It's hard to stand out at the Met Gala, the annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
The landmark cultural event has become a competition of sorts, with celebrities attempting to don ever-more attention grabbing outfits custom made by top designers.
Amongst this year's preening, dubbed "In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion", Quannah Chasinghorse stood out.
The 19-year-old Hän Gwich’in and Oglala Lakota woman, who works as a model and advocates for Indigenous land rights, made an arresting figure amongst the more well-known attendees.
Dressed in gold lamé, adorned with authentic Navajo turquoise and silver jewellery, and with her traditional tattoos on full display, Chasinghorse has been touted as one of the evening's best-dressed.
The yearly event always has a designated theme to guide the attendee's sartorial choices; this year's 'American Independence' theme saw several red, white and blue interpretations. But it took on a deeper significance with Chasinghorse's attendance.
She is a fierce campaigner for the sovereign rights of her people. Her work advocating for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge made headlines last year when she was just 18 years old.
Quannah Chasinghorse speaks at NYFW: The Talks, Representation and Identity In The Fashion Image during NYFW. Source: Getty Images North America
It is a multigenerational battle that has been undertaken by fellow Gwich’in women for decades, and is fought while simultaneously calling for justice around missing and murdered Indigenous women.
