ENTERPRISE
D'Arcy J. Moses, a well-known fashion designer from Wrigley, is aiming to get back into the big time.

D'Arcy J. Moses, a well-known designer from Wrigley, wants another shot at the big-time fashion scene, and that begins with a new design studio in Enterprise. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

And his first stop on that journey is Enterprise, where he will get ready for Toronto and Montreal.

"I've been talking about it a few years, but I just decided I'd like to give it one more sort of kick at the can," he said, while sitting in his new design studio in Enterprise.

There, he will primarily work on a new collection of high-end fashions to eventually take to Montreal and Toronto, while also creating items to sell in the NWT to help pay the rent.

"I'm older and certainly, hopefully, I consider myself a bit wiser and I think there's a market in the North that can be tapped into, but most important I want to utilize this space to build a new body of work that I can show in Eastern Canada," he explained.

While Moses previously made a name for himself in the fashion world, he said he took a sabbatical – it ended up being 10 years – to live and work in Wrigley, which he describes as the community of his birthright.

For the last few years, he was even band manager with Pehdzeh Ki First Nation.

Before moving to Wrigley, he worked in Toronto and Montreal, and travelled all over the United States, Europe and Asia.

Despite that previous success, he has to re-establish himself in Eastern Canada.

"Even two years if you're out of the business in the garment trade, it's considered a long time," he said, although he noted he was still involved in the business if there were special events in Toronto that required garments made to measure.

Moses creates a wide variety of clothes – coats, dresses, vests, hats, skirts, jackets, and more – from a First Nations perspective, and in particular using Northern designs, embellishments, embroidery and bead work. Plus, he also makes hunting accessories like bush bags, knapsacks and gun cases.

His work is still known by the industry in Toronto, he said, despite his absence. "But I don't want to go there before I have a body of work."

Moses said his new venture is at the same time exciting and a little disconcerting, because it's a big change at his age – mid-40s – and does not guarantee a steady income.

"You're at the will of the consumer, so to speak, and the local economy and the economy in the North," he said.

At the same time, he added that, if he doesn't do it now, he will never do it.

Moses plans to live and work in Enterprise for about a year and maybe more.

"I'm not sure. I'm playing it by ear," he said. "We'll see how well I do business-wise here in the North."

His new studio is attached to Winnie's Dene Art Gallery & Gift Shop in what used to be a restaurant.

"I just wanted a quiet space to work," Moses said, adding he is also hoping to host a number of workshops there.

"This seems like a good fit," he said, adding the location is good, the rent is reasonable compared to Yellowknife and some of his product can be sold at Winnie's.

Winnie Cadieux is thrilled her business will share a building with Moses, adding his decision to work in Enterprise is a "coup" for the community.

"I'm very excited because of D'Arcy's abilities and talent, and what he brings to the whole arts and cultural market in Enterprise and the Northwest Territories," she said.

Cadieux anticipates selling some of Moses' products in her store.

Mayor John Leskiw II is also welcoming Moses.

Leskiw said he hopes the presence of the design studio will help create more of a sense of community in Enterprise, which he said is known as a good location for tradespeople.

Moses has been saving for years and has purchased very high-end fabrics to launch his return to full-time fashion design.

"So my day job here will be making merchandise that I can sell locally and in Yellowknife," he said.

"Then I'll be spending my spare time and my evenings working on this collection of very high fashion."

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