gaga over blue bird

The Heard Museum Indian Fair & Market is one of the largest American Indian art markets in the southwest. A place where hundreds of contemporary artists, collectors and art professionals converge to see what the makers are making and the shakers shaking.

Held at the Heard Museum, a landmark museum in Phoenix in existence for over eighty years, the landscape of the festival is brimming with cutting edge art of both the traditional and modern kinds. The event marked presence 4.0’s first event as official media, the big league.

Just like New York Fashion Week, all the action happens under the tents. Found among the creatives and attendees was Marisolea Yabeny, a young Navajo, Irish and Jewish teen. Stepping aside to share her personal style, she noted, “I am always dressed up.” Her dad noted her outfit for the day was pretty tame since her style tends to lean more toward colorful fashion risk-taking as found in Lady Gaga. Marisolea just smiled and giggled at the mention, as if approving of his interpretation.

The red flower adds the necessary drama to make Lady Gaga proud.

The eye-catching headband she donned was a piece she and her mom found at a local mall. The height alone echoed Lady Gaga’s self-identified “monster vibe”. The blouse, skirt and shoes were all made by different family friends and acquaintances.

Ask any Navajo family and Blue Bird flour is the ingredient of choice to make frybread. While Marisolea’s dress is a contemporary take on the traditional style of dress of Navajo women, the materials share a pop-culture favorite, the iconic blue bird. Even found on her shoes, the bird presents a playful and casual side to Marisolea’s outfit.

The turquoise, silver and coral are the frosting of this outfit making it clear Marisolea’s priority is to incorporate “lots of bling”. The youthful ease of this outfit shows this young Navajo woman is having a blast crafting her look and presence 4.0 looks forward to capturing her in the future.

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A red blue bird, Marisolea strikes a pose.

Marisolea flashes her curated arm candy – full of charms and coral.