Informing the public, one pair of leggings at a time.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 what a Langford entrepreneur hopes to do with her line of B次元官网网址渨earable, authentic Indigenous artB次元官网网址� that will be featured on CBCB次元官网网址檚 DragonsB次元官网网址� Den in a couple of weeks.
Shar Wilson will be making her DragonsB次元官网网址� Den debut on Nov. 22 with her clothing company, Finawear.
Wilson lives in Langford now but is originally from Gitxsan Territory in northern B.C.
She used to work in finance with various First Nations organizations but everything changed for her in 2009 when she lost her 17-year-old son in a car crash.
B次元官网网址淲hen I lost him my life ended pretty much,B次元官网网址� Wilson said. B次元官网网址淚t didnB次元官网网址檛 make sense that my son wasnB次元官网网址檛 there.B次元官网网址�
About three years later, Wilson said she saw frog flip flops that she was drawn to because she is from the frog tribe.
READ MORE: Sooke fudge company on DragonB次元官网网址檚 Den Nov. 2
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 never seen anything with our crests on it,B次元官网网址� Wilson said.
Wilson spent the last of her money buying the flip flops and posted them on Facebook to sell them. She said they sold right away and that led to her first business, Shop With Shar.
However, Wilson said she noticed many of the products she was selling were not made in Canada and that the art did not look the way she thought it should.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 when the business part of my brain started kicking in and I said well why donB次元官网网址檛 I do this myself?B次元官网网址� Wilson said.
She taught herself how to use various computer programs, purchased printers and cutting machines and taught herself how to make the products.
B次元官网网址淚 got all these designs, ordered my first set of clothing in February B次元官网网址� flew to Toronto in April and pitched for the Dragons,B次元官网网址� Wilson said. B次元官网网址淚t was very intimidating for me B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 just a little reserve girl, I never left B.C.B次元官网网址�
Wilson said she hopes people from all backgrounds can wear her products.
B次元官网网址淭he whole point is to inform people and change their minds and help them understand the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation,B次元官网网址� Wilson said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 love anybody to wear Finawear because they know who the artist is, where IB次元官网网址檓 from and if they wanted to, they can find the story on the art. ThatB次元官网网址檚 cultural appreciation.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: Langford entrepreneur marches into the DragonsB次元官网网址� Den
Wilson said she has been busy designing and honing her skill since she pitched to the dragons. She built a website to sell her products and is now planning to connect with other Indigenous artists to help promote their work as well. She said she hopes to feature them on her website so people can buy authentic work.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 all for promoting other First Nations artists B次元官网网址� spreading their work around B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 what I want to do,B次元官网网址� Wilson said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 enough to go around B次元官网网址� as Indigenous artists a lot of times we come from a place of lack so we donB次元官网网址檛 believe that B次元官网网址ut thereB次元官网网址檚 enough to boost each other up.B次元官网网址�
So far, Wilson said she has sent her products to places in Canada and also internationally to cities like Chicago and Athens.
Wilson said her friends and family are very excited to see the episode. She will be holding a viewing party at the Legion in Langford so they can all watch it together.
The viewing party will be held on Thursday, Nov. 22, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at 761 Station Ave.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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