Hundreds of followers. Thousands of dollars. What happens when Hudson Williams wears an independent brand
It was a meaningful moment that went well beyond just gaining a spot of fame: Williams chose to wear Louis’ sweater on Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada, which honors the history of Indigenous children who were forcibly removed from their homes and forced to attend Canada’s residential school system, a movement that lasted until 1996. (He also wore an orange ribbon, the official symbolic color of the day.) “I love it let him give a nod to this day,” one Williams fan wrote on Instagram. “He knows it will generate sales of the sweater, supporting that Indigenous artist while also just showcasing Indigenous artists.” »
For Louis, the impact was immediately felt: the brand gained hundreds of new followers, and this observation also brought the designer thousands of dollars in sales. Below, Louis shares more of the story behind the creation of his viral cardigan placement.
Vogue: So how did this all start?
Louis: I was told Hudson wanted to support an Indigenous designer for Truth and Reconciliation Day (in Canada). He very intentionally wanted to wear something from a Native designer, and he had to do some research and came across my stuff. He found this cardigan, fell in love with it and wanted to wear it for the red carpet in New York. That’s the coolest thing you could ask for as a Native designer: we make our products for everyone! We love seeing other people wearing it.
What inspired the specific design of this cardigan?
The drawing is called “The Journey”. This actually came from a dream I had where I was back home at my dad’s house. In the dream, I wondered where all my ancestors were. It was winter, and when you look at the meadows, you see all the blue hues of the moon. This is where the teepee and the colors come from: it represents the period of winter when the moon is large and lights up the meadows. The stars represent where my ancestors were: In the dream, the stars turned into eyeballs to represent my ancestors looking down on me. The sweater represents being away from home and feeling disconnected, but realizing that your ancestors are still with you.
Gn entert
