Teton Trade Cloth features Fort Hall talent in Winter Line
The Teton Trade Cloth photoshoot models at the Clinton Houtz residence. (Photos courtesy of Teton Trade Cloth & Shoshone-Bannock photographer Emmerson Edmo)
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Teton Trade Cloth visited the Fort Hall Indian Reservation last month to do a photoshoot for their Winter line featuring Shoshone-Bannock models and artists.
Teton Trade Cloth founders Rich Shelton and Craig Jones said they always try to come to tribal communities to highlight talent.
They’ve developed some great relationships in Fort Hall, including with local retailer, Shokota Powwow Supply, owned by Georgette Running Eagle. Jones said she’s become a great friend and ally as they’ve become business partners.
Jones explained since Kira Murillo was one of the big featured artist this year, along with Elias Not Afraid, who was also featured in the shoot, Fort Hall just felt like the right location and they had a great time with the community.
Teton Trade Cloth sometimes finds their artists by reaching out to them for their overall reputation in the market, their creativity and originality of their designs.
They described Murillo as a fantastic creator whose known in many different art realms, such as clothing design, being a visual artist and in demand tattoo artist.
Jones said she’s incredibly talented and they're super fortunate to be affiliated with her. He said they’re always looking for tribal artists they can partner with from all over the country, so they can produce things that speak to all tribal nations.
Shelton said Fort Hall is a beautiful area that is very scenic and they were excited to work with models from the area to capture the beauty of the land and celebrate it.
Teton Trade Cloth was in Fort Hall from October 15 to 17. They stayed at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel where they enjoyed their accommodations.
Due to the unpredictability of the weather they were invited to do their shoot at the Clinton Houtz residence.
Chloe Fullmer models the Varisty Powwow jacket, ball cap and
skateboard decks.
They selected Shoshone-Bannock models who were representative of the community, they were Feliciana Fullmer, Maedow Fullmer, Chloe Fullmer, Kira Murillo, Shirley Alvarez, Forrest Broncho and Stormie Perdash. Other models were Apsaalooke artist Elias Not Afraid and Potawatomi/Mohawk artist Devan Kicknosway.
Sho-Ban photographer Emmerson Edmo was chosen to do the photoshoot because they thought she could match their aesthetic. They commended her for her talent and creativity and experience working with models.
Teton Trade Cloth will release all their Winter line products on their Instagram, Facebook and at their Teton Trade Cloth website.
The first photos released featured Maedo Fullmer with their Native designed skateboards and wearing a Powwow Varsity Jacket, which was inspired by friends who didn’t have the opportunity to play varsity sports in school, but rather went to powwows, which was their sport. They also have chenille patches available to make it the wearers own. They also featured vintage wool hats and ball caps.
Feliciana Fullmer said her daughter Maedo really bonded with the creative director Peshawn Bread, who customized a pair of ribbon pants for her that she wore for the shoot. Peshawn was very hands on with the girls and gave them some sound life advice about combatting bullying and dealing with those who body shame. She praised the girls and gave them guidance on poses.
The girls adopted her as “Auntie Peshawn” and are looking forward to her coming back to dance in the powwow.
Fullmer said it felt like a family atmosphere and the owners Rich and Craig were more than generous with their time and input.
“It felt like an opportunity of a lifetime and hopefully the start of a modeling career for my girls,” said Fullmer.
They’re looking forward to releasing Reservation style hats, all handmade by Greeley Hat Works of Colorado.
Shelton said the Reservation style hats have an open crown, are felt and will be available in two different sizes, high crown and low crown and different colors. The Reservation style hats were one of the items requested by the people. They talked to several hat manufacturers to help with the project as it meant a lot to the people. Hunter Old Elk of Wyoming was the hat consultant on the project, she researched old hats and helped build the hat to the specifications.
Shelton said, “We’re really super proud of it as these are going to be real high-quality hats – each hat is going to be handmade.”
He said the photos they got featuring the Reservation style hat are modeled by Forrest Broncho. He said Broncho was a good representative because he is someone who wears a Reservation hat often and wants to try to bring that back.
Shelton said one of the reasons they chose a young person to model was to inspire other young people to wear the hats and pick up the tradition and continue with it. He said the majority of people who express interest in these hats are young people and that’s exciting.
They will also be releasing a bunch of different blankets, as well as one designed by Lauren Good Day and Kira Murillo; they will also have available throw blankets, shoes designed by Kira Murillo, Native satin scarves, bandanas, and finished goods.
Shelton said they were really proud of the shoot and everyone there. Each of the participants were gifted a blanket for their work. They’re thankful to Clinton and his family for opening up his property and saying a blessing for the event. The Teton Trade Cloth founders said they had a nice time in Fort Hall and look forward to coming back.
Forrest Broncho modeling the Reservation Style Hat on sale this
week.
After the shoot they took a trip up through Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota to meet retailers and artists they’ve worked with and friends along the way.
Teton Trade Cloth was started by Shelton and Jones in 2017 after a trip to Grand Teton National Park when they realized it was a difficult time for their friends to find trade cloth and other different kinds of materials to continue to make ceremonial and powwow clothing. They teamed up to start the company with the goal of producing high quality wool trade cloth. They started with four colors and have since expanded to all kinds of different material items, trade good items, like blankets, cotton fabrics, bells and all sorts of things Indigenous artists may need.
They work with their friends in the Indigenous community who ask them to source the items so they may continue to create beautiful art that enhances and adds to the culture that they’re a part of.
As the company has grown they work with a Cultural Advisory Board of Directors from various tribal nations, including seven Native artists from around the country and Canada. The advisory board consists of Nan Blasingame, Cheyenne and Arapahoe; Lauren Good Day, Arikara/Hidatsa; Tom Haukaas, Lakota; Bruce Johnson, Ponca; Kenny McClure, Flathead Salish; Tokeya Waci U Richardson, Oglala Lakota; Perry Smith, Shuswap, Bonparte First Nations.
Creative Director is Peshawn Bread, who assists with styling and photoshoots. She said the holiday campaign was meant to highlight Teton Tradition, and giving back which was the theme of the shoot. Bread said they wanted to highlight local talent and be with them in a community that they feel represents a certain aspect of their brand.
With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting so many in Indian Country, Native artists have continued creating their works at home and it’s the hope of Teton Trade Cloth that they continue to provide these things so the people can find some joy in creating something and continue to look forward to celebrating the future. While on the shoot, all participants took proper precautions to remain safe and healthy following CDC protocols.
The company has also released some honor blankets this year at low cost for the community so they can take care of some of the obligations that unfortunately come with being in the pandemic. The blankets are dedicated to all those that were lost during the pandemic, as well as to honor the first responders and heroes of the pandemic.
Teton Trade Cloth said the future of their company will be continuing to work with Native artists to produce and provide high quality materials for people to create their cultural art and clothing all while giving back to Native communities.
