The Mastermind of Decolonial Clothing -- Casey Desjarlais

Casey Desjarlais of Decolonial Clothing

by Bee Millar

Casey in her women’s fancy shawl regalia

For this Summer issue, I wanted to highlight an Indigenous kwe that truly inspires me and is working tirelessly for our Youth and People as a whole. This kwe is Casey Desjarlais, a Nehiyaw & Anishinaabe (Cree & Ojibway) from Treaty 4. She is known for her Indigenous Owned streetwear clothing line, Decolonial Clothing, which she shares with her fiance, Dakota Bear, whom she shares 2 beautiful children with, Aubrey and Nikosis. Casey is so much more than the brains and face behind Decolonial. As mentioned above, she's a Mom, which is her most important job of all. 

Before we get into the aspects of Casey that aren't Decolonial, I wanted to share a bit about Casey's work with her brand and her vision for Decolonial. Casey is the mastermind behind most of the designs, concepts and collections for Decolonial Clothing. When asked how she comes up with the concepts for DECO's collections, she answered: 

I just really wanted to wear my cultural values. I want to feel empowered when I step out of the house and fight for justice. When I wear Sitting Bull or Big Bear or Poundmaker (all 3 Indigenous Warriors & Chiefs are featured in Decolonial Collections), I feel proud and resilient. When I wear 'Dismantle Colonial Oppression (now discontinued) I feel empowered and strong. As Indigenous People, we are constantly fighting for our fights, for an existence free from oppression - I just wanted to create clothing that can help or keep our spirits strong during those hard moments and powerful moments as well. - Casey

Casey at the #cancelcanadaday march and gathering that herself and her fiancée Dakota put together and hosted in Vancouver, BC

Personally, I’m Urban Indigenous, meaning I live in the city. We’ve experienced racism, discrimination, disrespect and just pure ignorance in the city, on a daily basis, sometimes even from our own neighbours that we lived directly beside. Being able to wear clothes that show my pride for my Indigenous blood, feel empowered, feel that resilience, and walking on this land that was stolen from my People - knowing my People survived and continue to survive genocide and that my ancestors fought and prayed tirelessly and endlessly in order for me to be here today. Knowing that every single day I'm working to Decolonize my life, views and mindset, breaking those toxic cycles, being able to represent that by walking around the city wearing a t-shirt that says 'JUSTICE FOR INDIGENOUS' means everything to me.

Sometimes being Indigenous in the city can begin to feel like a burden, being centered out by settlers asking us for teach them things while just simply walking home from McDonalds with my son. Little things like that add up in our minds, and it becomes daunting just to leave our homes, knowing that simply because we're Indigenous, we're going to get stared at, treated differently whether good or bad. They always treat us differently, meanwhile we've all got the same heart that carries us. Being able to wear Decolonial's clothing, it helps fight back against that, it feels like an armour I put on before heading out into a very dangerous world for Indigenous Womxn, and just Indigenous People in general.

That armour in the form of Decolonial Clothing, reminds me when I'm being discriminated, or when someone is making fun of my son for his long hair and traditional name, that they don't even try to say probably, all I have to do, is look down at my DECO armour, and remember and remind myself of the strength, pride and resilience I carry! 

'Let's create a generation that doesn't need to heal, the Youth are our future. It is all of our responsibility to contribute to their wellness' - Casey 

Casey, her fiancée Dakota Bear & her brother in law (Dakota’s little brother) rockin the new Warrior Collection by Decolonial Clothing

Decolonial Clothing is more than an Indigenous Owned clothing line, though they do rock that title VERY well. But it's also 'an online community that embodies the process of decolonizing, undoing and unlearning as well as building on cultural knowledge and self empowerment.' 

But as mentioned above, even though Decolonial Clothing is a huge part of Casey's life and story, she has many more titles, responsibilities and roles that she plays. Of course, we know her as the hard working business owner and the mastermind behind most of Decolonial's designs concepts and collections but she's also a mother, wife, fancy shawl dancer, and focuses her work on the 'youth engagement & empowerment alongside community and cultural identity.' 

