 1991 for "Panache: 200 Years of the Fashionable Women "

"Land, Spirit, Power" a touring exhibit of works by Canadian Aboriginal artists featured Grant's "Seven Raven Button Blanket." The National Gallery of Canada has since purchased this series for their permanent collection. https://books.google.ca/books/about/Panache.html?
id=OLbfAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y.