Inuit fashion show inspires Canadian North to redesign uniforms
Airline’s move came about after Inuit fashion at Northern Lights conference in Ottawa in February, CEO says
Canadian North is seeking Inuit and Indigenous designers to help give the airline a new look after this Inuit fashion show at February’s Northern Lights conference in Ottawa inspired the airline to seek designers pay tribute to the company’s Inuit and Indigenous roots, CEO Michael Rodyniuk says. (File photo by Cedric Gallant)
An Inuit fashion show in Ottawa earlier this year was the inspiration for Canadian North’s decision to give its employees a new look, calling on Inuit and Indigenous designers to create new uniforms for the airline.
CEO Michael Rodyniuk and chairperson Johnny Adams were at the Northern Lights conference and trade show gala in February, which started off with a show of Inuit-designed fashions.
“We were so impressed with what we saw from Inuit designers’ [progressive fashion] that would look cool in downtown Calgary,” he said.
Canadian North recently announced it is looking for proposals for new uniform designs created by Inuit and Indigenous designers.
The Inuit-owned airline is seeking designs that pay homage to Inuit and Indigenous cultural histories and modern-day style that reflects reconciliation and empowerment.
In addition to uniforms, the airline is looking for Indigenous suppliers to produce accessories like name tags, ties, scarves and shawls “proudly reflecting and connecting to Canadian North’s Inuit roots,” according to a news release.
Rodyniuk said Canadian North wants to heighten its customers’ Inuit and Indigenous experience.
“Folks spend a lot of money on a transportation [and] adventure in and out of the Arctic,” Rodyniuk said in an interview about the move to redesign the uniforms.
“We want to make certain that at the end of the day, when they’ve acquired a ticket with us that it’s not just another airline. It’s the experience on board the aircraft.”
The company’s deadline for designers to submit proposals is Aug. 10 and it hopes to award the contract by Aug. 25.
Now if we could only find Inuit, to wear these beautiful clothes on the airline.
Nice idea, Canadian North.
However:
—-Proposal Submission Deadline is August 10.
Proposals must include photos of samples.
Goals of this project include:
I. Identification badges (for approximately 250 employees)
II. Ties (for approximately 50 employees)
III. Scarves with safety latch (for approximately 100 employees)
IV. Shawl (for approximately 100 employees)
V. Other apparel – unique ideas welcome
—-The award date is August 25.
—-The project is due October 3.
So design should be carefully thought out, samples made and submitted in like 20 days.
If you manage that, they may tell you you’ve been awarded the contract.
Then you have like 40 days to deliver.
This sounds like a good project for some knockoff “Inuit style” “designer” who already has a sweatshop up and running in Shenzhen.
They’ve already extended the deadline how many times now? probably because of the unrealistic timeline.
Handmade in Nunavut badges? Some cool sealskin incorporated idea? That would be awesome. I’ll just whip up 250 of them.
Design an amazing and unique print to put on shawls? I’ll just get my sweatshop machines dusted off.
It’s all a good idea in theory though. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes of it.
I wonder why they had to extend the deadline by a month, as it had originally closed a week ago. Nobody serious submitted their designs?
This actually sounds like a project for someone like Inukchic. She already has manufacturers in Asia making her Apple-style “designed in Ottawa, made in China” type of products products. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Same goes for these Manitobah Mukluks that are all the rage in indiginous fashion lately. If you support them you’re an ally, regardless of what Chinese factory they’re made in.
Just more distractions from their predatory monopoly, ever-skyrocketing prices, ever-reduced routes, etc.
Canadian North is a disaster.
They quietly increased (in some cases doubled) their baggage fees in May, too:
Fees in effect after May 1, 2023:
Unless otherwise stated, fees are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and are inclusive of the minimum (5%) to maximum (15%) tax which may apply, based on your itinerary.
MAX. 50 LBS PER CHECKED ITEM
RATE
1st
FREE
2nd
$57.50
3rd
$114.98
4th & 5th
$114.98
Animal in Hold (AVIH)
$230
Pet in Cabin, under seat (PETC)
$86.25
OVERWEIGHT FEES
Overweight of 51 to 70 lbs: $57.50* Overweight of 71 to 100 lbs & oversize: $172.46*
* if not included in free allowance + excess fee
How long have Northern Lights fashion shows been happening? How many Inuit fashion shows have the boys at Makivik seen over the years? How about when they tried to have their own Inuit fashion company realized they couldn’t make all the products and farmed the work to China and then no one wanted to buy those products.
Seems like it wasn’t on the radar until settler from the south discovered it for the first time and stated it would be great to see Inuit fashions on the streets of Calgary, sucking up to his bosses.
How long did they give the industry suppliers to design and bid on their new uniforms a couple of years back? I’m willing to bet they had longer than 40 days to turn it around.
Well this attributes to a “made in china” …or “japan” not Nunavut for sure . You think they would have it when the airline merged but that was for making huge profits and sidelined nunavumiut. A conglomerate benefit .
“Folks spend a lot of money on a transportation [and] adventure in and out of the Arctic,” Rodyniuk said in an interview about the move to redesign the uniforms.
This here is proof that Canadian North does not care about us. I think there is a lot in the words “in and out of the Arctic”. They only care about the Ottawa-Iqaluit (and other southern connections). They want to bring people North and get them out as well.
What about us that want to travel within Territory travel.
Yes going south is needed for some things, but also getting us home is more important.