2 Indigenous designers collaborate on Kiawentiio's Hollywood red carpet look

It was a Cinderella moment for two Indigenous designers who hustledto make the perfect dress for Kanien'keh:ka(Mohawk) actressKiawentiio's red carpet moment.

The Netflix seriesAvatar: The Last Airbender, in which sheplays Katara,had its red carpet premiere Feb. 15 in Los Angeles.

Tasha Thompson was commissioned for the hand-beaded corset and Evan Ducharme for the tiered skirt. The two collaborated to make the dress without ever meeting each other in person.

"When it was a go, everything went quick," said Thompson.

"I tore my fingers up a little bit but I have no regrets."

Thompson said beading the bodice took hera week and a half.

The teen actress turned to her friend Thompsonto help her represent herself and her character through the garment.Thompson and Kiawentiio are bothfrom Akwesasne,on theQuebec, Ontario and New York state borders.

"First we figured out the shape of the corset and then we had the idea for it to be a little avant-garde, you know, with the wave coming up," Thompson said.

"Then we just kind of kept adding from there."

Although Thompson saidshe's been beading for as long as she could remember, this is the first time she's seeing her work on a Hollywood red carpet.

With three daughters, Thompsonhad her owncheer squad at home.

"They pushed me more than I pushed myself because they see my talents and potential like even more than I do myself," said Thompson.

Big fan of show

Ducharme, who is aMtisdesigner based in Winnipeg,said he first connected with the actresson Instagram when she was cast in therole.

"I did what every PR agency would tell you not to:I just lost my cool factor, as they would say in the industry. I sent them a DM," said Ducharme.

As a long-time fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ducharme said hisheart stopped when he got the email asking if he was interested in thisopportunity.

"The character of Katara is very important to Indigenous people, Indigenous kids, Indigenous fems in particular," said Ducharme.

With the plan, the colour palette and the OKto go, within two weeksDucharme had sent off the bottom part of the dressin the mail.

"To have the opportunity to build something for them for this premiere was a moment that the nerdly little Michif kid inside of me wouldn't have believed in a million years," he said.