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DESIGN
THE POWER OF LEGEND Fashion designer Dorothy Grant creates clothing that interprets Haida culture BY SUSAN KELLY
VANCOUVER FASHION DESIGNER DOROTHY GRANT has been interpreting Haida legends through haute couture — and was the first to do so — for more than three decades. And she seems to be on the way to becoming a legend herself. Surviving in the ultra-competitive world of fashion for that long might be enough to qualify her. But how many designers can say their unique pieces are found not only heading down major fashion runways but also on display at 16 museums around the world, including the National Gallery of Canada? Among the many awards on her wall is a 2015 Order of Canada for her “contributions to the fashion industry as an artist, designer and mentor.”
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THE AUTUMN ISSUE
The symbols that appear on her work — ravens, hummingbirds, orcas — may be particular to the Haida culture. Yet Grant has discovered that they have universal power. “I call my work’s appeal multinational,” she says, “because it’s not just about the First Nations. I always talk about Yaagudaang, a Haida word for having respect for all things
and, more importantly, yourself. It’s something I want people to feel when they wear my work or see it in a show or museum.” It’s a feeling many celebrities have resonated with over the years. Grant designed the tuxedo that Duane Howard, an actor in The Revenant, wore to the 2016 Oscars ceremony: an impeccably tailored form-skimming suit
