No. 35
Patricia Michaels
Antlers in the Mist, 2024, hand painted silk organza, painted and beaded bustier, Size 8. Photos by Bill Curry; model, Emileah Lujan (Taos Pueblo). Top photo at Couse-Sharp Historic Site near Sharp’s 1915 Studio; bottom photo in Couse’s Studio
From a young age, Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo) knew she wanted to be a designer, and by the second grade she had created her first garment. Growing up in Santa Fe, Michaels admired the designs and models in fashion magazines, but her grandfather taught her that the most beautiful part of life is found in nature. As a child, she spent considerable time at Taos Pueblo, where many of her family members lived.
Vowing to keep her Native traditions alive through her fashions, for over 20 years Michaels has been producing unique haute couture that draws inspiration from nature and her Native roots. The name of Michael’s company, PM Waterlily, includes her Native name, and recurring themes in her work include cloud patterns, eagle feathers, and rain.
In 2012, Michaels was on the television show Project Runway, in which she was first runner-up and the first Native designer to appear on the program. She returned for a season of Project Runway All Stars. Michaels has definite inspirations for her garments and says, “My clothes tell a story, where the wearer gets to incorporate their own history and energy into the garment.”