Alaska’s budding model Quannah Chasinghorse is on special Elle edition

By
Suzanne Downing
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100
1315

Quannah Chasinghorse has been making the rounds in the modeling world. The 19-year-old Alaskan is in Paris this week for Fashion Week, where she’ll be walking the runway representing some of the biggest fashion houses, including Chanel.

She’s also on the cover of a special digital issue of Elle magazine, which features her discussing what it’s like to be the “first Indigenous woman to walk for certain luxury brands (she’s Hän Gwich’in and Sicangu Oglala Lakota).”

“The 19-year-old model is a warrior for her culture and the land her people have inhabited for thousands of years,” the magazine said.

In her cover shoot, she’s wearing a $3,445 blazer and $1,195 bustier by Dolce & Gabbana. Tiara, earrings, necklace are also Dolce & Gabbana Alta Gioielleria.

“Raised by strong matriarchs, she’s a fourth-generation land protector for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in her home state of Alaska. Her mother, Jody Potts-Joseph, has worked for cultural reclamation since before Chasinghorse was born, and frequently took her dog mushing when she was a child. At this past Fashion Month, Chasinghorse appeared on the runways of Chloé, Savage x Fenty, Gabriela Hearst, and Prabal Gurung, and became the first Indigenous woman to walk for Chanel, tweeting that the experience ‘[made] me feel comfortable, seen, and beautiful!’ For many Native Americans, and Indigenous people across the globe, this much light falling on a fierce advocate for our issues makes us feel seen, too,” the story continued.

According to her bio, Chasinghorse spent her early childhood in Arizona, Mongolia, and New Mexico before returning to her mother’s homeland in Alaska. She lives in the Interior, including Kenny Lake and Fairbanks.

Read the story and see the photo shoot with Chasinghorse at this link.

Earlier this year, Chasinghorse was on the cover of Vogue Mexico and Vogue Japan. She is signed with the international modeling agency, IMG Models.

Look who made cover of Vogue Mexico

100 COMMENTS

    • I have some ideas. The traditional tattoos, racial wokeness, and the serious facial expression probably have something to do with it. Everything is propaganda today. The wise realize that and weigh everything against that fact as they receive signals.

    • Models aren’t allowed to smile and look happy during a photo shoot. They are all supposed to look petulant and spoiled or angry and fierce. You won’t see a smile or openness on a model’s face during a photo shoot…it just isn’t done. Look through the fashion magazines next time you’re at the store…you’ll see.

  4. Recognizing her during AFN week is especially appropriate and poignant. There are cultures in North America that apparently made it entirely through the 20th century still hectoring and victimizing young girls and women. This young woman has made it past any abuse, whatever may have happened, and I am sure we all wish her the best. I hope AFN has done some reflecting in the last 3 years.

      • Matthew Myers: Check out this post from below.

        DAN BALDWIN / DECEMBER 16, 2021
        “Why do American Indians always appear angry in photographs? Is it intentional? Or are Indians really angry all the time?”

    • I tend to be rather wary of all who call themselves a “warrior”, even if they’re a gorgeous teenage girl who’s never seen the brutality of warfare. I just don’t need any more warfare in my life, regardless if it’s martial, psychological, spiritual, cultural, political, racial…….whatever. I guess I’ve gotten tired of it. So now I have to accept and admire warfare, or I smell like a racist to yet another lamb who has been taught that every endeavor of mankind is a racial assault.
      Sigh………..

      • How about our “American heroes” in the military who are, essentially, hired killers or members of their support systems. You know them as the ones who subjugated the so-called wild Indians in the not-too-distant past.
        Not everything is a racial assault, but, if you are a hammer, you tend to see everything as a nail. If you are a nail, it tends to make you wary of hammers.

        • Blah blah blah!
          Ya, you’re a leftist that thinks soldiers are murderers. We had you pegged as that kind of —- steady, but thanks.

        • Some members of the military are exactly that: trained killers, and thry are extremely good at it. You appear not to know this, but that is traditionally what militaries have done for the past 5,000 or so years: killed people and destroyed stuff. Being wary of them is wise, and the unwise tend to get dead and/or destroyed. The aboriginal Americans who chose to fight them lost and lost big. The current effort to demasculate the military and transform it into a social mobility organization might embolden teenaged girl/warriors, but I feel safe predicting that it will turn out as yet another failed progressive experiment, and Quannah Chasinghorse will have no more success than Quannah Parker did in chasing off others who are not of her racial background. She would probably be better served by smiling once in s while and allowing her youthful beauty to reward her rather than trying to rewrite a sad and unsuccessful past against a seasoned and brutal military machine.

