Sally Frenchy Thorne is one impressive 10-year-old. She first found a love for sewing and designing fashion at the tender age of seven, and she draws her inspiration from both her Coast Salish (Cowichan Tribes and Stzuminus) and Haida (Kyaanuuslii Clan) culture.
She was selected to be the youngest participant to show off her original work at this year’s All Nations Fashion Show, which takes place at Toronto’s York University on Nov. 15. It’s a part of the university’s Indigenous Fashion week and pow wow hosted annually. This prestigious event, which will have seven fashion houses in attendance, is an invaluable platform for emerging talent to highlight Indigenous culture and creativity in the fashion industry. As this year’s youngest participant, Sally aims to celebrate Indigenous identity, and bring awareness to the richness of all Indigenous cultures.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Sally with huge smile. “I’m excited to be representing a whole lot of my family. I’ll be representing my grandmas, my papas, uncles my aunties, my ancestors.”
Sally’s unique designs draw inspiration from her heritage as she blends traditional elements with contemporary styles. She loves to spend a lot of her free time at home sewing, and it was in her family’s kitchen with her mother Sarah that she first embraced this hobby, which has since become her passion. While she has never sold any of her original designs, Sally has been trading them for the past five years, and it was through trading with one of the people responsible for organizing the All Nations Fashion Show that Sally was invited to apply.
“We always put good thoughts and feelings into what we are sewing,” said Sarah. “I told her that with her only being 10, it was more than OK if she didn’t get in but here we are going to Toronto.”
Sally and her family left for Toronto on Nov. 13, and it will be Sally’s first time heading to the east coast.
“It’s a really good opportunity, but also scary because she is only 10,” said Sarah. “There are going to be some big fashion houses there, and Sally’s fashion house happens in our kitchen, but I am really excited for her to go and experience it, and talk about why she sews.”
When Sally isn’t creating designs inspired from her culture, she is active in sports and plays lacrosse, soccer, and hockey. She is currently in her fifth year of Hul’q’umi’num immersion at Quw’utsun Smuneem Elementary, and around the time she began sewing, she also became educated on residential schools and has many family members who attended them in the past, which she says is where she draws a lot of her inspiration.
“Her education experience has always been a happy one based in her culture, teachings and language,” said Sarah. “When we started to dissect pieces of our family, Sally would ask why things were the way that they were. We talked about residential schools, and she also read a book about it. Part of her sewing was to decolonize her classes. Sally has always been a big advocate for Indigenous knowledge in ways of being.”
“Some of my papas and grandmas, also went to residential school,” said Sally. “I wanted to show that all people can do their dreams too, they just have to try.”
Sally’s dream of attending the All Nations Fashion Show in Toronto quickly became a reality as community members came together for the Little Ravens Pow Wow Group fundraiser lunch which was held on Oct. 27. They were able to raise the majority of the funds needed for Sally with family members pitching in the rest.
“The fundraiser went well,” said Sarah. “My brothers and dad came and they sang, and Sally did pow wow dancing with her siblings, so they all performed. Sally’s school came down and had their dance group the Little Ravens perform as well. Sally is one of the role models in her dance group, so it was good just to see her perform and the whole community come together.”
Sally chooses the colours and designs for all her pieces, and puts her entire heart into everything she makes, and is over the moon to have five models showing off her creations on the catwalk at the All Nations Fashion Show.
“I sew to show that now we can do what we can do, my favourite part is how they all turn out,” said Sally. “I’m super excited to see all my designs on people and to be able to watch it. I hope that when people see my designs, they feel happy, and know that they, too, can do whatever they want to do, and work on what they want to put together.”
