How a Yellowknife jeweller's necklace ended up on Billie Eilish in a Vogue photo shoot

'It really gives us the platform to be able to talk to what's important ... to me as a Gwich'in woman'

CBC News · Posted: Jan 06, 2023 3:00 AM CT | Last Updated: January 6

It started last year when Gwich'in jeweller Tania Larsson made a contemporary but traditionally inspired dentalium shell necklace with silver chain.

Her partner Razelle Benally immediately complimented Larsson on it. And, as per custom, says Larsson, when someone compliments an item you make, it's gifted to that person. 

Later, when Benally was at the Tribeca Festival in New York City at a film premiere wearing the same necklace, Gwich'in and Lakota model and activist Quannah Chasinghorse saw it and she complimented Benally on it.

"[She] was like, 'Oh my God, it's so beautiful,'" said Larsson.

So Benally took it off and gave it to Chasinghorse.

More recently, when Chasinghorse was in the midst of a Vogue digital cover shoot with singer and songwriter Billie Eilish — who opted to share her cover shoot with climate activists — she gave it to the celebrity.

"So on the shoot, Quannah ended up giving it to her because she wanted to give her a piece of Gwich'in adornment for this moment, and for the work that she's done, and like bringing in all these activists and amplifying their voices on this platform," Larsson said.

Larsson didn't find out that Eilish had worn her necklace until Benally phoned her.

"I was in shock. I was completely in shock. Actually, my partner called me and was like, Did you see the news? Did you see this news?" Larsson recalled. "I was just like, speechless."

'Issues ... close to my heart'

Vogue's January digital issue focuses on climate activism.

Larsson said having an international stage was exciting, not just to show off her work as a jeweller, but to amplify a message about the environment. 

"It's really special because they talk about issues that are close to my heart," Larsson said.

"Oftentimes, I felt that, being up North and trying to talk about things that are impacting our nations, that are impacting our lands and our way of life, like the caribou is so important for us up here, that I felt like I was screaming into a void or screaming to the people who already knew the message," Larsson said. 

"So to have them on this huge platform, with hundreds of millions of followers seeing this, and to a huge audience, that was so important, because that's why we do the work that we do — to talk about how important the environment is."

It's not Larsson's first time in Vogue. Her jewellery hit the pages of British Vogue in 2019, with a pair of traditionally inspired earrings.

Cultural revival

Larsson said the high profile necklace wearer also speaks to the revitalization of Gwich'in culture.

"It really gives us the platform to be able to talk to what's important to us, what's important to me, as a Gwich'in woman," she said.

"It could be minimized, because it's just jewlery. But for me, it's important because it's our culture and revitalizing our culture and practicing our culture is so important in my life."

Having the activists, and a piece of her jewlery, featured in Vogue help to show the world who she and the activists are, Larsson said.

"I think it changes lives, and it shows the world that there's different ways of seeing and different ways of experiencing," she said.

"It's important to hear diverse voices so that you can build empathy and understand why we live the way we live … and that everybody should be able to be self-determined."

Larsson said there are "lots of exciting things" coming for her jewlery business.

• Gwich'in designer's earrings land in Vogue magazine
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But right now, she's focusing on her health and "taking a moment to celebrate these wins." 

"I burnt out really badly two years ago, and I'm still in burnout recovery. So I'm taking it one day at a time."