  8. The term “eco-warrior” implies the person with that label shoots enemies with a rifle to further an ecological political agenda. If that is not the case then we need a new term for soldiers who shoot enemies to further non-ecological political agendas.

      • Our language continues its inexorable loss of ability to specify. Its unique power of specificity is what made English the language of science and the default world-wide language of diplomacy (it replaced French in this respect). The word “warrior” has now lost its specific meaning. Why? The answer is, people are too lazy to articulate ideas with adjectives available in Webster’s. Rather, they attempt to impress others with pseudo-creative metaphors which only degrade the meaning of specific words.
        .
        For example, CS Lewis pointed out the term “gentlemen” once meant, specifically, a man with aristocratic title owning a landed estate. A “lady” would be the female counterpart. Today, these terms in America apply even to foolish drunken criminals. The words have lost their meaning and the power of our language and therefore our culture have diminished accordingly.
        .
        If your response is, “I don’t care” then you can see the precise reason our culture is in decline by looking in a mirror.

        • “……..The word “warrior” has now lost its specific meaning. Why? The answer is, people are too lazy to articulate ideas with adjectives available in Webster’s. Rather, they attempt to impress others with pseudo-creative metaphors which only degrade the meaning of specific words……..”
          Actually, I think that the loss of meaning is more often caused by lousy attempts of propaganda. Admittedly, the propaganda works in some people, but not the majority, and (depending on the word) not for long. “Warrior”? I suspect real war (especially one that is delivered) will reiterate that noun rather quickly and suddenly. Another word redefined by propaganda is “gay”. That one might stick for a while……..perhaps until homosexuals increasingly become unhappy……..again………

        • You don’t understand the word “vaccine”, Wayne. And you mis-use it regularly, without a second thought. Oops.

  9. I knew Jody as a young very determined woman. She was underestimated, hopefully, only once. ( she never met me but I knew who she was.) She walked through the village in costume. She is a beautiful woman and so is her mother. Jody’s father is as handsome as his women are beautiful. Jody’s father was/is a woodsman. I am thrilled for Jody and her daughter. I hope Jody someday pens a book about determination. Her daughter also benefits from very strong genes.

    Former resident of Copper Center. ( the Stars walk among us)

    • While Jody was a VPSO she went to a big old party at Tanana Lakes Beach. She decided to leave and felt she was blocked in. Instead of having people move their cars she literally SLAMMED and RAMMED her vehicle into the parked cars while SCREAMING and YELLING.

  10. Good grief why all of the sourness. And what Wokeness? I guess I am not getting that. Maybe frivolous, but fashion design and modeling hale long before the wacky wokey trend. She is beautiful, I am glad she can feel as such. Let her have her fun. As for lack of smile, if it is a fashion they are telling her when and when not to smile.

  12. Dear Joel,

    Jody Potts’ daughter might not make it to stardom using the name Potts, or even the father’s surname. Please be happy for once….this is not fake news. Of all the feminine beauty in the Potts family, the daughter actually resembles most, her paternal grandfather. You may smile Mike.

    I do hope the people who made negative comments apologize.

    For once, I know the origin of this story and it begins in Copper Center, AK. I am so happy for Jody and her daughter that I could cry.

    The STARS walk among us. Please take more care.

    This a true Alaska story. Be pleased for the Potts family.

    Sincerely, ( former resident of Copper Center)

    • Obviously not. But I agree, she’s beautiful and whatever. The fashion industry being shallow and exploitive and narcissistic and not having much of my respect is nothing new. I’m still happy to see an Alaska Native getting to interface and have success. I would enjoy it much more without the left wing activism and the tasteless stroking of egos for being such while seemingly a little fake and taking oneself too seriously while enjoying extravagance.
      –
      I really enjoyed the Alaska native that was part of the American Ninja Warrior competition and really rooted for him. That I felt was much more tasteful and I enjoyed it much more. It was also most definitely based on merit and not race.

  14. “The 19-year-old model is a warrior for her culture and the land her people have inhabited for thousands of years”..

    I thought her people had inhabited the land from a time that always was… As a culture warrior, does she support slaughtering endangered creatures in order to feel culturally relevant to her ancestors that did things from a time that is no more???

