Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Aug 18/00) - Pants, skirts, dresses, leather coats, purses, bustiers and corsets.

Joey Tsetso's fashion design talents have blossomed over the past year with Nats'enelu, and now they stand to progress even more as he prepares to attend fashion design school in Edmonton.

Last week, Tsetso returned from Edmonton after finding an apartment just a few minutes away from Marvel College. There, he will take a one-year course in fashion design and apparel production beginning in September.

"I'm very excited," Tsetso said of the prospect of expanding his horizons and meeting new people.

He also spent 10 days in Inuvik in July representing Nats'enelu at the Great Northern Arts Festival.

"A lot of people were really interested and surprised that we can make this stuff," he said of the Dene-inspired clothing.

"We did make a lot of sales."

Tsetso said he plans to continue using traditional materials, such as hides, but with a contemporary twist. As a next step, he's hoping to be accepted to fashion design school in London, England. Then he may design for a major label, or start his own.

"I like Versace -- glamorous, luxurious clothes. That's what I want to make," he said.

D'Arcy Moses, Nats'enelu's chief fashion designer, said he's been impressed by Tsetso's remarkable flair for design over the past year.

"When he first started here I told him, 'You have to work hard and start paying your dues,'" Moses said.

"As he started doing that we started giving him more responsibility and more design freedom, and his progression has been amazing ... he's done really well."

Admittedly, having patience is something that hasn't come easy for Tsetso. He got his start in fashion design by teaching himself to make a grad dress for a friend. He wasn't fond of the entire process though.

"I didn't know how to sew. It was really frustrating," he recalled.

Yet he stuck with it and eventually began picking up techniques from Moses and other Nats'enelu employees.

He dropped out of high school to work with the company, but at that time they were primarily making purses and hats.

"I think I got bored of that," he said, smiling.

He returned to school and attained his diploma.

Then he went back to Nats'enelu, where he was able to design a wider range of garments.

He sent his portfolio and transcripts off to Marvel College and has been welcomed into their program.

"They were really impressed," he said.