Jamie Okuma

Jamie Okuma is an acclaimed Native American fashion designer, visual artist, and cultural innovator whose work blends traditional Indigenous craftsmanship with contemporary haute couture. An enrolled member of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, with Shoshone-Bannock heritage, Okuma has become internationally recognized for creating intricately beaded garments, accessories, and mixed-media artworks that celebrate Native identity while challenging stereotypes surrounding Indigenous fashion and art.

Raised in Southern California, Okuma began beading as a child under the guidance of her mother and grandmother, developing a meticulous attention to detail that would later define her career. Her early work focused on highly detailed beadwork and regalia inspired by Native traditions, but she gradually expanded into luxury fashion, incorporating modern silhouettes, avant-garde styling, and couture-level craftsmanship. Her designs often feature hand-beaded embellishments, featherwork, leatherwork, and references to Indigenous histories and storytelling traditions, merging ancestral techniques with a bold contemporary aesthetic.

Okuma has work in the permanent collections of Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, The Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, The Denver Art Museum and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and many more. She has received numerous honors, including multiple awards from the prestigious Santa Fe Indian Market, where she became one of the most celebrated artists in the event’s history. In 2022, she won the inaugural Best Designer award at the Native American Fashion Awards. She has most recently became the first Native American inducted into The Council of Fashion Designers of America otherwise known as the CFDA. She is also a 2025 CFDA Vogue Fashion Finalist.

Beyond her artistry, Okuma has become an influential advocate for Indigenous representation in luxury fashion and contemporary art. Through her collections and public appearances, she highlights the importance of preserving Native cultural traditions while creating space for Indigenous creators in global fashion conversations. Her work stands as both a celebration of craftsmanship and a powerful statement about identity, resilience, and the evolving future of Native design.