Indigenous fashion designer with northern Ontario roots celebrates success

Indigenous fashion designer Lesley Hampton, a member of Temagami First Nation, is celebrating Indigenous History Month with a featured pop-up at Holt Renfrew.

Lesley Hampton, a member of Temagami First Nation, is seeing her work featured at Holt Renfrew in Mississauga as part of a three-week pop-up celebrating Indigenous History Month.

The Anishinaabe artist and designer, whose inclusive and mental health-focused fashion has gained international attention, reflects on her journey from a young sewing enthusiast to a celebrated name in the industry.

From early sewing to fashion dreams

Hampton learned to sew when she was four years old, crafting a teddy bear for her brother.

“A few years ago, I actually found what I ended up making way back when -- and it kind of looked like a flat duck-shaped thing,” she said with a laugh.

“But I still remember to this day, the vision that I had when I wanted to create this piece.”

Though deeply connected to her roots in Temagami, where she frequently visits extended family, Hampton spent much of her youth abroad.

“I am a member of Temagami First Nation. I am an Anishinaabe-quay Indigenous woman. And I also identify as a third-culture kid,” she said.

“A lot of my youth and adolescence, I actually grew up internationally. I went to middle school in Australia and high school in England, as well as a few other places in between.”

Passion for fashion

Despite her early passion for fashion -- sparked by runway shows on TV -- Hampton didn’t see herself reflected in the industry.

“Even at that young age, I only saw one skin type, one body type, and being a curvy Indigenous kid, I really didn’t see myself in that space,” she said.

“So, it was a really great thing to be interested in ... and I’ve always loved sewing. But I never really saw it as something that I could do as a career choice.”

After earning a degree in art studio and art history from the University of Toronto Mississauga, Hampton noticed a natural shift toward fashion.

“Everything I was creating for those art classes was all a conversation about the body and what you can put on the body to create a dialogue,” she said.

“So, it was almost a natural jump from there into the fashion industry.”

She launched her eponymous line in 2016 at just 22 years old. Her designs quickly gained recognition, appearing at Fashion Art Toronto and Vancouver Fashion Week – with images from the latter featured in Vogue Magazine.

Celebrity endorsements

Her profile rose further in 2017 when Kim Kardashian posted a photo wearing her fall/winter collection.

Since then, Hampton has dressed a growing list of high-profile figures, including Lizzo, Lily Gladstone, and most recently, Sandra Oh for her Order of Canada ceremony.

“It’s really exciting because all these celebrities – whether we reached out to them or, in the case of Sandra Oh, her team reached out to us – are people dedicated to representing what my brand stands for,” she said.

Hampton’s brand emphasizes inclusivity, mental health awareness, and Indigenous representation.

“My brand is highly focused on building community and creating space that I, as a kid, really wanted to feel included and celebrated in,” she said.

“I want to create that safe space.”

She said there has been significant progress in the fashion industry since she began.

“We really see these diverse and inclusive bodies taking up space in major celebrity moments, major runway moments,” Hampton said.

“It’s so wonderful that there’s a focus on inclusive representation now, as well as Indigenous representation. It’s just been kind of exploding within the fashion scene.”

Inspiring the next generation

For Hampton, the shift is vital for future generations.

“To have that increased level of representation is so crucial for that young kid – that young Indigenous kid, young BIPOC kid, or even young curvy kid who really wants to see themselves represented in these spaces because they are such beautiful, exciting spaces to be in.”

Her current showcase at Holt Renfrew underscores her mission to make Indigenous fashion accessible.

“It’s so important for customers and clients in the luxury space to understand that Indigenous fashion can be worn by everyone,” she said.

“People need to know they can celebrate our stories through fashion by wearing our designs and helping push our narratives forward.”

Hampton’s collection will remain at Holt Renfrew until July 4.

Looking ahead, she hopes to expand her reach further – with ambitions to showcase at New York and London Fashion Weeks, bringing her inclusive vision to an even broader audience.