About the Designer
Indigenous Designer Livia Manywounds (Blackfoot Woman) hails from the TsuuT'ina (Dene) and Siksika (Blackfoot) Nations in Treaty 7 territory located in Southern, Alberta, Canada. She is the Owner and Founder of Dancing Storm Designs. Livia is a First generation Business Owner, Designer, Author, Emcee, and Photographer. This multi skilled entrepreneur is a Communications Specialist for TsuuT’ina Nation Police Services in addition to being a Marketing Consultant for Tsuut’ina Nation Healthy Living Program. She serves on the Board of Directors for Banff Buffalo Nations Cultural Society.
Livia is a Broadcasting Graduate from Mount Royal University, she briefly studied Fashion Marketing at the Visual College of Art and Design. She worked for CBC-Radio Canada as Reporter, operating a first of its kind pop-up Bureau reporting stories from Southern Alberta First Nations. The pop-up bureau was nominated for a RTDNA Adrienne Clarkson Award for Diversity in 2019. Since, she worked as an Associate Producer for the CBC Homestretch Radio Show and the Calgary Eyeopener. In Addition, Livia has assisted on Documentaries on the CBC Fifth Estate Program as an Indigenous Liaison, a Production Assistant for APTN's Rodeo Nation, and Associate Producer CBC Montreal First Nations Water Documentary.
Indigenous Fashion is a passion Livia long awaiting to pursue. Now, she creates custom one of a kind pieces rooted in in her culture. Her focus is Indigenous Haute Couture with an exception of traditional works and apparel. In addition, Livia has published a series of Indigenous Wellness Journals available internationally on Amazon. She is the recipient of the 2019 Community Futures Treaty 7 Indigenous Business Builders Series recognition award. Livia opened the 2019 Otahpiaaki Fashion show with her Winter Count Collection. In 2020 she was featured as a runway designer for Rendezvous Fashion Show in Whitehorse Yukon. To add to her experience, Livia completed a 3 week Indigenous Haute Couture Residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in March 2022, she was featured at the 2022 Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto. As a result, honourable mentions include being featured by the Toronto Star and The Kit Magazine’s as one of four Indigenous Fashion Designers changing the game of Fashion. The Globe and Mail featured her story, healing through the threads – grief and creating fashion. CBC Calgary News highlighted Livia as one of few Indigenous Designers gaining recognition on international runways. CBC Life mentioned her in a review, Bridging tradition and the future: standouts from the Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival 2022 Runway. As a result of her Fashion endeavours, Livia has been invited by numerous organizations to facilitate sewing and cultural awareness workshops. This rising artisan has combined her passion with her roots while healing through the threads of her creations. Now, Livia will be moving forward by rebranding her small business by retiring Dancing Storm Designs permanently. Moving Forward, Livia Manywounds - Designer / Emcee / Photographer combines her passion for fashion with the gift of voice and capturing memories. "Art can be universal in telling our stories".