    • A tattoo on the face (chin here) usually symbolizes that a person has just given up but I think in the native meaning around here a girl gets her first one when she is old enough to breed (considering the problems in rural Alaska with this, I think it’s odd). It is a tradition (now more fad to try to restart tradition?) Sadly, it might be permanent.

      • Matthew Myers: What the hell is with you? “Just given up”? What is that supposed to mean? And the word “breed” is a bit off don’t you think?

        • You sporting a chin tat there Singh or are you just maybe feeling a little puffy, retaining water, and would like to be the straw boss today?
          Mr. Myers’ posts meet Ms. Downing’s approval but you believe you should vet respondents remarks here as well? That would be a bit off, don’t you think?

          • Using the word breed was a bit harsh. I think it was an attempt to dehumanize natives and make them more like livestock. Technically it was right but very very crude and shows a willingness to insult.

  18. Why do American Indians always appear angry in photographs? Is it intentional? Or are Indians really angry all the time?

    • It’s called “model face”– nothing to do with Indians. Look up “model face” videos online, there are many hilarious tutorials, it’s a complicated three part process to get that look. ?

    • It was a particularly bad hunt this year, Dan. Caribou were held up somewhere between Fort Yukon and Stevens Village. You’ld be pissed off too if your satellite phone wasn’t working and pizza delivery was a bit sketchy.

      • Sing,
        This, folks, is a pure, unrefined example of how weak minds are manipulated to spout off a pre-determined scroll of cooked-up words, not from a true thought process, but from absolute mind control. IE……more total BS from the Marxist script writers.

    • Blah, blah, blah. Ya. We get it. Everything is racist. Everything. We get it. Thanks for adding substantive commentary of such a rare nature.

  19. I note no tribal affiliation. Chasinghorse is nothing I’ve heard in the Dinee here. Yeah, herds of wild horses in Alaska, right. No. Imported, or a stage name. Image is everything in that industry, anything to give her a step up. Good manager. And, if she is representing the big houses, she is making beau coup bucks. Good for her in that regard. I’m surprised the Governor hasn’t invited her to dinner. Oh, wait, he has a penchant for rich Australians who are contemptuous of him and Senator Dan.

  20. Nothing says that you are a deep thinker, spiritual, selfless and authentic and not shallow like this industry and culture. But whatever. She is pretty and if she wants to exploit native culture to be successful in this industry and the industry wants to exploit her and native culture, whatever. This kind of stuff will never stop. Just don’t be thinking it’s racist for me and many others to roll our eyes and not be moved by it.

    • Justin Erickson: at worst you have a whiff of racism about you. At best you haven’t enjoyed learning about all of us in Alaska.

      • Whatever brah. Haters gonna hate. You are wildly inaccurate and your assessment and opinion has no merit. You aren’t my problem. You are your own problem.

      • Just for clarification when I said “like this industry and culture”, I’m referring to the fashion industry and culture. I can see how people that want to, can easily misinterpret that to mean fashion industry and “native culture”. Sorry. I sincerely don’t think native culture is shallow. I think exploiting it for narcissism is. Again if you see that as racist, that is really your problem, not mine.

      • You know, if she were just to celebrate her culture and the exposure and the opportunity, that would be super cool, but this tone with the hand on the forehead “because of some people” is just phony and seems not very warrior like. Seems like playing a victim.

  21. For those who don’t know, or have forgotten, this young woman was the alleged object of the late Byron Mallott’s fantasies and desires. Age 16 at the time. I’m sure that when Bill Walker sees her face he can only be disgusted with himself for calling Byron Mallott his soul partner. Byron Mallott was soul-less for what he did. By association, Bill Walker faces nothing but shame and guilt. I hope this girl goes far in her career and moves beyond her past. She needs no part of corrupt and disgraced politicians.

    • “For those who don’t know, or have forgotten, this young woman was the alleged object of the late Byron Mallott’s fantasies and desires………..”
      Count me as one who didn’t know. I saw no published reason for Mallott’s downfall, but obviously suspected a scandalous thing like this. Alaska, like a small town or village, loves its secrets. They usually come out in the end, though.

