Lesley Hampton, a designer from Temagami First Nation, is using fashion to celebrate Indigenous identity and promote inclusivity in Canada’s fashion world.
Her designs have been featured at major events like Toronto Fashion Week and have been worn by stars like Sandra Oh, Lizzo, and Lily Gladstone. Her brand is known for its focus on mental health and diversity. Lesley believes fashion isn’t just about clothes but about creating a welcoming, supportive space she wishes she had growing up. Hampton’s journey to the runway was shaped by global experiences, reconnection, and a desire to redefine who belongs in fashion.
Hampton always felt a strong connection to her roots in the Temagami First Nation. Hampton’s exposure to multicultural communities overseas while growing up taught her what it felt like to be different and how to find community through those differences. These early experiences shaped her values, as her designs today focus on diversity, Indigenous stories, and mental health.
Having grown up overseas and attended school in Australia and England, Hampton has been on a personal journey to reconnect with her heritage. Lesley’s connection grew deeper when she moved back to Canada for university, reuniting with her birth grandmother and visiting her home territory in Temagami, which influenced her fashion brand’s purpose and message. Her love for creating began when she was just four years old, starting with a sewing machine and a dream to make a teddy bear for her brother.
