Two Innu artists come together to create their Orange sweater

The company Mikuniss Collection, from Mashteuiatsh, and the artist Sabrina Phoenix, from Pessamit, created their own version of the Orange sweater worn in solidarity with the survivors of residential schools for Aboriginal people to remember the consequences of this system. They will be in the spotlight Monday during the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.

Approximately 200 sweaters have been produced in recent weeks in a sewing workshop in the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh.

The Mikuniss Collection firm has chosen a limited production.

We want it to remain exclusive, something unique and something you won’t find elsewhere. It’s really important for us to create on a small scaleargues the owner and creative director, Valéry Larouche.

Half of the available sweaters quickly found buyers during the presale. The purchase of orange sweaters by non-natives represents, for Valéry Larouche, one more step towards reconciliation.

I was pleasantly surprised by people’s response. It’s both indigenous and non-indigenous people who buy. It’s something rewarding, something that warms our hearts. People want to wear itshe confides.

Pekuakamiulnu Valéry Larouche describes himself as a symbol of reconciliation.

My father is white and my mother is indigenous. It’s a nice mix of what we’re talking about.simply sums up this young woman who presents herself as both an Innu and a Quebecer.

After living elsewhere in Lac-Saint-Jean, it was in Mashteuiatsh, the only indigenous community in the region, that she found her roots. She has recently lived there in addition to running her fashion business.

I am proud to be a little bearer of this reconciliation.

It has always been important for me to bridge the gap between the two cultures. I have always been proud to be Aboriginal, then I have always been proud to be half non-Aboriginal, half Aboriginal. Being mixed race, I have always been proud of that.

If, in the past, his mixed origins attracted mockery, today, this is what allows him to stand out.

There’s always been a little something in the community and a little something on the other side too. Me, I have always been able to make my place, to say: “I am here, I am like this. You will accept me like this.”

Collaboration between two Innu

As in each of her creations, the Mashteuiatsh fashion designer includes the work of her Indigenous peers. For this orange sweater, it is a visual creation by Sabrina Phoenix that is in the spotlight.

Last year, I targeted Sabrina. She didn’t have time to come up with a design for us. This year, I returned to the charge. I really like his style, his designstestifies the designer.

This Innu from Pessamit was inspired by a photo she took of her son. The multidisciplinary artist, who now resides in Quebec, illustrated two hands holding baby moccasins.

I told myself that the children’s moccasins were quite representative, symbolic, for that day, the history of the residential schools. I incorporated the elements that I usually do in my indigenous designsexplains Sabrina Rousselot-Copeau.

Local creation

Valéry Larouche prides itself on offering locally produced orange sweaters. Organic cotton is woven in Montreal. It is cut by a Jeanne company before being assembled in the Mikuniss Collection workshop, which overlooks the Pekuakami. Sabrina Phoenix’s drawing is then printed in Saguenay.

Everything is done here, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. We are very proud of thatrejoices this graduate of Cégep Marie-Victorin in fashion design.