COLECTIVA NUDO 6/6: ANCESTRAL THREADS, MODERN RUNWAY at VFW FW25

On April 12, 2025, I had the privilege of witnessing Colectiva Nudo 6/6 in their powerful debut at Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) F/W 2025. This collective of over 750 Indigenous women from Mexico presented a collection that celebrated ancestral textile traditions and boldly stated contemporary Indigenous identity.​ Nudo 6/6 presented four designers at VFW, and their reflections represent the collective's work.
Every piece presented on the runway was a testament to a strong narrative, demonstrating a deep connection to heritage. The intricate designs honoured traditional techniques while also embracing modern aesthetics. The combination of past and present in their work highlights each artist's commitment to a message of resilience and autonomy.

Many of us who have visited Mexico are used to seeing brightly coloured embroidery, using the colours of the rainbow in traditional patterns. A spokesperson for the collective was wearing one of these white blouses with a brightly embroidered pattern. However, this was not the style presented on the runway. The palette spoke of earth and flame—soft beiges, rooted blacks, smouldering rusts, and searing shades of red and orange. It was fashion, yes—but it was also protest, poetry, and power. A reclamation stitched not for memory’s sake, but for the present moment, and the future it dares to shape. While we might view this as fashion, and it is, it is so much more, reflecting and drawing on ancestral artisanal traditions.

In covering fashion here in Vancouver and Canada, I frequently report on Indigenous fashion, including Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. What is unique about covering Indigenous fashion is that you are seeing a hybrid of ancient traditional and contemporary design. The artists behind this collection demonstrated mastery in techniques such as weaving and embroidery, blending them seamlessly into silhouettes that ranged from minimalist to architecturally complex. Standout pieces include a black organza sheath with a massive pleated ruffle. Another look is a sumptuous full-skirted, pleated halter gown in a rich, mustardy yellow that brings the textile art to life. The intricate pleating transforms the fabric into motion, causing it to float and waft as the model moves. The clothes are intricately embroidered, featuring fine details such as trailing fringes and tassels. Border prints of flora motifs, geometric lines and rhythmic stripes add pattern. All these elements are masterfully crafted, adding sophistication to the entire collection.

Created by Fidelia Ek, Margarita López Hernández, Mildred Ramírez, and Tania Gómez Varquez, each design stood as a declaration—a reclamation. Through Colectiva Nudo 6/6, their work speaks volumes—anchoring identity, reclaiming autonomy, and projecting a future led by Indigenous vision. Their mission transcends aesthetics: this is fashion as memory, as dignity, as sustainable storytelling.

This collection is an overview of what the Colectiva Nudo 6/6 is dedicated to promoting. The crafts, skills, designs, and techniques used in the collection date back to pre-Hispanic times in Mesoamerica. The designers have incorporated these ancient skills into relevant garments for the runway of today. The clothing on the catwalk is stylish and contemporary, with a flair for modern silhouettes and colour schemes. This collection represents a fusion between identity and modernity, bridging the centuries where tradition and innovation come together. Meeting the artists behind this work was a true privilege. Their energy matched the soul of the collection—vibrant, rooted, and fiercely intentional.

COLECTIVA NUDO 6/6 WEBSITE

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK

BY PHOTOGRAPHER ARRUN NEVADER 

 IN CONCLUSION

Vancouver Fashion Week is dedicated to presenting a vibrant, diverse array of today's fashion world. The inclusion of Colectiva Nudo 6/6 is yet another example of the exciting fashion that VFW showcases. Follow me for the next weeks as we explore the dynamic and vital fashion that appeared at VFW F/W 2025. Additionally, be sure to follow me on my Instagram account where I explore fashion, art, and culture in Vancouver and beyond.

CIAO FOR NOW, J. ANDREW JACKSON