23 Jan Indigo Arrows

“The Indigo Arrows line picks up where my ancestors left off.”

In the heart of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Destiny Seymour, an Anishinaabe interior designer, is leading a cultural resurgence through her company, Indigo Arrows. Indigo Arrow’s mission is not just about creating stunning artisan textiles; it’s also a pathway to economic reconciliation and an example of reviving storytelling and culture through Indigenous methods.

Seymour, who holds a Master’s Degree in Interior Design from the University of Manitoba, recognized the absence of local Indigenous inspired designs in the projects she had been invited to collaborate on. This deficit pushed her to redefine the narrative by creating products that weaves in patterns/designs from local Indigenous pottery and bone tools into contemporary home decor; reviving the textiles and patterns of her ancestors from museums.

Founded in 2016, Indigo Arrows curates a range of table linens, pillows, and blankets, each piece a bridge connecting ancestral crafting methods with contemporary aesthetics. The products showcase patterns from local Indigenous pottery and bone tools that date from 400 to over 3000 years old, “every pattern has a story.”

Seymour places significant emphasis on early and authentic collaboration in major project development, anchoring her rooted in the values of kindness and authenticity. Her professional journey in architecture, navigating diverse projects with both private and public clients, has been instrumental in uncovering what truly drives successful design initiatives.

For Seymour and her team, success is not solely measured by the margins of profit; it’s about empowering Indigenous communities, and youth, to take the lead in design and economic initiatives. They aspire to nurture Indigenous talent— artists and technicians—to nurture a future where Indigenous Peoples drive the growth and equity ownership of projects themselves.

In Seymour’s vision, the future of the Indigenous economy lies in culture, arts, and the nurturing of skills. This is matched by a commitment to nurturing Indigenous youth as future leaders in a clean energy-driven world. In the Indigenous economy, Seymour states that it is critical for Indigenous Youth to see and connect with Indigenous business leaders in a face to face format; citing conference fees as barriers. Her belief illustrates that there is a need for great engagement and inclusion of Indigenous Youth in all aspects of business and commerce.

Indigo Arrows embodies economic reconciliation at its core, going beyond surface inclusion to champion authentic Indigenous inclusion and economic growth. In the emerging landscape of the $100 billion Indigenous economy, Destiny Seymour and her team at Indigo Arrows are working diligently to support better futures for all our relations using business as a tool.