- Details
- By Kaili Berg
Viewable here, the cover story features actress Lily Gladstone (Blackfeet), draped in the Eighth Generation blanket, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, both stars of the widely anticipated film, “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
The story features interviews with Gladstone and DiCaprio and photographs of them wearing accessories made by Native designers.
The Craig McDean-lensed editorial was aimed “to see Lily shine,” while Gladstone herself tasked British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful with sourcing pieces that reflect her Native American heritage. The results complement craft-centric brands and highlight the importance of preserving old techniques.
Among the featured Native designs is The Coast Salish Pattern Wool Blanket, designed by Nooksack artist and Eighth Generation founder Louie Gong.
Before Gong was creating Coast Salish art on a commercial scale, it was rarely represented in contemporary textiles.
“The Coast Salish pattern is one of the most iconic, truly American designs that you can find on the market today, “Colleen Echohawk (Pawnee/Athabascan), Eighth Generation CEO, told Native News Online. “Louie designed this piece in collaboration with his ancestors and it is very traditional. This is the very first blanket that I bought for myself when I was just a customer; it is truly beautiful,”
Founded in 2008, Eighth Generation works with more than 35 different Native artists from all over Canada. The brand provides a strong, ethical alternative to “Native-inspired” art and products through its artist-centric approach and 100 percent Native-designed products.
“We are so fortunate to bring a lot of art and design into people’s homes. Louie was so visionary to think about what the impact would be if there was a Native-owned company that made beautiful wool blankets,” Echohawk said. “That is what we are known for and that is what got us on the cover of British Vogue.”
Echohawk said British Vogue emailed their team and asked to send over scarfs for a photoshoot. Without hesitation, Eighth Generation’s marketing manager, Devon Kelley, sent over a plethora of the brand’s items. Weeks after, the company found out they were going to be featured on the cover of the magazine.
“We could not believe it,” Echohawk said. “To see our work so prominently featured is truly historic. I think we will have a big impact on future generations, to see this kind of representation, and to be proud to know that they have a place in this world.”
Several more of Eighth Generation’s products appear in photos with DiCaprio and Gladstone throughout the cover story, including their Butterfly Dreams Throw Blanket by John Isaiah Pepion (Piikani/Blackfeet), and fashion and accessories by Eighth Generation artists and collaborators, including Jamie Okuma (Luiseño and Shoshone-Bannock), Pat Pruitt (Laguna, Chiricahua Apache), and Sarah Agaton Howes (Anishinaabe/Ojibwe).
“It is such a good moment for Indian Country and all of these incredible Native designers, artists, and brands in this issue," Echohawk said. "We are so honored to be a part of this. It is such a good moment and a great time to be Native."
More Stories Like This
"Your'e No Indian" Examines the Disenrollment IssueAgua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to Open New Exhibition: Section 14 – The Untold Story
Actor Jonathan Joss, Voice of John Redcorn, Killed in Texas Shooting
Celebrate Summer and Father’s Day at the Chickasaw Cultural Center – June 14
After 30 Years, Berkeley's Turtle Island Monument Foundation Will Be Built
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
