Indigenous designers from tribal communities across North Carolina will present their work Thursday at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh during Stitched in Tradition, a free evening program scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. The event combines runway presentations with an opening song and a traditional-regalia showcase.
Stitched in Tradition is a collaboration between the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Museum of Art, with the History museum presenting it as an NCMA After Hours takeover, according to NCMA Raleigh. The program is designed to give Indigenous designers from North Carolina tribal communities a public platform. CBS 17 described the event as a showcase of Indigenous creativity, storytelling and identity.
The participating designers come from across North Carolina, and their collections connect cultural knowledge with current design and individual expression, according to CBS 17 and the North Carolina Museum of History. The History museum's listing places the event at the North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
How the Evening Unfolds
The program opens with a song and a presentation of traditional regalia. Indigenous dancers are scheduled to appear at 6:45 p.m., followed by the runway presentations. Designer reflections and closing remarks are set for 7:45 p.m., according to NCMA Raleigh's event page.
Organizers present the showcase as a way to examine how Indigenous fashion communicates identity and supports the visibility of Native designers in the present day. The participating collections are also intended to connect personal design choices with cultural knowledge and community experience, according to NCMA Raleigh's description.
Getting In, and Getting There
The event is advertised as free. CBS 17 reported that attendees can obtain tickets through the North Carolina Museum of History, while Triangle on the Cheap says NCMA After Hours programs are generally free and do not require registration. Because those access details differ, attendees should check the organizers' current event information before going.
Stitched in Tradition is part of the North Carolina Museum of History's broader Indigenous-focused programming. The museum has previously presented its annual American Indian Heritage Celebration in Raleigh, including its 29th edition in November 2024 and its 28th in November 2023. Thursday's program shifts the format toward a designer-centered runway and museum evening event.
Earlier Indigenous arts and fashion programs
A North Carolina precedent came from the Cain Center for the Arts, which presented Generations: Highlighting Indigenous Peoples, Cultures, & Artwork from Nov. 12, 2024, through Jan. 11, 2025. The program included a Jan. 11 fashion exhibition by maker Beverly Scarlett, according to the Cain Center for the Arts.
A separate documented example outside North Carolina was a Dec. 14 Native fashion runway at the Kansas Union Ballroom, where local and national Indigenous designers presented their work. The Spencer Museum of Art said that event was free but required tickets, according to the Spencer Museum of Art.