    • “……this young woman was the alleged object of the late Byron Mallott’s fantasies and desires. Age 16 at the time…….”
      That doesn’t appear to be accurate. It was her mother, Jody Potts:
      ‘https://mustreadalaska.com/now-we-know-about-byron-mallotts-sin-but-what-exactly-do-we-know/’

    • She’d have to face Mallott in the cemetery. But Bill Walker?…….certainly. Would be a nice civil suit against the corrupt ex-governor for failure to rescue an underage child from pursuit by a pedophile Lt. Governor. Walker would have been in a position to intervene on her behalf. Probably worth a $$million or two. Go Quannah!

  23. You are so proud of your culture! being Alaskan?
    Wouldn’t you name your tribe, village or parts of
    Alaska you from! Regardless!

    Great for you! but I see something else here!
    Entitled and not naming! and a use and abuse!

    • She needs to justify her existence to non-believers? Who are we to judge who are the used and abused? Who are we to insist that everyone must be named according to some arbitrary system?
      Sometimes I’m ashamed to call myself an Alaskan.

      • Do you ever feel ashamed? Honest question? So many are always so quick to be ashamed of people that don’t align with their way of thinking, obviously allowing themselves to puff out their chest and shame others for shaming others but are never ever ashamed of themselves or even actions of people that are within their mental tribe. There is something very disingenuous about this, acting like no one will give Alaska Natives voices or that the opinion that ANWR should be kept pristine is an opinion that is hard to come by and unpopular. Such a brave warrior that she has to align herself with mass media and hollywood and all of the “cool kids”. And then you come out judging others with your hand on your forehead, “who are you to judge.. I’m so ashamed of some Alaskans”. Please. Keep clutching your “ethically” acquired pearls. Critical thinkers that aren’t afraid to be truly ostracized are in your midst. Hope someone out there hears your call of distress in this sea of barbarians.

      • Then don’t. Call yourself an Outsider. Ignorant. Idiot. Democrat. Marxist. Demagogue. Do it loud and clear. Do it at the ADN for all to see. But if you do it here, pay your bills.

  24. So I gotta ask yet one more question: if she’s a ” warrior for her culture” as we’re asked to believe, just whose culture is she waging war against?
    –
    If it’s white culture she’s at war with, would it be unfair to observe that the culture she’s presumably waging war on behalf of didn’t even have the wheel, the honey bucket, literacy, nor anything remotely like the certain luxury brands she’s now strutting around in with that cartoonish whiskers-like thing on her chin and her made up name right up until white folks came along?
    –
    It’s all so very strange, y’know?

    • So, are you from the village or not? Inquiring minds need to know.
      …and at five grand for a racey t-shirt and a coat it’s pretty clear that she’s an YUuuuGE supporter of white culture.
      Unless Singh says she’s not. Then she’s not. He’s the expert on indigenous appropriation. In the future you’ll want to make sure you run your stuff by him first.
      –
      In the interim please chastise yourself for some sort of racial bias and when Singh gets back from picking up his welfare check he’ll do it again, and a better job of it than you could.

  26. “In her cover shoot, she’s wearing a $3,445 blazer and $1,195 bustier by Dolce & Gabbana. Tiara, earrings, necklace are also Dolce & Gabbana Alta Gioielleria.” Lots of pretty rocks, most likely mined by child labor somewhere.
    “…she’s a fourth-generation land protector for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge…” Big bucks for the TAPS easement through Native lands. Even bigger bucks for the EnviroNazis who play on irrational fears to reap donations and grants. Poverty for the Natives who let themselves be co-opted by falling for the false binary choice between natural resources and industry.

    • The brutal, calloused instruments of White man. Designer clothing. Snow-mobiles. Four-wheel drive. GPS. Satellite phones. Rescue helicopters. Electricity. Indoor plumbing. Oil burning boilers. Diesel engines. Outboard motors.
      .
      Stop! We can’t take it anymore. White man is destroying our culture, our values, and our very souls.

          • ……..Native Corporation checks. BIA relief and services. Free medical and dental at Native health centers. Free legal services. Federal and state assistance for just about anything. Rural subsidies. UA outreach to the Bush. Free mental services. Affirmative Action benefits for graduate schools. Minority hire programs. Free fish from the State when the salmon aren’t getting caught. Weatherization programs for the Bush. Etc . Etc..Etc.
            Yep, that leaves a little more pocket change for cannibis, booze, cigarettes, Las Vegas trips to gamble and vacations to Hawaii and Mexico. And plenty enough more time to gripe and complain about racism and those effing White men.

  27. Well I never heard of Quannah until emma became Miss America. But good on both of them. As for Quannah, do they make her look so angry & imperious in all her photo shoots?

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