‘Special to Navajo’

Diné dress designer operates own brand out of her home

TONALEA-RED LAKE, Ariz.

The story behind Marisa Mike’s bestselling piece details the emergence of the Diné people.

The “Rain Gown” is a one-of-a-kind couture dress from Mike’s Second World Collection and it is also her bestselling piece worn by young women being promoted from middle school, graduating from high school or college, and in the pageant circuit.

Graduation season is one of the busiest times of the year for this designer, who runs her own brand out of her home. Customers from across the western United States and Canada drop by to be measured for a custom Marisa Mike dress priced at $500 and up.

With orders taped to a wall recently, Mike finished up a “Rain Gown” for a young woman who is graduating from high school. She also had to produce a number of other dresses before the weekend.

A Marisa Mike piece is instantly recognizable from the strong geometric designs with palettes of earthy tones and vibrant hues. She is making a name. Now she is looking for a place to manufacture her label that shows the undiscovered side of Diné Bikéyah.

Mike’s story of how she became the founder of her own brand is as colorful as her designs.

“With my designs, I kind of wanted to keep it special to Navajo land, the Southwest,” Mike said, as she sewed a zipper into the seam of an elaborate “Rain Gown,” which takes at least a month to make.

The dress is made of Pendleton wool and polyester chiffon fabrics.

“So the closest, high-quality fabric, closest to the Navajo rug design is the Pendleton (wool),” she said. “That’s where I try to keep quality.”

Mike says she will not use the geometric patterns in faux trade blankets made in China, which are usually sold at flea markets across the Navajo Nation.

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