While beaded jewellery once conjured up memories of camp crafts or early 2000s boho-chic, today’s resurgence is rooted in reverence. In Indigenous communities, beadwork is a storied art form, now reclaiming the spotlight in fresh ways — from the standout earrings worn by Lily Gladstone on red carpets to Edmonton-based artists fusing tradition with modern style.
This hand-beaded felt hat by Métis artist Marissa Supple-McKinney features a bold black-and-white cow-print pattern wrapping around the brim. Known for her custom hats, Marissa blends fashion with cultural reconnection. Each piece is deeply expressive and meant to be worn often — a deliberate rejection of fast fashion. Follow Supple-McKinney on Instagram at @featheredaway
Earrings feature a hand-beaded strawberry (or “heart berry,” as it’s known in Ojibwa) in vibrant red, green and gold, set off by pearly white beads and ornate silver tips. Created by Jacqueline Gibbon of Wildrose Beadwork, it’s a playful and contemporary twist on traditional Métis beadwork — work that has been traded and sold all across Turtle Island, and has even taken her as far away as Amsterdam. Follow Gibbon on Instagram at @wildrose_beadwork
This pair of earrings by Jocelyn Lamothe of Willow Rose Beads features soft purple petals, a golden yellow centre and curved teal leaves, hand-stitched onto tan hide and edged with gold beads. Each piece takes her up to five hours, and is both a creative expression and a way to connect with her Métis roots. Follow Lamothe on Instagram at @willowrosebeads.
This article appears in the September 2025 issue of Edify
