Minnetonka is honoring Native American artisanship with its latest shoe style for Indigenous People’s Day.
In its new collection, which launches on Oct. 9, the moccasin brand has partnered with Red Lake Nation designer Lucie Skjefte on a new shoe style to mark the occasion — which recognizes the communities of Native Americans that have lived in the U.S. for generations.
The resulting Ayashe moccasins, which Skjefte named after her niece — whose name translates to “Our Little One” — were made to increase the use of Native American words and vocabulary in the fashion industry. The shoe features smooth slip-on uppers in brown or white colorways, notably accented with beadwork patterns with symbols native to the Anishinaabe group’s Ojibwe people. In a tribute to both the aforementioned communities and their ties to nature itself, the design includes flowers, berries and leaves within its detailing.
The shoe also comes with a charitable spin, as well. For every pair of Ayashe shoes sold, part of its sales will be donated to Native-led nonprofit Native Sun, which encourages the use of renewable energy in Minnesota.
Watch on FN
The Ayashe moccasin release is Minnetonka’s second beaded shoe of the year. In September, the brand also partnered with Skjefte to release its Ziigwan Waabigwan moccasins, which she designed with hand-beaded floral motifs across each toe. The occasion notably marked the brand’s first-ever hand-beaded style in its repertoire.
Minnetonka’s new collection follows its last three years of honoring Indigenous People’s Day, where the brand partners with Native American designers who have relaunched its previously appropriated shoe styles with more authentic, deeper meanings.
You can currently shop Minnetonka’s new Ayashe moccasins on its website.
About the Author:
Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote and interned for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.
