The work of GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n jewelry designer Tania Larsson is featured in the May issue of British Vogue.

Larsson got an email from British Vogue in early March saying they came across her company online and wanted to showcase her work in an upcoming issue.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was this opportunity to show my work in the jewelry designer profile in a print magazine and thereSA国际影视传媒檚 1.2 million readers who see this work,SA国际影视传媒� Larsson told News/North in an interview last week.

Larsson said she emailed back right away

SA国际影视传媒淚 thought it was fake at first ISA国际影视传媒檓 like yeah right,SA国际影视传媒� she said with a laugh.

Being featured in Vogue has been a dream of hers for a while, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is a magazine that I wanted to show my work,SA国际影视传媒� said Larsson.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd I thought it was really exciting and also nerve-wracking - like what kind of pictures you send them and what kind of text you provide so that the audience that they have understands what youSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to share with the world.SA国际影视传媒�

The earrings featured in British Vogue are inspired by GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n designs Larsson researched through the Smithsonian collection in 2015.

SA国际影视传媒淚 took lots of reference work of the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n items that were in the collection and I looked at the materials that were used, the kind of beads, where they came from, how we got ahold of them and since then ISA国际影视传媒檝e just been looking for them all over the world,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

The earrings incorporate traditional materials like muskox horn and European ones like vintage French beads.

All of her raw materials are sourced from the North, whether itSA国际影视传媒檚 Alaska, Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.

SA国际影视传媒淚 do all of the work so it means that I tan the moosehide, I tan the caribou hides that are backed, I got the muskox horn from here,SA国际影视传媒� said Larsson.

SA国际影视传媒淚 have great support from all the communities and hunters who provide the hides, who send me some horn or antlers whenever I put a call out.SA国际影视传媒�

The earrings also feature vintage Italian beads and French antique beads, rare materials that have been out of production for decades if not centuries, said Larsson.

She used 18-karat gold for the ear hooks and findings and 24-karat gold-plated beads from the Czech Republic for the edging to pull it all together.

SA国际影视传媒淥n top of that, I found some diamond beads that I included in the centre and then diamonds and gold that I included in the horn,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

This blend of traditional and European materials has a deep history in the Northwest Territories. The now vintage European beads were once traded through the HudsonSA国际影视传媒檚 Bay Company via in the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n region and across the territory.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was very interested in the trade routes and the trade routes pre-dating contact,SA国际影视传媒� said Larsson.

SA国际影视传媒淓ven like including dentalium shells in my work or silverberry seeds, because weSA国际影视传媒檝e always been organized nations who traded between people to the west coast or people up North or down south.SA国际影视传媒�

Larsson is going to Italy at the end of April to purchase more antique beads from a supplier in Venice.

SA国际影视传媒淭hese are like super old beads that are super special because they give a colour palette that you canSA国际影视传媒檛 create with todaySA国际影视传媒檚 bead production, you can only find it through old beads,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Including these beads was important because it reminded Larsson of work her grandfathers used to do.

She heard stories from elders and knowledge holders about how rare and valued these beads were, and it's evident in their old outfits.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou can tell in the work because itSA国际影视传媒檚 only three or four beads a flower petal for example, at the tip, and that was like the highlight,SA国际影视传媒� she explained.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat shows that you have some very special beads in your work.SA国际影视传媒�

The care and precision GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n people put into their traditional clothing shows love for how they presented themselves to the world, said Larsson.

SA国际影视传媒淗ow we put so much effort into our adornment and that for me is so important because itSA国际影视传媒檚 all about sharing our pride and we always had that,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e always carried ourselves with so much pride and care in how we presented ourselves, even if we were nomadic, in the arctic. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 something that has always been important and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what I love to see in my work.SA国际影视传媒�

Larsson said she couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have done it without her many mentors like Judy Lafferty and Lucy Ann Yakeleya.

SA国际影视传媒淚f you look at their work, one day I hope ISA国际影视传媒檓 at that level,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 tons of amazing masters across the territories and this is just my take on our work. And being able to include their teachings in my jewelry, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 super important to me.SA国际影视传媒�

Larsson counts this feature as a success for herself and everyone who helped her get here. The support of the EntrepreNorth program was very important too, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淏ecause I spent so much time refining what ISA国际影视传媒檓 trying to say with my business that ISA国际影视传媒檓 so thankful I was a part of the program...It was really nice to have support within the Northern community to not be doing this by myself.SA国际影视传媒�

The British Vogue feature is just a SA国际影视传媒渢iny startSA国际影视传媒� Larsson said.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 excited to see what comes from it,SA国际影视传媒� she said.