'Native Max Magazine' Is The First Of Its Kind

We’ve all seen the tribal trends and patterns that are used in designs and on the runways, but do the designers responsible for creating these trends actually know about the Native American culture and what it means to be a Native American? Not necessarily. And that’s exactly the kind of thing that Kelly Holmes is trying to prevent through Native Max Magazine , the first ever Native American fashion magazine that she single-handedly created.

Growing up on the Cheyenne River Reservation, Holmes moved to Denver and channeled her love for the Native American culture, fashion and the arts into creating a publication that highlighted Native American artists, designers and activists. She published the magazine’s first issue in 2012.

Native Max Magazine is the first of its kind on the market, and since it's launch it has become an outlet for sports, style, art and culture related news as it pertains to those of Native American decent. When it comes to the fashion side of things, the magazine tackles issues around these so-called “tribal trends” that have been so popular.

Holmes sees these designs as “a great honor to our culture,” she tells BuzzFeed. “But it would be better if they brought on a Native designer who knows the real designs and can guide them.”

This is the kind of thing that Holmes and the magazine stand for — the appropriate respect and recognition for their culture.

“Native Max’s ultimate goal is to promote Native talent, stories, and inspirational individuals,” she said in her BuzzFeed interview, "to expose their talents to the “mainstream industry.”

Through living her dream, Holmes and her team are hoping to inspire others to live their own.