Korina Emmerich: An Indigenous Designer Who Beautifully Integrates Justice, Culture & Art

EMME is a New York based clothing and accessory brand founded by Korina Emmerich. Her items are made-to-order in her Brooklyn, New York studio located in occupied Lenapehoking on Canarsie territories. Learn more about this eclectic designer and how she’s transforming the industry.

Check out this interview:

How do you define sustainability/responsibility?

Sustainability goes so much farther than being a buzzword in today’s media and advertising. While the term sustainability, particularly in fashion, is often represented through eco-friendly fabrics, environmentally friendly production practices, and textile innovation, we are hard pressed to see sustainability as a bigger picture.

To me, getting down to the root of my presence as a being and what and how I contribute to this world, is my form of radical sustainability. As a designer I struggle with the idea of creating more things, when we already have so much. In the simplest form I often work in upcycling fashions, paying respect to the life cycle of a garment from creation to biodegradation, and working to eliminate as much waste as possible, but my commitment to radical sustainability does not stop there.

I am committed to dismantling systems of oppression worldwide, and pulling the veil from monstrotive industrial practices affecting the people and the earth. I believe in the sustainable representation of Indigenous people in all arenas. As Indigenous people, we are stewards of the land, and have a responsibility to uphold that commitment. Sustainability is a commitment to humanity and acknowledging the inherent balance of all forms of life.

When and why did you become a designer?

I am blessed to come from a really creative family. My father was an art teacher while I was growing up and I knew from a young age I wanted to be an artist, but I was still exploring what my medium would be.

The glamour of the 90s designers still resonates with me, watching the art driven fashion from some of the greats. I plastered my walls with images of McQueen, Versace, Gucci etc. I wanted so badly to be a part of that world, to leave myself behind and mold into this glamorous lifestyle that seemed beyond unattainable for a child like me.

The first fully completed garment I made was my Jingle Dress Regalia in the 9th grade. The Jingle Dress, also known as the healing dress or prayer dress, is composed of a colorful foundation with rolled tobacco lids that create jingles. When you dance, each jingle has a dedicated prayer associated with it, and the sound of the jingles release the prayers. It was during the creation of this Regalia that I knew I wanted fashion to be my medium.

How do you contextualize this idea of sustainability within the intersections of your Indigenous heritage?

I believe Indigenous designers are innately sustainable because we were raised to have a stronger connection to the earth and what it provides. I’ve always been taught not to take more than you need. To always consider future generations with every action or inaction you take. We have an understanding of the Earth’s ecology, coexistence and dependence of all living things, summed up in the term “all my relations”. Recognizing the principles of equality, harmony and unity, We inherently created the idea of “no waste” in common traditional practices like hunting and fishing: using every part of an animal to provide food, clothing, tools etc. Everything the Earth provides is received with the utmost respect and gratitude.

What inspires your brand and how do you keep that energy fluid in an industry often filled with smoke & mirrors?

The principal statement I keep at the forefront of EMME is: ‘The success of one is not worth the detriment of many.’

Model credit: sequoia shot by Korina Emmerich — Model credit: sequoia shot by Korina Emmerich

I have always held the commitment to my morals and ethics at the forefront of my business. However, the more I learned about this industry, the more problematic and toxic it became. It started as this gold plated dream of mine, this glamourous industry, where everyone was wealthy and good looking. The more the wool was pulled from my eyes, my attention shifted from the glamorous disguise, to what was rotting underneath. It was a swift lesson that exploitation was your only way to succeed quickly in this industry.

When I had originally launched my collection in department stores, I knew I wanted to keep my core values, but I realized ethical production wasn’t going to get me anywhere but deeper in debt. We have created a competitive monster, trying to drop costs at the cost of humanity. So I pulled out, and moved to made-to-order direct to consumer. What felt like a failure at the time, is now the beginning point of the roadmap I have begun creating specifically for me.

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received was: ‘Create a platform only you can stand on. That’s how you will succeed.’ My inspiration lies in my artwork and culture. The visions from my head through my hands into a tangible product. Once you are able to hone in and truly see yourself, no one can knock you off your platform. And as badly as I idolized Mcqueen or Galliano, I had to come to terms with the fact that I am not, in fact, a White British man. And my power lies in my own personal experiences, good and bad.

What has been your greatest challenge thus far?

Money. Period. As much as we want to talk about working outside of the capitalistic framework, money is a reality not spoken about enough. Designers aren’t transparent with their financing options, and as a child of very humble beginnings, an excess of money wasn’t a part of my existence. There were so many times in my life the options were fabric or food. But I know this contributed to my creativity and turn to upcycling. Keeping an eye out for anything to create with. I remember taking the discarded velvet curtains, when we replaced the fitting room panels at my retail job during school, so I could complete my senior collection. Shopping only second hand directly contributed to my ability to tailor and resize pieces and influenced my desire to upcycle in fashion. When my collection was in department stores, I worked 6 nights a week to fund production. I constantly felt I was missing something, how the hell do people do this?? I didn’t come from money, and in turn knew very few people who actually did. It’s still something that is a struggle on a daily basis, and I would be lying if it wasn’t.

However this too, is a part of the movement of Slow Fashion. When we work to scale up slowly, we are able to recognize and watch our commitment to quality and sustainability. We are able to source creative solutions. To have respect for the production and the people because no one is just a number on a cost sheet.

Where do you hope to see the future of fashion / sustainable fashion as we climb out of a global pandemic and adjust to heightened awareness of this country's racial pandemic?

People keep talking about, when will things get back to ‘normal’? I’m not interested in things getting back to ‘normal’. Normal is another's oppression. Normal is a system built on white supremacy, ignorance, and racism.

In the authentic sustainability movement, we are innately aware of the need to diversify the spaces we occupy. To listen to one another without judgement in order to work towards creating a just and equitable world for future generations. In an industry that is seemingly more focused on the commodification of diversity rather than actually supporting POC’s voices, we have a long way to go. But we are starting to sit down at these tables. We are starting to get into the rooms where decisions are being made, and we are not interested in making anyone comfortable. Dismantling the systems that have been built up around us will be painful, but necessary.

A call for transparency and accountability is a good first step. There is no healing without accountability. We need to open the opaque doors of business and see how our items are being made. The actions needed to be taken are insurmountable. But I believe the fight for truth is becoming a priority. We need to unveil the systemic problems in order to create change. I have hope, but I’d rather fight to ensure change.