Last night’s Golden Globe ceremony was a historic event for actor Lily Gladstone. The Killers of the Flower Moon star took home the trophy for best actress in a motion picture (drama), making her the first Indigenous woman to ever win the category. Gladstone, who is Blackfeet and Nez Perce, began her powerful speech by speaking in the Blackfeet language, then went on to say, “This is a historic win. It doesn’t belong to just me.… This is for every little Native kid out there who has a dream and is seeing themselves represented in our stories told by ourselves, in our own words.”
Representation extended to the red carpet. Gladstone’s fashion look for the evening, a custom Valentino ensemble, was embedded with a special meaning: Her jewelry served as a display of cultural pride. To complement her Bulgari necklace, the star, styled by Jason Rembert, chose earrings by Lenise Omeasoo—a Blackfeet and Cree beadwork artist based in Arlee, Montana. “It’s incredibly empowering to know that another Blackfeet woman chose to wear my earrings on such a huge night in her career,” says Omeasoo, whose jewelry label is Antelope Woman Designs.
Gladstone wore Omeasoo’s beaded picture-frame earrings, which had an intricate black-and-white parfleche design on them. “The pair took a few weeks to finish,” says Omeasoo, adding that they’re part of a three-piece earring set. “With this pair of earrings, I wanted to explore contrasting colors and textures. The idea of a picture frame came to mind when creating the simple mirrored Blackfeet design. I loved the feeling the earrings gave, a flat beaded center hugged by a dramatic beaded edge—holding a bit of Blackfeet culture within.”
It’s not the first time Gladstone has chosen to honor her Indigenous roots through fashion. In the lead-up to awards season, she and Rembert have spotlighted many different Native designers on the step-and-repeat; looks have included frocks by Jamie Okuma and jewelry by Jennifer Younger and El Techichi. For artists like Omeasoo, whose work has now been spotlighted on a major Hollywood stage, the representation means everything. “I believe our presence in the fashion world will continue to grow,” says Omeasoo, “as many Indigenous artists support each other.”