She's worked hard to gain the education and knowledge needed to help her achieve these goals, not only through her culture and teachings but in academia as well. Casey went to University of Saskatoon for a year taking First Nations Studies then went to Simon Fraser University for a year to continue First Nations Studies then went to Native Education Collee fgor Indigenous Justice Studies! 

Also, as mentioned above, she's a proud Nehiyaw & Anishinaabekwe & as most Indigenous Women, who she is as a Nehiyaw and Anishinaabe Woman is weaved deeply into who she is, her being and everything she does. When she's not working on Decolonial, you can find Cas hanging out with her 2 children or mentoring other Indigenous youth to follow their dreams. 

We believe so much in the younger generation, that everything we've learned we want to teach and empower them. Our dream is to have our own warehouse, giving us more options for sustainability and creating employment opportunities for Indigenous People. We want to train and mentor Indigenous Youth, allowing them to use their skills, talents and passions to build their own businesses, organizations and communities. - Casey

A photo of Casey and her fiancée Dakota Bear from a photo shoot for Decolonial Clothing 

I am proof of this. Upon collaborating with Decolonial on some content for A Tribe Called Beauty, Casey and her fiance Dakota Bear, offered me an opportunity to use my gift of writing to work for Decolonial and it's been such a dream come true. As a woman, mother, wife & entrepreneur/business owner, Casey inspires and motivates me. I think it's important for our Girls and Women to have these reachable, Indigenous role models & mentors, and have a good connection with those relations. 

An aspect of who Casey is that inspires me is the way she is raising her children. As a mother of a 3 year old Indigenous boy, I am able to relate to Casey in the way she is raising her son and daughter, and the things she is working hard to teach them. 

When I asked Casey: What messages and teachings are most important for you to teach your children? She answered: 'We want to teach our children about the importance of reclaiming our languages, culture and ceremonies. We want them to be grounded in their Indigenous identity, this will prepare them for any path they choose on their journey. We teach them to be kind and humble, always give back and always believe in yourself. We hope our clothing line will show them that even with the most odds stacked up against us, things like poverty, addiction, self-doubt, colonialism; that if you set your mind to something, you can achieve it and we will be here to believe in them.' 

Casey's, as well as her fiance Dakota Bear's, families have both been through the Residential School System & they are both the first generation that didn't have to attend the schools. When I asked them who their role models & influences are, they answered: 'Our influences include our families, and the strength and power that our ancestors have passed onto us. We carry their resilience in our blood.' 

Being able to raise our babies knowing the truth of the resilience and strength we carry in our veins, that was passed on to us from our ancestors, is important in making sure we raise our Indigenous babies to know the truth of who they are in a world that is constantly trying to tell them what they are and aren't, that they are enough or not enough. 

And with that, I want to leave it  with Casey's answer to the question 'What does a decolonized Turtle Island look like in your mind and what does achieving decolonization mean to you?'

To me a decolonized Turtle Island would be a place free from gendered and racial oppression, the MMIWG2ST crisis would be non-existent. No more colonial violence. The Justice System would be completely overhauled with a restorative Justice approach. Our children and babies wouldn't be dying at the rates they are - supports would be so much more accessible. The child welfare system would be shut down and replaced with a kinship and healing oriented approach - our babies can finally come home. Our communities would be thriving and self determining, we would have access to our traditional lands to participate in ceremonies and be stewards of the land in our own ways.

I think decolonization is a lifelong process of learning and unlearning. It starts within ourselves individually. We need to go inwards with ourselves so that we can undo the harms caused unto us and others. We need to do the work individually so that we can collectively decolonize' 
- Casey

Casey in her women’s fancy shawl regalia

Follow Casey on Instagram: @casey.desjarlais 

Follow Decolonial Clothing on Instagram: @decolonialclothing

Follow A Tribe Called Beauty on Instagram: @atribecalledbeauty

Visit the Decolonial online shop & website: www.decolonialclothing.com

& sign up for the weekly emails & newsletter from Decolonial by heading to the site link provided above to check out the content.

I'm beyond blessed and grateful to be able to create and collaborate on for & with Casey and Dakota Bear.

-Bee