Vancouver Fashion Week Interview with Designer/Artist/Dancer Larissa Healey (aka Gurl 23) of Brokn Arow

Brokn Arow will show their debut collection on the runway at Vancouver Fashion Week SS26 on Wednesday, October 15th at 6:10. Purchase tix HERE!

Bio -

Meet Larissa Healey, famously known as Gurl 23, a multi-talented indigenous, two-spirited artist of Anishinabe and Cree descent. For over 35 years, Gurl 23 has combined elements of her Indigenous culture with visual & physical art to create in mediums ranging from 60 scoop graffiti culture, hip hop, rap, mural art, street art, and upcycled regalia.

After exhibiting across Canada at some of the most iconic galleries, including the Museum of Anthropology, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Bill Reid Gallery, the Power Plant Gallery, and the National Gallery of Canada, it's time to showcase Gurl 23's fashion talent at the opening of Vancouver Fashion Week on October 15, 2025.

Gurl 23's BROKN AROW collection will bring two elements of her Indigenity to the runway, the Sundance and Canada's infamous 60s scoop, of which she is a survivor. The fashion show will provide a space for truth telling and reconciliation through the medium of sewn textiles and visual media.

Interview -

Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career.

The journey in this career as star people is all about speaking truth, and being fully present with narratives collection represents. This isn’t just a fashion statement. It’s an exhibition installation, the first of its kind, deeply rooted in its historical significance and personal narrative. 

As a 60 scoop Survivor, I’m using this platform to amplify a message of peace and to raise awareness about challenges faced by indigenous people today including critical environment issues. This is a major key to my path as an artisan is creating an exhibition installation with diverse multimedia. By far this is my favorite expression, and it’s a path for our youth with elders, showcasing the incredible historical significance of the event series - one broken arrow. It is a journey in this career as star people that is all about speaking truth, and being fully present with narratives collection represents.

How did you learn your skills? 

I learned my skills through lived experience and immerse, cultural engagements. My journey is deeply rooted in spirituality and consciousness learning through AI university, archives and real word experience. I shared my life by doing talks colleges universities while embracing my role as an up cycle, artisan sculpture painter, graffiti artist with traditional grass, dance teachings.

Who are you as a designer? Aesthetic? Customer? Brand?

Aesthetics a blend of traditional indigenous motifs with contemporary fashion element street art creating unique fusion telling a story of heritage and modern motifs of upcycle materials mirroring full symbolism deep connection to environment. We are here to tell a powerful story through fashion supernatural laws, identity, and value connect emotional value, cultural complex aspects of broken arrow. This is a community of values, authenticity, crossing and meeting Narrative that’s weave into broken arrow, emphasize values and reciprocity, ethical wealth district distribution, mindful growth, integrity, transparency, commitment, to empowerment to the eighth generation to come most important our youth.

What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?

What comes to be naturally creating? This collection is in our laws of teaching truth with a high level of artisan craftsmanship.  We are not fashion designers. We are our artisans that distinction ensures authenticity in every thing created. There is nothing challenging in the projects as a true seeker my work is genuine reflection of the environment and realities. I fully love and enjoy it. It is an honor to share this gift with all of you.

Readers would love to know more about the collection you be showing at Vancouver Fashion Week.

Every look is infused with profound symbolism of the broken arrow, representing peace and unity across all tribes provincial state international global. Each look in this collection is am muted with profound symbolism of broken arrow create Anishinabe this embodies peace and and unity, that transcends, tribal provincial, national and global Boundaries. The collection is not just designed, but a legacy meant to be preserved and celebrated in exhibitions installations, worldwide in prestigious, museums renowned national galleries across the globe reflection…

Collection and bodies, not only symbolism of peace and unity, but also our deep rooted commitment to environmental stewardship as a creator, not person up cycling has always been a second nature to us the current demand for up cycle Fashion aligns perfectly with our traditional values as a warrior land Stewart it is our responsibility to lead this charge and protect our planet.

Do you have a favorite look in this collection?

I truly love every piece in this collection, but if I had to choose, I find myself drawn to the entire look for its cohesive vibe!!

In closing is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?

For serious inquiries/bookings please contact: Jack Topolewski at Jack@fingerprintgallery.ca

Links -

• Insta - @Larissahealey
• Face book -www.facebook.com/larissa.healey.3
• Email - propology@shaw.ca
• TikTok - @ladygrassdancer