Inspiration: Native American Tribal Style in the Fashion and Makeup Industries

As with the African and Fulani images from the fashion and makeup industries, here are some images from fashion shows and editorials where Native American style and influences have been used. I chose each individual image carefully because each one comes from a very different place, representing how the Native American style is an influence in all areas of the industry. Some are from commercial fashion shows, some from more amateur beauty editorials, and some editorials from more alternative magazines. Again, my aim is not to use these as inspiration for my own looks as such, just to see how Native American tribal style has influenced modern style, and to see what has already been put out there. 

Inspiration: African and Fulani Style in the Fashion and Makeup Industries

As I have already posted the best photos I could find of traditional Fulani tribes people, I thought I would look to the fashion and makeup industries for inspirations of Fulani and African styling and makeup. Since the Fulani tribe specifically is very small and not that well known, most of the pictures I found and liked are mainly of generalised African styling and makeup - they are however very closely linked so I still found this useful. Although I aim never to do something that has already been done, and don't usually look to secondary sources as inspiration, I found it extremely interesting to look at how African style is represented in the industry. It also helped me to see what has already been put out there, and therefore what I could do differently. Here are my favorite inspirational images:

Inspiration: Chosen Tribes

After having researched various tribes that have very differing histories, ideals, religions and most importantly, physical looks and styles, I have decided which two I am going to combine to use as inspirations for my two final looks. I am going to use both the FULANI TRIBE and the NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES as my points of reference and inspiration. I have chosen these two tribes because, out of all the tribes I have researched and images that I have seen, the traditional people of these tribes are beautiful to look at, but also because I find the reasoning behind why they  make themselves up to look the way they do, really interesting. Whenever I am designing a makeup look, I always try to connect it to something, and not just make it a random, disconnected piece. I like to be able to show the reasons behind why I have chosen to do something - With both of my chosen tribes, I feel that there is an important reason behind why they look the way they do, but also why they use the tools and materials they do to create their looks. That is what I like most about them. I think there's alot that I'll be able to do using these tribes as a jumping off point.

The Look: Native American Navajo Tribe

 The traditional dress of the Navajo tribe is all about COLOUR. Makeup, if worn, would be simple, bold and graphic in design, but bright in colour- blues, reds, whites, yellows and oranges would all be seen on a tribesperson at a traditional event. 

 For meetings, celebrations and festivals, outfits of every different colour will be worn. Headdresses, headbands, feathered wings, fringed skirts and trousers, beaded breastplates, and animal hides all make up the vivid outfits of the Navajo people.

Everything that could ba made from something natural on a Native American tribesperson, will be. Natural dyes and paints made from earth, plants and flowers would be use to colour materials and paints for the face, and parts of hunted animals would be used to make and adorn the clothes.

The Look: Native American Cheyenne Tribe

When someone thinks of the 'stereotypical' Native American tribesperson, wearing a large feathered headdress, beads, animal hide, and bright primary colours, they are thinking of the Cheyenne tribe. 

 Although makeup, tattooing and face painting is not commonly seen on the Cheyenne tribespeople, the colour comes from their clothing. Bright primary colours are incorporated into the beaded jewellery their wear in their hair and round their necks, embroidery on their clothes and their warrior's headdresses, and pieces of material braided into their hair. 

 They Cheyenne people are famous for their adornments- feathers, beads, fringing, jewellery and twine all make up their complicated and intricate outfits.

The Look: Native American Cherokee Tribe

 The traditional look of the Cherokee tribespeople is on the whole more simplistic, but also at times more colourful. 

 While the clothing, both for everyday wear, and for hunting and fighting, follows the same colours, patterns and textures as the clothing of most other Native American tribes, the face makeup and hairstyles are noticeably different.

For warriors and elders, and single feather is worn at the back of the crown of the head, sometimes attached to a woven headband. The hairline is often cut much further back into the head, which leaves room for colour makeup in simple designs on the face. This allows the warriors to look more menacing.

Despite the difference in the hairline that often occurs, the hair, as with almost all Native American people, remains thick, long, dark and almost always braided.

Native American Tribes

After finding some images of Native American tribespeople and practising some freehand tattoo drawings and tribal face painting using Native American designs, I've decided to do some further research into their history and traditions. Although there are hundreds of federally recognised Native American tribes in the U.S, there are a few that are the more famous, and whose images are most commonly associated with traditinal Native Americans. Examples of these are the Cherokee Nation from Oklahoma, the Cheyenne tribes from Oklahoma and South Dakota, and the Navajo Nation from Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Looking at images of the traditional people from these tribes, you can see almost every style and makeup element that one would commonly associate with Native American people. The Native American tribespeople were, and still are semi-autonomous and self governed, and live in separated areas known as reservations. In their beginnings, Native American people were a mix of a few different nationalities, such as Indian, Inuit, Alaskan and Hawaiian, which explains their physical differences from most Northern American people that inhabit the country today, and the differences between their styles within the tribes. Native Americans were, and to this day still are, very spritiual people, who hold deep connections with the Earth and nature. They are known for living mainly off the land, using their long practised hunting and fishing skills to provide food, along with growing their own crops and farming. Traditionally they have used the Earth, and animals to create almsot everything they use, from their homes to their tools, to musical instruments and their clothes and makeup. Feathers, animal hides, wood, clay, stone and kohl all make up the fundamental materials used to sustain Native American life and create their image. To me, when looking at the way Native American tribespeople are commonly dressed and made up, it is perfectly clear to see how they have been physically influenced by their spirituality and their love of nature and the land, and this is what most attracted me to these people. Just as my own makeup and styling in my final shootshould have a purpose and a meaning behind it, and should reflect the people that I have been influenced by, the Native American style reflects their history, roots and way of life, and this is what inspires me to use them as an influence in my work.