Every piece of fashion Jaymie Campbell creates has its own story. It might be one inspired by her family, or perhaps a moment spent in nature. The story could be in the materials she uses, such as how her moose hide was harvested or in the beads she chooses.

The final products are stories she tries to make sure will last much longer than the fast fashion people wear and discard. “I always hope whenever I make something that it is going to be passed down to future generations.” Campbell, a New Denver-based artist, and Nelson’s Naomi Bourque have been invited to exhibit their work at the Indigenous Fashion Arts festival in Toronto, which runs May 30 to June 2 and provides a high-profile spotlight for Indigenous artists from across Canada.

Despite belonging to a family of artists with Anishnaabe heritage on her father’s side, Campbell didn’t immediately take up fashion as a career. She grew up in New Denver but moved to Curve Lake First Nation in Ontario when she was 10. In university she completed bachelor degrees in biology and outdoor recreation before working in local governance with a Cree community in Alberta for seven years.

During that time she learned about hide tanning and began focusing on bead work. Campbell left her job, returned to New Denver and started White Otter Design Co. Campbell said her grandmother was a hunter and father was a painter, but making a living from art wasn’t realistic for them as it has become for her.

“They all came up during a .