FROM SAPULPA TO PARIS

LOCAL TWINS’ MODELING CAREERS ARE TAKING THEM AROUND THE WORLD.

BY TIFFANY HOWARD

As Raini and Autumn Deerinwater, 25, talk about the excitement of their whirlwind modeling journey, their eyes sparkle like the light of the fashion-forward cities where they’re ful lling their dreams. e Muscogee (Creek) twins, who are also Navajo and Cherokee, discuss the surreality of seeing themselves on a Times Square billboard last summer, and how their rst trip to Europe this year will be to walk in one of the world’s most prestigious fashion events — Paris Fashion Week happening in July.

While Raini walked in her rst two fashion shows in late 2022, this will be Autumn’s rst time. Both are taking classes locally to perfect the mechanics of a high fashion walk.

“How is the rst time I’m walking in something Paris Fashion Week? Like, how did that even happen?” Autumn laughs.

It happened because these sisters are not afraid to say yes to opportunity and are eager to blaze a trail for Native individuals interested in the fashion industry.

“I grew up never seeing Indigenous people in media,” Autumn says. “After working retail and seeing a di erent side of fashion, I noticed there were no Indigenous people modeling and it frustrated me that we had no representation.” ough the Sapulpa sisters did a bit of mod- eling as children, they mainly focused on sports growing up. But in the past couple years, both twins experienced a resurgence of interest in modeling. For Raini, it started with watching reruns of “America’s Next Top Model” during the pandemic lockdown.

“I remember just putting on a pair of heels and walking up and down the hallway, just joking around with my boyfriend,” she says. “It’s crazy to see now what it’s become.”

As for Autumn, who was eager to experience life in a bigger city, a move to Phoenix in September 2021 fueled her desire to try new things. When she answered a social media call for models by Sheila Tucker — a Phoenix-based, Anishinaabe Ojibwe designer known for her beadwork pieces inspired by traditional Ojibwe oral designs combined with elegant attire — she never could have guessed modeling for Tucker would lead to appearing on a Times Square billboard.

“When she asked me if I wanted to model for the billboard, I was just sitting there thinking, ‘I have to ask Raini if she wants to be a part of something huge like this with me,’” Autumn says, noting Tucker loved the idea of including both sisters.

Raini re ects on the trip they took this past July to see the billboard.

“It was a rainy day in New York City. Two or three minutes before our billboard went up, it started pouring. We took cover under a closed newspaper stand directly in front of the billboard just waiting ... and then, there it was. e rest of the world felt black and white, and that billboard was the only thing in color. It was amazing to be a part of a milestone for Sheila’s brand recognition/ her dreams and our dream of modeling,” she says.

In Paris, the twins will model Tucker’s couture collection, “ e Floating World,” which features chi on, satin, tulle and plenty of Tucker’s signature bead work.

“With all of us being Native, we are proving that we can be a force in this industry through the adversity faced to get here,” Raini says. “It’s nice to be on the forefront of representation for Native people because there is still racism, stereotyping and people who don’t know that Natives still exist.”

While both sisters are currently based in the Tulsa area and aren’t sure what the future holds, they hope Paris will bring more travel and platform-building opportunities for their story to reach and encourage others.

Follow the twins’ journeys on Instagram @rainideerinwater and @autdeerinwater. TP the university of Presidential Lecture Series

Sponsored by The Darcy O’Brien Endowed Chair, Oklahoma Center for the Humanities