VFW Bio -
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Interview -
Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career.
I come from a long line of women who have always created with their hands. I grew up surrounded by creativity, where making things was a way to express yourself and to show love.
I come from a long line of women who have always created with their hands. I grew up surrounded by creativity, where making things was a way to express yourself and to show love.
I started by making jewelry, creating small pieces as I learned new techniques. It felt natural to work with my hands, combining materials and ideas in ways that reflected who I am. Over time, I wanted to expand that expression and tell larger stories. Fashion gave me that canvas. As a Secwépemc designer, I create to explore identity, belonging, and connection to the land. Working with hide continues the tradition of creating with love and intention, just as the women in my family always have.
I am self-taught, but much of what I know comes from time spent with knowledge keepers in my community who shared their stories and ways of working. I learned by watching and listening. These skills are in my blood as I carry generations of knowledge. My hands remember what has been passed down through experience, repetition, and creation.
Who are you as a designer? Aesthetic? Customer? Brand?
I design under Randi Nelson Designs. My work blends traditional Indigenous materials with contemporary fashion to honour my Secwépemc culture. I work with Indigenous materials of wealth such as smoked hide, quills, shells, and caribou hair; each carrying its own beauty and story. These materials carry generations of knowledge and tradition, and I feel a responsibility to uplift and honour that. I bring these materials into modern designs while keeping their cultural connection.
My designs reflect the land and the changing seasons. I work to capture how colour, texture, and light shift throughout the year. The materials I use follow that rhythm; soft smoked hides, shimmering shells, and natural tones that reflect the landscape. They hold the beauty of the land I come from. I make every piece by hand with care and intention.
What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?
The easiest part for me is imagining materials in new ways. I love exploring how they can be shaped, layered, or combined differently to bring out their character. That creative process feels natural, and I enjoy finding new possibilities in traditional materials.
The hardest part is balancing the creative side of my work with the business side of fashion. I always want to be creating, but there are many details and logistics that come with the brand. Finding that balance is something I am always working on.
Where do you find inspiration for new collections? How important is colour to your design process?
My inspiration always comes from the land. I pay attention to the plants, the light, and the natural materials around me, and I imagine how they can be carried into my work in new ways. I am drawn to things that change with the seasons and how those shifts in texture and tone can be captured and reimagined through fashion.
Readers would love to know more about the collection you be showing at Vancouver Fashion Week.
At Vancouver Fashion Week, I begin my runway with a video of an Elder from the Yukon who speaks about the art of hide tanning. She shows a traditional tool that has been passed down through generations and continues to tan moose hides on her family’s territory. Her voice and hands carry the rhythm of this work, reminding us of the care and time it takes.
My inspiration always comes from the land. I pay attention to the plants, the light, and the natural materials around me, and I imagine how they can be carried into my work in new ways. I am drawn to things that change with the seasons and how those shifts in texture and tone can be captured and reimagined through fashion.
Readers would love to know more about the collection you be showing at Vancouver Fashion Week.
At Vancouver Fashion Week, I begin my runway with a video of an Elder from the Yukon who speaks about the art of hide tanning. She shows a traditional tool that has been passed down through generations and continues to tan moose hides on her family’s territory. Her voice and hands carry the rhythm of this work, reminding us of the care and time it takes.
The Scwetmín Couture Collection brings traditional smoke-tanned hide to the runway. This material has been valued and respected since time immemorial by my people. I want to show its sustainability, versatility and beauty, something only a hand process done directly from the land can create. The Hide Collection celebrates the community of people who hold this knowledge and the generations who have kept it alive. It is a tribute to their artistry and to the land that continues to give.
Do you have a favorite look in this collection?
My favourite look from the Scwetmín Couture Collection is Te7 ey re cwp̓īp̓sem — We Still Bloom. This piece represents Fashion for Sovereignty, a declaration that Indigenous people continue to thrive, create, and flourish. The name means “We Still Bloom” in Secwépemctsin, and using our language in this way is an act of pride and revitalization.
My favourite look from the Scwetmín Couture Collection is Te7 ey re cwp̓īp̓sem — We Still Bloom. This piece represents Fashion for Sovereignty, a declaration that Indigenous people continue to thrive, create, and flourish. The name means “We Still Bloom” in Secwépemctsin, and using our language in this way is an act of pride and revitalization.
The wild rose beadwork speaks to resilience and protection. The plant grows in harsh conditions yet always returns. Its blossoms are soft, its hips are medicine, and its thorns defend. It reflects our cultures, strong, gentle, and enduring. The smoked deer hide holds the scent of land and ceremony, while the white goat hair represents sure-footedness and determination. Together, they speak of strength, beauty, and renewal, carrying forward the message that we still bloom.
Where can readers purchase your designs?
My designs are available through direct commission. Each piece is handmade and created with care, so I work closely with clients to design something meaningful and unique to them.
People can reach me through email or social media under Randi Nelson Designs to inquire about custom pieces or upcoming collections. My work is also shown and available at select Indigenous fashion events and galleries across North America.
What's next for you as a designer and your brand?
I have several upcoming runway shows across North America, where I will continue sharing new couture pieces and custom designs. This harvest season, I will return to the Yukon to harvest food and process materials from the land. As the season shifts and the light grows shorter, I slow down. It becomes a time for creating, connecting with community, and preparing for the next cycle of work.
I am open to new opportunities and collaborations that expand the reach of my work. I want to connect with a worldwide audience and show that Indigenous people are still here, still creating, and continuing the legacy of the original designers of Turtle Island.
In closing is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?
Fashion is how I share stories and stay connected to where I come from. Each piece is tied to the land, my community, and those who created before me. I want my work to show that Indigenous design is alive and evolving, always carrying forward our traditions.
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