What if a garment could tell a story?

This fall, visitors to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will have the chance to explore that question through the work of one of contemporary fashion’s rising Indigenous voices. Opening Aug. 18, “Jontay Kahm: Personified Existence” transforms the museum’s galleries into a world where fashion, sculpture and storytelling meet.

The exhibition marks the first museum presentation of Plains Cree designer Jontay Kahm, whose bold, sculptural creations have quickly earned international attention. Featuring nearly 20 garments alongside mixed-media works and video, the exhibition explores themes of life, death and the hereafter while drawing from Indigenous knowledge systems and contemporary design.

For Alabama audiences, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience work that is reshaping conversations about what fashion can be. Rather than viewing clothing simply as something to wear, Kahm’s pieces invite visitors to consider garments as vessels for memory, identity and cultural expression.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Canada, Kahm has emerged as one of the most exciting new names in contemporary Indigenous fashion. After debuting his first collection in 2023, his work earned a feature in Vogue, drawing international attention for its imaginative silhouettes and technical craftsmanship. Since then, he has earned recognition from leading voices in the fashion world, completed graduate studies at Parsons School of Design and continued to build a reputation for designs that blur the boundaries between couture and sculpture.

Organized by Lumbee scholar Nancy Strickland Chavis, “Personified Existence” also reflects a broader movement among museums to recognize fashion as a fine art practice. Through vibrant color, intricate texture and dramatic forms, the exhibition encourages visitors to slow down and experience clothing as art capable of carrying stories across generations.

Kahm and Chavis will visit Auburn Sept. 28-29 for public programs and conversations with students, faculty and community members, giving visitors the opportunity to hear firsthand about the ideas and traditions behind the work.

“Jontay Kahm: Personified Existence” will be on view at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art from Aug. 18 through Dec. 6.

For exhibition details, museum hours and upcoming public programs, visit the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art website.